Opening illustration: In an unethical selling technique called the bait-and-switch method, a retailer lures customers into his store by advertising a well-known product at a very low price. When the buyer asks to purchase it, however, he is told that it is out of stock. The salesperson then tries to sell him an inferior line of merchandise, hoping to pocket a bigger profit. The brand name was used just to get potential customers to step inside.
In a similar way, a false teacher uses biblical words to capture interest and gain a hearing. He may talk about Christ, redemption, the cross, and the resurrection, but these “trusted terms” amount to nothing more than a come-on. The “seller” uses them to advertise truths that, as far as he is concerned, are “out of stock.” When an interested person responds, he is confronted by beliefs that are completely contrary to God’s Word.
Let us turn to 1 John 4 and check out how we can discern the different spirits surround us …
Introduction: It amazes me, frankly, even though the Bible is clear on this, how inept the church has been through its history at protecting biblical truth. Every generation seems to fall into error. This is why the Paul instructed Timothy in his letter (1 Timothy 6: 20) "O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you." And what had been entrusted to him was the treasure of divine revelation. Guard that.
In order to guard that, he says, you have to avoid worldly and empty chatter. You have to avoid arguments that oppose the Scripture, even though they might be called knowledge. They are falsely called knowledge. Some have professed these things and gone astray from the faith. Guard the treasure; guard the truth, what is essential to the faith. That’s how he ended his first letter to Timothy. Here’s how he began his second letter to Timothy. Chapter 1 of 2 Timothy, v. 13, "Retain," that is hold, "the standard of sound words. Hold on to sound doctrine which you have heard from me." V. 14, "Guard," there is that same word again. "Guard or keep through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us the treasure which has been entrusted to you."
It’s the guardianship that is so important. We cannot pass on the truth unless we protect it, unless we guard it. There are always false religionists, cultists. There are always those who come along with their deceptive schemes that purport to be biblical, that quote Bible verses, that say they have a message from God, that have a better way to understand the Bible and apply the Bible to make the Bible acceptable, to make the gospel acceptable. There are those who in outright fashion attack the Bible and then there are those who are much more subtle than that. But we are constantly being called to the defense of the Scripture and the defense of the truth.
How to test the spirits?
1. The Confession Test (vs. 1-3)
Arguing from the particular to the more general, one can draw the conclusion from this that any time a spirit is conveying false doctrine (i.e. something that is unscriptural), he cannot be of God. Thus, in principle, a spirit who conveys false information is not the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit will never lead anyone contrary to the Bible. The discerning of spirits was given as a temporary sign gift and (along with the other temporary sign gifts) would cease to be given with the completion of the New Testament. By contrast, the New Testament Scriptures have been given to believers for their guidance or direction until the Lord’s return at the rapture. If someone teaches things that are contrary to the Scripture, he is a false teacher; and the source of his teaching is not God the Holy Spirit.
So, what about the evil spirits that we see in the NT professing and claiming Jesus to be the Son of God and the Lord of all lords? This was never professed, claimed or articulated by the religious breed (Pharisees and Sadducees) of their time! People even started to accuse Jesus of possessing and being empowered by the evil spirits to do healings and miracles. The demonic spirits also believe in God but do they obey God? No, they don’t … “But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe -- and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2: 18-20) Apparently we would articulate with fervent joy contrary to the demonic spirits who are fearful of God when they utter the name of Jesus Christ.
(a) Spirit of God (v. 2)
The crux of the test is a spirit’s acknowledgement of rejection of Jesus Christ as the incarnate Son of God. A confession of Jesus involves more than an admission of His identity. It is the profession of faith in Him and submission to His sovereignty. The Holy Spirit testifies to and glorifies Jesus. Therefore a confession proclaiming the truth that Jesus is the incarnate Christ is of God testifies to both His full humanity as our Savior-Redeemer and His full deity as Lord and Sovereign King.
(b) Spirit of Antichrist (v. 3) – 1 John 2: 18-23; 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-12; Revelation 13
But the timing of the appearance of the man of lawlessness, with the Second Coming of Christ rules out any and all historical figures up to this point. The reason we know this is because the Second Coming hasn’t taken place yet. This doesn’t mean that he is not currently alive, because there is a great possibility that he could be alive, or will soon be born, which of course would be when we would start looking for the Coming of the Lord.
In Scripture, this individual is known as the Antichrist. The Antichrist is the one who opposes, denies and counterfeits imitation of Christ primarily through deception. He is not only in opposition to Christ but also seeks to usurp His position and authority. The Antichrist is a wooer and will with great deception lure people away from a relationship with Christ. The approach of the Antichrist can be felt daily in the news reports across the world, as well as throughout the history of the world. You can look at your Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other hand and discover that there is something very prophetic, a bit frightening, but most of all exciting because it all Points to the Return of Jesus Christ.
2. The Overcoming Test (v. 4)
It is easy to be frightened by the wickedness we see all around us and overwhelmed by the problems we face. Evil is obviously more stronger than we are. John assures us; however, that God is even stronger. He will conquer all evil – and His Spirit and His Word live in our hearts!
