Try The Spirits

MARCH 17, 2021 STUDY NOTES I JOHN 4:1 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES TRY THE SPIRITS INTRODUCTION In this chapter John is going to return to some of the truths that he has already taught He will warn us of the spirit of antichrist which is present in our day He will give the assurance of salvation to the obedient child of God which is a must for today He will tell us again of “the love of God” and that Christians are “to love one another” He closed out the third chapter by telling us that believers have been given the Holy Spirit The Bible gives us many reasons why the Holy Spirit lives within the heart of the Christian John is going to show us that one reason is the ability to discern between truth and error Which is of utmost importance, especially in our day of mass communication Through which false prophets and false teachers are teaching false doctrine today Today there are many religious movements with various teachings, all claiming to be true We often hear of those who claim to have discovered something new from the Bible So, John begins this chapter with very important words for us today--MANY FALSE PROPHETS 1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. John gives us two commands in this verse: (1) Believe not every spirit (2) Try the spirits John uses “Beloved” 5 times in chapters 3 and 4, it fits well with what he is teaching Before we were saved, we were not among the “beloved” In scripture, “Beloved” is used only in reference to those who are now in the family of God Christians are “dear ones” who are loved by God as the children of God Christians have a love for one another because of the love of God within them Love is the tie that binds, love unites us into Christ, love unites us one with another Christian relationship is far greater than friendship, it is called “fellowship,” 1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. John does not want us to forget who we are “In Christ,” we are the “Beloved” Satan does not want you to know who you are “In Christ,” so he speaks through false teachers False teachers will try to convince you that you are not really those who are “beloved” John is speaking to every Christian and every Christian is required to do what he says believe not every spirit, John told us to believe on the name of God’s Son Jesus Christ, 1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. Now we are told “believe not every spirit,” a key word throughout this passage is “spirit” The assurance of God abiding in us comes from the Holy Spirit The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are born-again, Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Christians must believe the “Spirit of Truth,” Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will Page 1 of 6 send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: The Holy Spirit is the One who teaches “all truth,” Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. As Christians we are not to believe the “spirits of error,” John said there are many Christians must be able to distinguish between the Holy Spirit and the false spirits of error In John’s day too many believers were believing everything they heard someone say about God Evidently some were believing every spirit, so John says, “Believe not every spirit” John said stop doing that, do not believe everything you hear because God’s name is mentioned As Christians today we must hear what John said, stop believing every spirit, do not be gullible Do not put your trust in every spirit you hear, do not commit your life to following every spirit John now tells us what we must do-but try the spirits He says, “try the spirits” which means to examine them to determine their origin Where do they come from? Who sent them? Are they true or false spirits? “Try” means to put to the test for the purpose of approval Meaning to critically examine something to determine if it is genuine In-order to test something, you must have a standard to go by You have to have something that is genuine, it is the genuine that will reveal the counterfeit It is truth that reveals that which is false, so the test is to determine--whether they are of God: “Of God” occurs 9 times in the first seven verses of 1 John 4, it is that which is most important Is it “of God” is the reason for the test, the source of teaching must be “of God” The origin must be “of God,” which has the meaning of “out of” God John has already taught us that Jesus is “of God,” Jesus is the “Son of God” He has taught us that the Holy Spirit is “of God” and the believer is “of God” We know that God’s Word is “of God,” it is the “Word of God,” it is the standard of “Truth,” Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. God’s Word is profitable or useful for the testing of all things, 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (“Profitable” means “useful,” we must use God’s Word to test all things) God’s Word is alive, Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (“Quick” means to have life) God’s Word is the Sword of the Spirit, Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Our protection and weapon against our enemy, Satan) Christians need the power of discernment which comes through the Word of God, Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Which John tells us we must do) All Christians are called upon to exercise discernment, 1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (“Prove” is the same word as “try” in 1 John 4:1) God’s Word reveals that which is true, that which is false, that which is good and evil One of the spiritual gifts is that of “discernment,” 1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the Page 2 of 6 interpretation of tongues: The Spirit’s gift of discernment is for the purpose of identifying the false spirits To judge and examine for the purpose of determining what is genuine and what is false John tells us why we must “try the spirits,” because there