Test the Spirits

Note from today’s Bible reading: 1 John 4-5

Toward the end of the first century, a number of false teachers arose and threatened the church, teaching that Jesus had not come in the flesh. John said that one who “does not confess Jesus is not from God,” and that “this is the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

Because of this, the apostle admonished his brethren to make sure that what they were being taught was the truth before accepting it. He wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

How would they be able to determine whether someone was teaching truth or error? John explained: “We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). The test to determine whether someone was a truth teacher or a false teacher was whether or not their message agreed with the apostles’ message.

The same is true today. We can determine whether someone is teaching truth or error by comparing it with the teachings of the apostles contained in the New Testament. The popularity of the message or the sincerity of the messenger will not determine this for us.

So test the spirits. Not everyone who purports to preach the gospel is teaching the truth. Let us examine the Scriptures to determine the difference between truth and error.