Marking what one believes

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that a Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world (1 John 4:1-3)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit…

1. The readers of John are not obliged to believe
   1. Because someone says he is a prophet
   2. Because someone claims he has the Spirit of God
2. The audience of John must test the spirits
   1. Whether what they teach are consistent with the teaching of the Scriptures
   2. Whether they are born of God
      1. Do they love the Lord
      2. Do they love the brethren

• Do they seek to fulfill the Scriptures

Because many false prophets have gone out into the world

1. There are many prophets in the world
2. They must have gone out of the Church into the world

By this you know the Spirit of God…

1. This is a definite way to know whether they are of the Spirit of God
2. One who confesses the incarnation of Christ Jesus is from the Spirit of God
3. But anyone who does not confess the incarnation of the Christ Jesus is not of the Spirit of God

And this is the spirit of AntiChrist…

1. A person who does not confess the incarnation of Christ Jesus
   1. Is the manifestation of the spirit of AntiChrist
   2. Is carried away by the spirit of AntiChrist
2. That AntiChrist would one day would come was taught before
3. That AntiChrist is ow already in the world is a present reality
4. What they have been taught and warned is now the reality

It is only by the Spirit of God that one confesses that Jesus is the Christ (See also, 2 Cor.12:3). A rejection of the incarnation of Christ Jesus is none other than a refusal of the love of God for us!