are “many false prophets” because many false prophets The reason we must try the spirits is because of “false prophets” A true prophet is one who is speaking for God and speaks truth from God A false prophet is one who claims to be speaking for God, but is not of God or from God That which must be tested is the “spirit” within the prophet, the one possessing the prophet There is a spirit that is behind the motive and the message of the prophet A false spirit is that which embodies a person and manifests itself through that person There are only two spiritual realms in the world, one is of God and one is of Satan There is one “True Spirit” which is the Holy Spirit of God The Holy Spirit dwells in the children of God, He lives within every child of God The Holy Spirit indwells the Christian and manifest through them the truths of God Satan’s spiritual force is the fallen angels which are also called demons Demons influence and indwell human beings and manifest through them the lies of Satan The spirit of the Devil dwells in false prophets and Satan is the real author of their message The true source of false doctrine is demons who indwell the false teachers Satan uses the demonic forces to influence and give power to his prophets and teachers There is an emphasis on “many,” there are “many” false prophets who are speaking lies An example of evil spirits is found in, 1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; We are certainly in the days known as “the latter times,” and the days of “seducing spirits” “Seducing spirits” are those who deceive and lead you away from the truths of God Their doctrine is their teaching which is of the Devil, Paul identified it as “doctrines of devils” Paul tells us of Satan’s attempt to deceive Christians through false prophets in, Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; Christians are to no longer be “childlike” spiritually, we are to be Christ-like in all walks of life Paul explains what it is like to be a “spiritual child,” he gives us some childlike characteristics Immature Christians are tossed around like the waves of the sea, unprepared for the next wave They are unstable and easily deceived, their convictions are not strong enough to stand upon They are as helpless as the boat tossed by the wind and the waves “Carried about” describes someone going “around and around” until they are dizzy They get so dizzy that they cannot walk straight or even stand up properly The picture is an “immature” Christian who is following one false teaching after another “Every wind of doctrine” identifies the false teachings of Satan through “false prophets” Satan will keep you spiritually dizzy through many false prophets teaching many false doctrines Spiritual infants are at the mercy of error, back and forth, unpredictable, unstable, unable to stand They go with the error that is blowing the strongest at the time, there is always a popular one Doctrinal stability is a sign of maturity, believing the truth of God's Word and standing upon truth In contrast to the truth of God’s Word is the false teaching of Satan through “false teachers” Those who are spiritually immature will follow every new doctrine that comes along They will agree with anything that sounds spiritual and Satan can make it sound spiritual Satan will turn you around and around spiritually and blow you in every direction You must understand that Satan does his work through the “sleight of men” Page 3 of 6 “Sleight” is trickery, fraud, deceit, it comes through man, but the source is Satan himself Paul used the words “cunning craftiness” to describe the teachings of Satan The same word translated “cunning craftiness” is found translated “subtilty” in, 2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Satan’s strategy has not changed since his entrance into the Garden of Eden He tempted Eve with doubt concerning what God had said, Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Then Satan denied what God had said, Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: Satan said, you cannot really believe the Word of God, it is not true Satan made God’s Word say what he wanted it to say, Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Satan was dishonest with Eve in the Garden of Eden and he still seeks to trick man the same way Satan was shrewd, unscrupulous, and using trickery to accomplish his purpose and goal Satan still does the same things to get man to do what he wants them to do today Satan is still the same and still working, spreading his lies through false teachers He will do whatever it takes to lead man away from the truth of God Jesus said, there is no truth in Satan, he speaks a lie, Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Satan’s plan is to deceive man and Satan works through man to deceive man In contrast to the knowledge of Christ is the deception of Satan coming through man In contrast to the sincerity of Christ is the trickery of Satan In contrast to the doctrinal truth of God’s Word is the cunning craftiness of Satan Satan has a well-planned system of error to battle the truths of Jesus Christ Those under the influence of Satan will stop at nothing to teach error They manipulate error to make it look and sound like truth They plan their system well to appear as truth, they will use half-truths to lead into false doctrine We do not have to study false doctrine in order to identify it, we must study the Word of God The study of the “Truth” is the answer to learning the truth about false doctrine Knowledge of the truth will solve the problem of being led astray by false teaching Being able to identify false doctrine through God’s Word is a sign of spiritual wisdom Satan’s goal is to defeat the Christian and to prevent spiritual growth Satan does not want the Christian to be successful spiritually He does not want the Christian to exercise their Spiritual Gift and be involved in ministry Satan has his many false prophets and they “lie in wait to deceive” We are warned against Satan’s deceitful ways, Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. The word “wiles” is the same word translated “deceive” in Ephesians 4:14 Satan has many methods, he schemes, he uses strategy, he has deceitful tricks He is like an animal stalking its prey, he will come at the most unlikely moment Peter warns us, he says “be careful,” Satan will carry you away, how will Satan do that? 