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"Do not believe every spirit..."

Text: 1 John 4:1

THE PROBLEM OF FALSE TEACHING

The problem of false teaching was a very real problem in the first century. The Apostles took this threat very seriously. Each Apostle battled false teachings whenever and wherever they came across them. Their vigilance is to be admired and emulated.

“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.”
1 John 4:1

1. “Beloved”

a) This was a term of endearment.

b) This was one of John’s favourite term of reference to his readers.

c) And because his readers were dear to John that he wrote what he did.

i) To warn them of false teaching.

ii) To teach them how they can defend themselves.

2. “Do not believe”

a) John may be addressing a problem that had already begun to exist.

b) Hence the necessity to write strongly.

i) Perhaps the believers were naive.

ii) They believed in people too easily.

iii) They were now in danger of being deceived further.

c) The prohibition expressed here has two aspects that need to be highlighted.

(John employed the Present Subjunctive with the negative particle “me”.)

i) Stop believing easily.

ii) Do not continue to believe.

3. “Every spirit”

a) John was referring to people. He was saying, “Do not believe every person.”

b) But beyond the exterior of “the person” there would be “the spirit”.

i) John could be hinting at what lay behind the person who proclaims to be a prophet.

ii) John was well aware of many who were in fact “antichrists” (1 John 2:18).

c) It would not be easy to detect the true nature of the spirit but we must try to become more discerning or be deceived along the way.