Test the Spirits

John is often called the Apostle of Love, and with good reason. One of John’s main topics is love. It is from John that we learned of the New Commandment given by Jesus as stated in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “

Also, in this epistle of 1st John, John repeatedly circles back around to the topic of love. In chapter 3, he told us this: 1st John 3:16 – “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Very soon in chapter 4, he will hit the topic again with a long discourse. The high point of that discourse is 1st John 4:7-8, which says: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

John repeatedly makes the point that love is both the characteristic and the duty of a believer. Yet, in the middle of this long discourse on love, John interrupts with a warning. It’s the beeping on the TV screen – “Tornado warning, tornado warning, beware!” And this is what he warns us of: 1st John 4:1 – “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.” The warning is against false prophets.

Why do we need to be warned? Because we are gullible.
1st John 4:1 tells us in the KJV, “Beloved, believe not.” It tells us this because we often do believe every spirit. We are told to love everyone; and we want to love, and accept, and believe everyone. And we think it is the Christian thing to do

But we can’t! There is a big difference between loving everyone, and being taken in by everyone. We can’t accept every false teaching that comes down the pike. God is truth, His Word is truth, but Satan is a liar and those who follow him are liars.

Face it! We live in a big, mean, wicked world intent upon taking us in. The world wants to deceive us. It is always watching for the chance to take us in, and we have to be constantly on guard. From lying politicians, to dishonest car dealers, to yes, especially preachers who teach false doctrine, we must be on guard. They are continually trying to feed us the lie, waiting for the gullible to accept it hook, line, and sinker.

Don’t doubt this. Satan waits along the path like a lion waiting to pounce. 1st Peter 5:8 tells us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

That’s terrifying imagery. But the problem is, that’s not how Satan appears to us.
He camouflages his fangs, he hides his cruelty and evil, and he comes to us as a temptress with all the allure of a beautiful seductive .woman

Oh, yes, sin is always made to look attractive. Sex sells, so even a truck commercial usually has a beautiful, provocatively dressed woman, and offers the promise of fun and excitement. But you are never shown the casualties of sin, the broken and ruined lives.

False doctrines come packaged the same way. False teachers always come with charisma. They make eloquent and flashy appeals to lure you in. You can see this in 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15:
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Oh, yes, Satan wants to tempt us to fall, and so do his mouthpieces on earth. We even have some of our relatives that would rejoice if they could get our kids to fall. They aren’t out for your good. Satan wants you to sin, he wants you to get all covered in the mire of sin. And especially, he wants you to miss heaven. He wants you to be cast into hell with him. But he’ll never come to you as the fiery dragon Scripture describes him as. He’ll come as an attractive angel of light preaching love and appealing to your base desires. Don’t be taken in.