TEST THE SPIRITS

Bobby Howell

1 John • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

1 John 4:1

Discernment

Spiritual Warfare

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A sermon discussing 1 John 4:1, the idea of testing the spirits, and the implications for present day believers

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TEST THE SPIRITS

Our passage before us addresses one of the greatest needs of the Church today. In the joint study conducted by LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries of evangelicals, those we would consider as conservative in their theology (not politically) illustrates the poor state of the Church today. We have some depressing statistics concerning the beliefs of the Church today.

In response to the statement, “Even the smallest sin deserves eternal damnation.” Only 23% agreed with this statement, and 69% disagreed with it. Or, in response to this statement, “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam,” 51% agree and 42% disagree.

There is more to the study, but this simply illustrates the lack of discernment of present day believers. Furthermore, the popularity of false teachers such as Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Kenneth Copeland, and others indicates that many Christians and professing Christians lack discernment.

The books lining book stores, including books in stores such as LifeWay (though there are no longer physical stores) show the desperate plight of the Church. She lacks discernment, the ability to tell truth from falsehood.

One of the basics of the Christian life is discernment. We, as the Church, as Christians, must have discernment. John begins this section of his epistle with a call to discernment. There is a great need for Christians individually and the Church corporately to have discernment.

One present day example would be the differences of opinions and views on what our society terms racial issues. What should Christians do? What should they believe? How should they respond? This is one example among many of the importance of discernment.

John, in this fourth chapter, addresses believers. He says, Beloved. He wants us as believers to understand the need for and the execution of discernment. He says, “Test the spirits.”

I. THE NEED FOR DISCERNMENT AMONG BELIEVERS—Beloved

He begins this section of his letter by calling believers’ attention to the need for discernment. We have before us two commands which we will look at individually. However, John calls us to have discernment. Those two commands can be summarized with the word discernment.

Now, in the context John has just elaborated on the wonders of believers being adopted into the family of God. He contrasted the self-sacrificing love of believers in comparison with the hatred of the world. He presents the natures of believers and unbelievers, must observable in the actions of each, respectively speaking. Then, he summarizes that section with a call to the basics, believing in Jesus and loving one another. Why, then, does he switch gears to address our need for discernment?

A. BECAUSE OF FALSE TEACHERS- Select Scriptures

If you have been with us in our study so far, you know that there are several instances of false teaching already in this letter. At the very beginning John calls believers to the reality of Christ’s physical existence. Apparently there were some who questioned the lifestyles of believers, and John addresses that in chapter two. He calls out the antichrists, those who deny that Jesus is the Christ (i.e., the Messiah).

There is a biblical basis for this call as well. Have you ever thought about the assault on the truth of God from a biblical perspective? That is, have you ever considered this assault on God and His Word throughout the Holy Scriptures?

In Genesis 3 we see Satan questioning and outright denying God’s Word

In Exodus 32 we see Aaron give into the will of the people and make an idol for them to worship

In 1 Kings 12:25-33 we see Jeroboam creating a new, false religion to draw away the hearts of God’s people

Almost every Major and Minor prophet addresses false teaching/teachers

In the Gospels we see the Pharisees and Sadducees who constantly doubted the teachings of Jesus Christ

In the epistles, letters of the churches and pastors, we see examples of false teachers, such as Hymenaues and Alexander (1 Tim. 1:18-20)

We even see false teachers in Revelation 2:18-29 (Jezebel) and ending with Satan (Rev. 13)

There is a monumental need for discernment among believers today. Scores of preachers and teachers are assailing the church with their false teachings. Offshoot, false religions of Christian orthodoxy, such as the Church of Latter Day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses, are making strides to work together, but their teachings are false. There is a huge push for ecumenism, that joining together of different denominations (or, in some cases, different religions) to work together. Brothers and sisters, beloved, we must have discernment.

B. BECAUSE OF OUR OWN PRONENESS TO DECEPTION- 2 Cor. 11:3

We need discernment because we are prone to deception. Paul was concerned about the believers in Corinth because they, like Eve, were prone to deception. All believers are. We are all prone to being deceived. Go back and look at those examples I mentioned previously. While some, no doubt, had no desire to do right, I find it impossible to believe that all were headlong in their sin. In fact, I would imagine that many were deceived.

We need discernment because we are easily deceived.

Now that we have established the need for discernment, we can look at the commands for discernment. There is both a negative aspect of this command as well as a positive command.

II. THE NEGATIVE COMMAND FOR BELIEVERS—Do not believe every spirit

John establishes the need for believers to have discernment. That is the whole thrust of 4:1-6. And discernment involves two aspects: distinguishing between good and evil. It centers on spirits. Now, the context anchors this word in prophecy, the speaking forth of God’s Word. Behind every prophetic utterance is a spirit. John tells us not to believe every spirit.

We all desire to hear from God. We want to know Him, but there is a caution with which we should approach this desire. John encourages discernment, he says do not believe every spirit.

THE COMMAND INVOLVES BELIEVING

The command is not to believe. Now, remember we discussed this word last week.

