Scrutinize the Spirits

In 1Jn. 4:1-3, the Apostle John, addressing believers ["beloved"], contrasts the difference between the Spirit of God and the spirit of false prophets. He gives two commands (Imperatives):


1. Stop believing in / entrusting yourselves to every spirit.
[Present Tense = progressive, on-going, lifestyle action]

2. Be testing/scrutinizing/analyzing each spirit.
[Present Tense = progressive, on-going, lifestyle action]

He then explains this can be done by examining each spirit's message.

a. One confessing [def: to say the same thing as God] Jesus Christ having come in the flesh
"confessing" = Pres. Tense [progressive, on-going, lifestyle action];
"having come" = Perfect Tense [action which happened in the Past with continuing results in the Present]

b. One NOT confessing Jesus Christ having come in the flesh

He also gives a reason WHY it is necessary for these believers to do this: "because many false prophets have gone out into the world". And he tells them the SOURCE of this false teaching - the spirit of antichrist, which they had heard was coming, and which now, in fact, had arrived.

What is the significance of John's words, penned over 1900 years ago? The spirit of antichrist REMAINS in the world. False messages about Jesus Christ are STILL being promoted. Christians STILL need to stop believing every spirit and STILL need to be testing/scrutinizing/analyzing the messages they are hearing. Within the past five years alone many cults have started claiming they believe in Jesus. But if you analyze their message you will find they are proclaiming "another" Christ, not the One who is revealed in God's Word.

Tragically, many who name the name of Christ have lost their ability to test, to scrutinize, to examine because they no longer know the Truth as it is revealed in God's Word. They may listen to preachers teach about Christ, but they do not have the ability to discern whether or not the teaching is True. They may read books naming Christ, but they do not have the ability to discern whether or not the writing is True. That is because they have abandoned the Truth. They no longer read their Bibles. They no longer read, re-read, meditate, taste, savor Scripture. They may have the indwelling Holy Spirit, but they give Him no Scriptural food to work with.

So my challenge to you who name the name of Christ is to examine yourself. If you find you no longer have a hunger for God's Word, it may be because you have starved yourself and thereby lost your appetite.