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. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (ESV)
Review questions
Who were the gnostics and what did they teach?
- about matter and spirit
- about Jesus (Docetism and Cerinthianism)
- about salvation
- about the body
Is there one antichrist or many? (See notes from April 24)
Main points in 1 John 4:1-6
Why is it important that Jesus came in the flesh?
Why is it important that he died a physical death? (1 John 5:6)
Why does John say that anyone who does not teach this is not from God?
How can we recognize demonic deception?
- truth test (1 John 4:2-3)
- spiritual gift of discernment (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
Application
What are some forms of false teaching in our time that contain the same errors as the gnostic deception?
What are the results of such false teaching?
How can we stay spiritually healthy?
- believing the truth
- practising the truth
- genuine fellowship
- genuine love for God
- genuine love for one another
