Slides: Test the Spirits (1 John 4:1-6)

Cerinthus

Cerinthus claimed to receive knowledge from an angel. Cerinthus denied that the supreme God made the physical world. He divided the man Jesus from the divine Christ spirit. He denied the supernatural virgin birth of Jesus, making him the biological son of Joseph and Mary, and taught that the Christ descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove from the Supreme Ruler at baptism and left him at his crucifixion—never to embody the flesh. He taught salvation by keeping the law of Moses. John’s disciple Polycarp told the story that John the Apostle rushed out of a bathhouse at Ephesus without bathing when he found out Cerinthus was inside, exclaiming, "Let us fly, lest even the bath-house fall down, because Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is inside!”

God’s Spirit in us

This is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. (3:24)

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. (4:13)

Misleading tests

• Supernatural experiences
• Excitement, emotion, sincerity
• Sense of oneness and tranquility
• Inner control, outer impact
• Lofty principles and ideals
• Nice words about Jesus

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.

² This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

⁴ You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Recognize God’s Spirit

• Belief in Jesus: God’s Spirit reveals Jesus as the true God who became human to be our sacrifice and Savior.
• Apostolic fellowship: God’s Spirit leads us to the Book he inspired (Bible) and the Body he indwells (church).
• Godly life: loving, obedient, different

Antichrists

• Docetism: Jesus was not really human; he only seemed human. He had no body. Bodies are bad.
• Gnosticism: Christ-spirit came on human Jesus at his baptism and left him before he died.
• Da Vinci Code
• Jesus’ followers saw him as a prophet, not divine.
• Jesus married, had kids with Mary Magdalene.
• Church leaders invented Jesus’ deity in 325 at the Council of Nicaea.
• Arius: Christ is the first creature; 
he is not God the Creator.
• Jehovah’s Witnesses: Jesus is the first creature, the archangel Michael. He was never God. He became man, died, and rose again as archangel.
• Unitarianism: Jesus is not God. He did not rise from the dead. His life is an inspiring example for us.
• Islam: Jesus was a prophet, not God’s Son. He did not die or save sinners. Obeying saves Muslims.

Man, God, Savior

Jesus is the Life (1:2), the Christ (5:1), the Son of God (4:15), without sin (3:5). He came in the flesh (1:1, 4:2) to suffer the penalty for our sins (2:2, 4:10), to take away our sins (3:5), and to destroy the devil’s work (3:8). He is the true God and eternal life (5:20).

God-Man

Our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is both God and human, equally. He is God from the essence of the Father, begotten before time; and he is human from the essence of his mother, born in time; completely God, completely human. (Athanasian Creed)

Jesus buried in Kashmir?

• The Ahmadiyya sect of Islam says Jesus was crucified but did not die. He only swooned.
• Jesus revived in the cool tomb and was cured of his wounds by a special ointment.
• Jesus fled Palestine and journeyed toward India, to what is today Kashmir. He later died naturally of old age and was buried there.
• Jesus was also named Youza Asouph, and you can leave donations at his burial place.
• About 20 million people follow this view.

Jesus buried in Japan?

• It is said that after Jesus grew up in Galilee, he came to Japan. He returned to Galilee at age 33 and began preaching a heavenly kingdom: namely, Japan.
• When opposition arose, Jesus left Galilee and returned to the town of Shingo, near beautiful Lake Towada. Jesus’ brother, Isukiri, was crucified instead of Jesus.
• Jesus became a rice farmer, married, and raised a family. He died at age 106 and was buried there. Souvenirs are for sale.

Antichrists

• Mormonism: Jesus is the son of Mary and Elohim the Father, who has a body. The Father lived, died, and was glorified as god. Jesus also lived, died, and is a god. Good Mormons will also become gods.
• Pantheism: Of course Jesus is God! So are you. Everything is God.
• Hinduism: Jesus is an avatar or one of the millions of Hindu gods.
• Buddhism: Jesus, like Buddha, became enlightened and shares it.
• Pluralism: All paths lead to God. Jesus works well for some people. Other paths work for other people.
• Liberalism: The Bible mixes truth and error. Jesus leads the fight for political change and social justice.

Recognize God’s Spirit

• Belief in Jesus: God’s Spirit reveals Jesus as the true God who became human to be our sacrifice and Savior.
• Apostolic fellowship: God’s Spirit leads us to the Book he inspired (Bible) and the Body he indwells (church).
• Godly life: loving, obedient, different

Spiritual DNA Tests

1. Belief: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. (5:1)
2. Love: Everyone who loves has been born of God. (4:7)
3. Obedience: Everyone who does what is right has been born of him. (2:29)
4. Victory: Everyone born of God overcomes the world. (5:4)

Why test spirits?

• Why test your own spirit?
• Strengthen assurance or
• Discover need for new birth
• Why test other spirits?
• Bond with real Christians or
• Resist fakes and antichrists