08-12-2010, 09:02 PM
:heartbeat::heartbeat: 1 John 4:1 :heartbeat::heartbeat:
Testing the Spirits
1 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.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
6 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.
We've talked a lot about these verses, haven't we? I don't think we can apply this to just any old situation, though - John is focusing on one particular situation - that of Jesus being Messiah, having finally appeared for real - in the flesh. He probably had to reinterate that a lot in his day - to those who'd never before heard of Jesus of Nazareth or who had no knowledge of the prophecies fulfilled by him, but especially to warn believers of the deception of evil men with an anti-Christ agenda.
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Romans 16:18
For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Titus 1:10
For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
Lots of love to you ALL from
Your sister in Christ, Willa
Testing the Spirits
1 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.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God;
3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.
6 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.
We've talked a lot about these verses, haven't we? I don't think we can apply this to just any old situation, though - John is focusing on one particular situation - that of Jesus being Messiah, having finally appeared for real - in the flesh. He probably had to reinterate that a lot in his day - to those who'd never before heard of Jesus of Nazareth or who had no knowledge of the prophecies fulfilled by him, but especially to warn believers of the deception of evil men with an anti-Christ agenda.
2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2 Timothy 3:13
But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Romans 16:18
For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Titus 1:10
For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
Lots of love to you ALL from
Your sister in Christ, Willa