As a result of being saved, they have the indwelling Holy Spirit of God in them rather than Satan, who is behind the scenes working through his spirits or demons, conveying messages to these false prophets; and God the Holy Spirit is greater than Satan and his demons in every way.
How to overcome? Romans 12: 21 (overcoming evil with good)
How the overcoming takes place? 1 John 2: 13-14 (knowing God intimately); 1 John 5: 4 (born of God, and our faith in Jesus Christ)
3. The Speaking Test (v. 5a)
Since there are many cultic and heretical teachers claiming to be spokespersons for God, we must test the spirits possessing them to determine their origin. Paul gives similar instructions in 1 Thessalonians 5.
The apostle John says that false teachers are preoccupied by the trappings of this world (v. 5). Furthermore, they have great followings because people of the world are attracted to them. If they promote carnality — be it control, sex or materialism — they are false prophets. And they will seduce many churchgoers into believing them because of Satan’s subtle ways. ‘Want a better family? Do this. Want more money? Do this. Want a better marital bed? Do this.’ Does it tie in with the New Testament? No, although a few verses are slipped in and pressed upon their followers convincing them that they have the only way. They do not dwell on the gospel but their own concocted Theo-philosophy. If we live a life of faith and know our Scripture, God will give us what we need and the Holy Spirit will direct us.
Paul instructs and warns Timothy in 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
4. The Listening Test (vs. 5b-6)
Some people believe everything they read or hear. Unfortunately, many ideas printed and taught are untrue. Christians must have faith but not be gullible. Verify every message you hear, even if the person who brings it says it is from God. If the message is truly from God, it will be consistent with Christ’s teachings.
The author’s message in v. 5-6 (“They are of the world; we are of God) gives the readers the impression of Christianity that pits “Christ against culture”. This form of witness, while powerful, is neither the most appropriate nor the most effective for the church in the modern world (Richard Niebuhr). Throughout history and across the globe, Christians have so often identified themselves with our culture that the church has lost its voice. Paul reminds us in Romans 12: 2, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Instead of transformation, we have conformed to the pattern of this world. I remember my Sunday school teacher used to continually reminds us - “Are we in the world or of the world?” (cf. John 17:11, 16) Have we been conforming too much to the world? Instead of renewing our minds, and changing the world, we allow the world to transform us. That is exactly what has happened and continues to happen profoundly to the American church.
(i) Spirit of Truth vs Spirit of Error (v. 6)
For believers there is only one absolute truth – Jesus is the only way, truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. No one in history has ever professed or made such a powerful claim. There is no other truth that can vouch for this authenticity. People can contend, discard, refute and be hateful toward this absolute truth but this statement with all hope has stood the test of all times and never failed. In v. 6, John reiterates that he and his faithful belong to God. Others whom they encounter will know they are Christians if there is mutual understanding. In contrast, anyone who berates them or doesn’t understand what John and his people speak of or how they live (life-style; fruit of their ministry) is not ‘of God’. They are not Christians, even if they claim so to be.
False teachers are popular with the world because, like the false prophets of the OT, they tell people what they want to hear. Here John warns the Christians who faithfully teach God’s Word will not win any popularity contest in the world. People don’t want to hear their sins denounced; they don’t want to listen to demands that they change their behavior. A false teacher will be well received by non-Christians.
Illustration: I quote a pastor’s story here – “When I was a little boy, I grew up in a church where for the first three years of my life the minister was a liberal; he did not believe the truth of the Bible. But the officers, the elders, were Bible-believing men; and one of them, the patriarch of the Session, was Uncle Eddie Means. And the elders were concerned, and they were concerned to shepherd the flock until they could get a man in who could preach the word of God. And Uncle Eddie Means watched that guy like a hawk Sunday after Sunday, so that he could be ready in his Sunday school class the next day to teach them the truth from the Bible. When Gordon Reid, my boyhood pastor, came to the congregation following this man, Uncle Eddie Means watched him like a hawk for sixth months. And then one Sunday morning - he’d cross his arms just like this on the back row and look at him and listen to him, every word - one Sunday morning about six months later, Mr. Reid looked out and Uncle Eddie Means was on the back row asleep. And so after the service he said, “Well, Uncle Eddie, I noticed that you really enjoyed my sermon today.” And Uncle Eddie said, “Gordon, I’ve been listening to you for six months. You know the Lord; you love the Bible; you’re preaching the truth. I can go back to sleeping again.” Now that’s not John’s point to you. But that elder was concerned to discern between truth and error because he knew that it would impact the lives of his people. And when we hear those who teach against what the Bible says about Jesus, John says, v. 3, “We know they’re not from God.”
Application: Never swallow someone’s line just because he uses terms of the Christian faith. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you discern whether or not the speaker is really being true to the Bible. Then you won’t get hooked by false teachers who use the doctrinal bait-and-switch method to deceive their hearers. If you want a church in which the believers are going to grow and mature spiritually, you had better be in a church where the pastor is a man who carries out his Biblical responsibility of feeding the flock of God rather than of limiting his message only to proclaiming the gospel message and of preaching exciting, pep rally type of messages and unrelated topical messages, which will take the believers nowhere spiritually, but which will gradually cause them to deteriorate spiritually so that they will fall for every new thing that makes its way down the road. Error often wears the disguise of truth.