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. Page 4 of 6 If Satan is able to lead you away from the truths of God, your spiritual life will be fruitless Your personal daily ministry will be ineffective, Hebrews has a message for us, Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. The verse literally reads, “Stop being carried away” Hebrews warns us of the same thing that John does in 1 John 4 A warning of something that is possible in the life of a Christian The danger of being carried away from the truth of Jesus Christ Check out the doctrine of the Bible teacher that you are going to follow There will be those who come “with divers and strange doctrines,” false doctrine Various teachings that are different from the Word of God and contradict God’s Word Biblical error takes on many forms and there are many being taught today Satan does not care which way you go as long as it is not the “way of the Bible” Satan will present error in many different ways One false teacher will lead you astray in one direction Another false teacher will lead you astray in another direction All of which is identified as “strange doctrines” which is foreign to the truths of the Bible John is going to tell us that “strange doctrine” denies that Jesus is the Messiah If Jesus did not teach it and it did not come from God’s Word, then it is a “strange doctrine” Biblical Truth is always the same regardless of who is teaching it “Strange doctrines” does not refer to the various opinions of a doctrinal truth One of the best examples today is the various opinions concerning Christ’s return The different opinions have to do with the order of events related to His return The Biblical doctrinal truth is that Jesus is going to return, which all must agree with So, to teach that Jesus is not going to return to the earth would be a “strange doctrine” Another example of “strange doctrine” is to teach that Jesus is not the only Savior Many teach that Jesus is a way of salvation but not the only way, which is very popular today That so-called gospel must be considered as a “strange doctrine,” Paul taught that any other gospel was strange, Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Paul said there is no other gospel, Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. There are many warnings in the N.T. concerning false teachers and false doctrine Apart from the truth of God’s Word the true church has nothing to stand on That is why Christian leaders must teach the truth of God’s Word That is why Christians must read and study the Word of God Christians must be motivated to be spiritually educated through the Word of God We do not allow little children to select what they want to eat or drink Or where they want to go and what they want to do all-of the time We protect them by educating them, it is time to protect Christians by educating them Too many Christians today are motivated by feelings and emotions and not God’s Word Believing if it looks good, sounds good, just like I want to see and hear, it must be good for me So, they accept whatever it is and say, “that is what I want for my spiritual life” Paul warned the Ephesian elders to be on guard, Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Satan wants to draw you away from Christ, Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Page 5 of 6 Satan has many different ways to do that, Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Satan will come into the church and contradict sound doctrine, Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. False prophets want you to think that they are of Christ, 2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. Satan wants you to think that he is of Christ, 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. The answer to “strange doctrine” is “Sound doctrine,” 1Ti 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. The point is that any teaching that takes away the truth of Jesus Christ is of no value There is no salvation or any spiritual value in false teaching False doctrine will never lead to forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God Salvation or spiritual growth will never result from false teaching So, John warns us of the false prophets who have gone out into the world are gone out into the world. “False prophets” are coming and going among all people throughout our world today Those “false prophets” are missionaries of the devil, seeking converts for Satan Many today claim to be inspired by God and claim to have received some special revelation And since there is such a great interest in the spirit world today, they gain a great following There is a great need of discernment within the true church of today Spiritual maturity includes belief in the truths of God’s Word Spiritual maturity also includes unbelief of false spirits and their false doctrine We must scripturally evaluate everything we hear, read, and see today, we must try the spirits Is their teaching worth listening too? Can I believe what they are teaching? Where is their message coming from? Are they genuine, are they “Of God?” We must exercise Biblical discernment just like the Bereans, Act 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. The reason we must know is found in, 2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. We must “TRY THE SPIRITS,” all must be tested by searching the scriptures There is a song that assures us of the truth we will learn through searching the truth of the Bible Watch the screen and listen to the song Page 6 of 6