1 John 4 “True or False?”
The Apostle John certainly has seen both those who are true and those who are false. Even he, like the other disciples did not see it coming when Judas was proven to be a false follower of Jesus. Remember this conversation around the dinner table that last night? “I tell you the truth; one of you eating with me will betray me.” As Jesus spoke to Judas saying ‘go and do what you are about to do,’ the disciples watched but misunderstood. “now none of them present at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas.” [John 13:27] If the disciples could not see or understand how much more are we also misunderstanding the ways of the spirit of antichrist! And that is the crux of what John is saying to the flock he was teaching. Look, if even I was in the dark, how much more you, for I was with the Master and you have never been! It wasn’t until the Illuminating Holy Spirit came upon me did I put all the pieces of the puzzle together.
That is why John wrote: do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God. Do they speak truth? Do they believe in the incarnate Christ? They may say they believe that the Bible is inspired but deny the truth therein regarding Him as the only way to salvation. Instead, He is but one of many roads leading to heaven.
So how do you tell? How can you be discerning? Filter everything through the scripture. Be a Berean of whom it was said: for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so.[Acts 17:11]
You, Beloved must study the scriptures that you may rightly divide the word of truth which teaches, reproves, corrects and trains in righteousness. [2 Tim 3:16]
Photo Credit: Rod Long/Unsplash + Author’s Caption