“It is, biblically speaking, reliance. A rock-solid, truth-grounded, promise-founded trust in the risen Jesus to save you from sin.”—Greg Gilbert, What Is the Gospel? 74

John warns against this type of belief without discernment. He offers the reason why at the end of the verse, so we will tackle that when we get to it. For now, we will address this negative command.

As believers, we need to develop a discernment, to check what is being said with the Scriptures. In Acts 17:10-15, we read about the Bereans who were noble because “more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

This is how believers should be today. We must be on guard against false teachers. Consider Jesus’ warning to believers in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Or, consider Paul’s statement concerning the deceptiveness of Satan in 2 Corinthians 11:12-15.

Brothers and sisters, do not believe every spirit. That is John’s command to us. But there is a positive command offered as well.

III. THE POSITIVE COMMAND FOR BELIEVERS—But test the spirits to see whether they are from God

While John warns believers to be on guard, to not believe every spirit, he also commands believers to test the spirits.

This is not an option for the believer. You, my brothers and sisters, are to test the spirits. It is like leaving a pair of gloves on your workbench outside. You always check them before putting them on, in case a black widow has decided to take up residence in them. In a more severe way, we must test the spirits. Because rather than facing the painful bite of the black widow, we face the soul-ripping pain of spiritual loss.

A. THE METHOD WE USE- TESTING

But what does it mean to test the spirits? Do you provide an exam for them to complete? Obviously this is not John’s exhortation. Rather, by testing the spirits John means examine them, to prove them, to observe them. It is like shopping for lumber. When you go with a carpenter or someone who is an experienced builder, they test the lumber. They hold it up, make sure it is straight, watch out for knots in the wood, and so forth. They test the lumber.

Now, John will provide the means by which we test the spirits in the next verse. It is based upon the confession of the spirit. These false spirits are working all the time, in and through the world. Just go back and see how the world system, this collective expression of rebellion against God, works in 2:15-17. Therefore we must examine them!

B. THE PURPOSE WE TEST- WHETHER THEY ARE FROM GOD

We examine them, not simply to observe them in some mere, scientific way. Rather, we are to test the spirits to see their origin. Does the spirit (i.e., prophet, preacher, teacher) come from God? If not, then they are from the world. This are the only two options.

Now, as I say this, I think it would be important to distinguish what this entails and what it does not. John is not saying that anyone who does not agree with you on every single issue is of the world. There is room for disagreements among believers. I found Dr. Al Mohler of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s “A Call for Theological Triage and Christian Maturity” helpful in navigating through disagreements. There are some Christians who will separate from you over minute, non-doctrinal issues. We need to demonstrate spiritual maturity and work through our disagreements with Christian charity.

With that said, there are issues that require us to separate from individuals. One example would be their views of Christ. For example, I mentioned earlier the differences between Mormons (Church of Latter-Day Saints) and Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their views of Christ differ significantly from the Scriptures, and those would be individuals who would fall under this category of false prophets.

Our goal in examining is not to pass judgment as if we were somehow better than them. We come from a position of humility, a mark that should always distinguish the Christian. We follow our Lord Jesus Christ, who in humility washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:5-20), of Whom Paul would describe as doing nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, regarding others as more important. This applies to our testing of others’ teachings. We do not have the market on right theology. But, though this be true, we do have the truth and the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be able to discern truth from error.

Our testing has purpose. But our testing also has a reason.

C. THE REASON WE TEST- MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD

We have noted the entrance of false prophets from the beginning of the Bible to its end. Consider the last book of the Bible, Revelation. In 20:3 we see Satan bound “so that he would not deceive the nations any longer,” and then later in verse 8 Satan is released “and will come out to deceive the nations.” From Genesis 3, where Satan causes Adam and Eve to doubt and through the end times in which Satan is still deceiving the nations, we see this idea of false prophets.

According to some estimates, there are around 4,200 different religions in the world. Do you think there is deception going on there? Or, consider our current cultural issues. Truth is relative. There is no objective truth (except for that objective statement). Where a few years ago we dealt with truth and facts, now we must navigate “truth to me” or “your truth.” Do you think there is deception there?

There are many false prophets in the world today, just as there was in John’s day. People are questioning the Word of God like never before, and doubt and confusion runs rampant. This is why we must test the spirits. Truth and the human soul are at stake.

And Jude’s words seem completely appropriate to our current predicament in the US. It is almost as if Jude were writing about the US of A in 2020. (Jude 3-16)

CONCLUSION

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test them to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are in the world.

I want to conclude our time with two practical suggestions in order to help you test the spirits.

First, devote yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word.

This section comes on the heels of 3:23-24 where John tells us to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ. Devote yourself to Christ and His Word and you will have the discernment necessary to identify false teachings. Be in the Word daily, study it, read it, memorize it! This is exactly what we have been discussing in our Wednesday evening Bible studies on Psalm 119. Devote yourself to Jesus and the Bible.

Second, check everything against the Word of God.

You know that there are false teachers out there. It is a fact, as much as we know that the earth is round. So, what do you do about it? You check everything against the Scriptures. God’s Word is the authoritative guide for believers, describing and giving us all that is necessary for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). It is inspired by God and is profitable, useful, beneficial for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. As you learn God’s Word more and more you will be well-equipped to identify and destroy false teaching.