1John 4:1
Dear friends, 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.
Again, we are instructed to check things out with God before acting on a whim or an impulse that seems at the moment like the right thing to do. Where is my inspiration coming from? Is it pure and harmless? Does it help another, or lead only to gain for myself? This is a perfect place for prayer and conversation with God.
Holy Lord, I turn to you today to ask for your Holy Spirit to be bold with me, and to convict me when I am on the wrong track. I never want to follow a false prophet, and never want to miss your guidance. Amen
Becky, transforming
1 John 4:1
If we continue reading verses two and three we are told how to question someone and what they should believe in. Today I see false prophets in many places; even in churches. Although they would pass the test of verses two and three, they do not live the life that Jesus did. Many live in mansions, fly private jets and ask their congregations for lots of money. They tend to preach about wealth and health if you believe. Although I don’t know for sure, I wonder how generous their churches are in outreach ministry. They seem to have a huge following, but I often wonder how Christ filled their congregations are. This seems to me to …
Friday July 7th, 2023
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
How many times have we heard “don’t believe every thing you hear.”
1 John 4:1 warns christians not to blindly accept all spiritual claims. There are many false teachers in the world. It's important to carefully consider both the source and the content of a teaching before we accept it. Those who deny Christ, His humanity, or who reject the basics of the gospel, cannot be trusted.
The reason for John's warning tells us that believers will face false prophets, because there are quite a few…
As sat and read different versions of this scripture it helped me to realize that it’s okay to ask the questions is this for real?
1John 4:1 Heresy; a word that has fallen out of favor in this postmodern world wherein anyone can claim “their own truth.” Those for whom Scripture holds the truth must, as John warns us, always be discerning to “test the spirits” that lay claim on the way we live our lives. The spirit of the age and the Spirit of God are eternally at odds and the former, when applied to Scripture, will yield heresy. We must be especially cautious when there is a false prophet in a pulpit. One does not have to have seminary training to make this assessment. An engaged, Spirit-filled follower of Christ will not be inspired, but will have an uneasiness of heart on hearing false…