1 John 4:1-3

Introduction

It has been said that the most quoted verse in Scripture today is "Do not judge so that you will not be judged (Matthew 7:1). Our society is willing to tolerate all things, except a person it deems intolerant. Therefore, the person who attempts to be discerning can be labeled narrow-minded, judgmental and mean. Yet, John tells us to test the spirits.

So we know that John commands we test the spirits, but if our society does not encourage it, how do we do it? Fortunately, John not only tells us to test the spirits, he also tells us how.

Commentary

v 1
It is not commendable for the beloved to be naive. We should not simply accept every spirit that comes along. This is not cynicism, assuming yourself to be superior or above others. This is discernment; testing the spirit to see if it is from God.

John says the location of the spirit is critical. Did it find its source in God? For if it did not, then the spirit either proceeded directly from Satan or through the agency of sin-cursed man. Either way, the truth will be distorted (if even present) and will not be beneficial. No, when we consider a message, we should only trust it if it originates from God.

The location of the messenger cannot be the issue of consideration. Neither can the past messages from the messenger. For John reminds us that many false prophets have gone out into the world. When he says the have gone out, this should immediately remind us of his earlier statement:

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.--1 John 2:19

These men used to appear orthodox. In the past, we would have been deceived into believing they are one of us, for their message would have seemed consistent with the Biblical message. However, now there teaching reveals they never really of us. Therefore, I cannot simply receive the message of a person based upon the past reliability of their message. No, we must test each message, daily assessing if it is consistent with the Scriptures.

We likewise cannot trust them based upon their location. Just because a person is teaching/preaching from a respectable church does not ensure their message is proper. Paul reminded the Ephesian elders that savage wolves will come in among you (Acts 20:29). He says it will happen. Therefore, the elders are commissioned to be on the alert--and the church body should join them. It is critical that we test these spirits to discern if they truly originate from God.

v 2
If location of the preacher, nor his reputation, give us assurance as to the origin of the message, how does one discern if the message is from God? John gives us the parameters. It must confess the following:

Jesus
The earthly name given by Joseph in obedience to the angelic vision. His name literally declares "Jehovah Saves!" First criteria is to understand a message to originates from God is going to proclaim Jesus. The other elements of the confession simply describe Who this Jesus is.

Christ
Christ is the greek rendering of Messiah. It is a statement that Jesus is the Anointed One. The Chosen One Whom all the Scriptures speak. Though second temple period understanding of the Messiah may be clouded, the Scriptures clearly enforce that a proper understanding of the Christ, is to understand His Sonship. (Cruise through these 488 mentions of Christ in the New Testament and notice how many are directly related to Jesus being the Son of God.)

Has Come
But in case a person continues to deny the emphasis on on Jesus' eternality, John provides this glimpse. We simply do not speak this way of others. When we assess the life of all great leaders in history, we speak of two factors, their date of death and their date of birth. We speak of the day they were born, but we do not state it as the day they "have come in the flesh." John is making it clear to his readers that our understanding is that Jesus always existed eternally, yet at a determined point He clothed Himself with flesh. To say He has come is to say He was somewhere else before arriving on earth.

In the flesh
Though uncommon today, there still remain some who deny that Jesus literally came as man. This became pervasive in the gnostic teachings, which were just beginning to develop at the time of John's writing. In the early church period, some would actually claim that Jesus appeared to have come, but had not literally done so. Or, they claimed that His divine nature hovered over an earthly body, but was never truly united.

While this sort of teaching is not very popular today (It appears often today that the opposite is the attack. Acknowledging that Jesus came in the flesh but denying His divinity. Again, however, John addresses this matter earlier in Jesus' description.), some of its outworking remains. The reason people were tempted to deny the literal flesh of Jesus was that they believed all that was material was evil. Therefore, our calling to escape from the material issues of this world is seen as a form of sanctification. People are told that the physical world around them is either illusion or evil. Therefore our liberation from sin is found in escape from the material world. This, however, is a false hope. For the Word of God says will will one day receive literal, physical (though incorruptible) bodies. Jesus Christ came not to eliminate the physical world, but to restore it to its proper order.

But John also reminds us how this message must be transferred. It must be confessed. John has used this word before, and we are reminded that it literally means "one word." We are coming to agreement with the already stated fact. When we confess our sin, we are stated what God has already said about our sin. When we confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, we are not the originator of this message, but are simply joining in the declaration which has already been made. We need to look for the confession of this message. This should remind us of a few things.

Confession is not denial. When we are told a spirit must confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, we can easily spot a denial. If a person were to deny any element of the message (regardless of their location or reputation) we know that message is not from God. For if their message denies these truths about Jesus, their message is inconsistent with the Scriptures and God is not double-minded. A denial is usually pretty easy to spot.

Confession is not silence. But John does not tell us to listen closely for a denial. He calls us to listen closely to for a confession. Therefore, if a person is silent regarding the message that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, it is not a message from God. God is not pleased simply with a message that avoids error, but God is glorified by a message that exalts His Son. Any message (whether written or spoken, art or argument) that does not confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not consistent with God's desire to bring glory to Himself through His Son. God will seek every opportunity to lift up Jesus Christ, therefore, if the message does not confess Christ, the message is not from God.

Confessing is not the same as admitting. Because silence is usually the most prevalent form of false messages, many listeners are inclined to ask the speaker/author/singer if they will affirm that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Back into a corner and asked the right questions, the person responds with an affirmation that "Yes, I will agree that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh." Does this constitute a confession?

Consider an example from parenting. If I walk through the house and notice magic marker on the wall around the front door, I immediately go on a hunt to find the guilty party. As I turn the corner and enter the hallway, I immediately see my son standing near the bathroom, shirt and hands covered with the the stains of magic marker with the graffiti device laying at his feet. My question, "Did you mark the wall?" becomes almost rhetorical. He is caught red handed (quite literally). If he has any brains about him, he knows he is caught and his only hope of pardon is to admit to his sin. Tears may even come, but what do they indicate? Is he repentant? Does he see his error? Is he simply upset that his fun is being cut short? Is he afraid of the discipline to come? I have not indication of the purpose of his admittance.

However, if you have had the privilege of receiving a confession from your child, you know it is an entirely different experience. When the child believes their sin is hidden and yet they come and confess their sin to you, you know repentance has happened. The child is simply coming to desire forgiveness and restoration. The parent doesn't have to question if genuine repentance is necessary, nor do you have to wonder if the child sees his error. He has taken the initiative and it generates a confidence in the child's authenticity.

In the same way, when a teacher confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, you have a greater confidence in his belief of that message than if he simply answers in the affirmative to a few follow up questions. God has not called us to assume the message in others nor are we to veil it. God has called us to confess it.

v 3
Yet, we could diminish the error from neglect of confession. We could simply chalk it up to human error, time constraints, or again, the assumption of the messenger that all listeners already accept this message. However, John reminds where a message void of this confession finds its origin.

First, he states it is not from God. This is simply the inverse of his statement before. A message from God confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Therefore, a spirit that does not confess this message is not from God.

And if not from God, John tells us it is the spirit of the Antichrist. John has already spoken of the Antichrist (1 John 2:22). In both places, he affirms that their is a specific man, The Antichrist, who is coming, but also affirms the spirit, or message of the Antichrist is already present. In fact, many operate as antichrists, to foreshadow the Antichrist who is to come. Though he will possess powers and authority unseen by present false teachers, their message will be the same--a calling to turn away from the glory of Jesus Christ.

It is important to note, John does not call the false prophets who are present The Antichrist, though one may be. He simply says they are of the same spirit as the Antichrist. His agenda will be to turn people away from Jesus Christ and to Himself. Likewise, these false prophets desire to turn people away from the message of Jesus Christ, otherwise, they would confess Him.

Exposition

Especially in America, the Christian message has become quite faded and blurred. Your average retail store will sell Bibles and supposedly Christian books. Most music stores have entire sections devoted to christian albums. Politicians, athletes and celebrities will all thank Jesus Christ and speak of their faith. Television, radio, books, cd's and advice columns are all filled with people claiming to speak a christian message. How do we discern if they are accurate?

We should not consider any message to be truly Christian unless it is truly of Christ. Therefore, any message, regardless of Scripture quotations or moralistic advice is not truly a message commissioned by God unless it also proclaims that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. The gospel message (for declaring Jesus has come will invariably lead to announcing why He has come) is that message which gives life to the nonbeliever (in conversion) and the believer (in sanctification) alike. Therefore, we should sharpen our ears and test each spirit. I should not merely listen for denials, nor should I ignore silence. I should not be comforted by an attached admission that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. I should look for the confession! This means the gospel will not simply be attached to a statement, like an appendix in a book. This means the gospel will be the point of the message, working through the implications of this message in the application.

Certainly, the Scriptures give us the keys to a better marriage, parenting advice, how to handle our finances and learning to forgive (among countless others). However, if this "advice" is simply given, apart from the confession that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, the message may be borrowed from God (in a limited fashion) but is not of God.

Conclusion

So how do we test the spirits?

1. Filter all that you take in. Assess whether it confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Be careful of the books you read, the music you listen to, and the sermons you watch. Know that not all media from Christian organizations are naturally christian messages. Guard your heart, and your family, carefully. Checking to see if the message is truly of Christ. Know that this standard means the majority of the information you receive in a day will not be from a God-centered origin, and receive the information with this understanding. Test the spirits according to God's filter.

2. Hold the pulpit accountable. Check with your pastor to see if this is his understanding. If not, leave the church, for you are not hearing the spirit of God. If it is his desire, understand that at times he may not be as clear or give adequate attention to this confession. In those times when he falters (and he will), lovingly come alongside him and encourage him to keep this message clear and bold. Help your pastor minister to you by sharpening his ability to confess this message.

3. Consider yourself. Do you find yourself to be of the spirit of the antichrist? Can your conversations about God usually remain vague and universalistic? Do you take the conversation to the point of confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? Understand that anything short of this is not genuine evangelism. God's desire is for Jesus Christ to be exalted. Does that happen in your everyday speech? If not, confess this to God and ask Him to grant to you opportunities to confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. (He won't let you down!)

In short, hunger for the confession that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh from those you listen to. And when people are listening to you, make sure this is the confession that they hear.

You do want to speak from the spirit of God, don't you?