1 John 4:1 - Forerunner Commentary

1 John 4:1

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Articles, Bible studies, and sermons that contain 1 John 4:1:

I John 4:1-3
Excerpted from: Satan (Part 2)

The context at the beginning of chapter 4 is false prophets. There is a great deal of information against false prophets, as there should be, because they are the ones through whom Satan gives his lies most of the time.

The definition of a prophet is simply "one who speaks for another." You might recall in the book of Exodus that God designated Moses as His prophet. In other words, Moses was going to speak for God. A little bit later (believe it or not), Moses was designated as God before Pharaoh, and Aaron was Moses' prophet.

The indication here is that the prophet was going to have words given to him by another that he was then going to speak before those to whom he was sent. In the case where Moses was appointed as God before Pharaoh, Moses would say the words to Aaron and then Aaron in turn would say the words to Pharaoh. We have Moses putting the words into Aaron's mouth and Aaron then speaking them to Pharaoh.

Put that back into I John 4. The unspoken implication in I John 4:1-3 is that the prophet is inspired or motivated by one for whom he speaks. At the beginning of verse 1, John literally says in the Greek, "Stop believing every spirit." Now wait a minute. I have not had any spirits speaking to me. Have you?

We have to understand the way in which John used the word "spirit." I do not know whether you are aware, but the word "spirit" is used eight different ways in the Bible. According to Thayer's Lexicon in this context it refers to, "One in whom a spirit is manifest or embodied, hence one actuated by a spirit whether divine or demonical."

These spirits then, in this context, are thus human beings actuated by demons or the Holy Spirit of God. It could be either. These spirits that John is talking about would be the teachers, the pastors, or the evangelists who were circulating around the local churches of God. I want you to notice these anti-Christs—these false prophets—were speaking to the congregations of the true church. That is clear right in the context.

The exhortation to you and me and to those people in that day is that they were to test whether these spirits are so. It is a positive testing just like was given to the Bereans in the book of Acts. They tested whether these things were so.

He is saying to these people, "Don't treat the teacher—the preacher, the pastor, the evangelist—as a heretic until he shows himself to be one." But they are supposed to put the person to the test. We have to take this advice because John's powerful warning here is that though the inspired teacher or speaker is the means by which the revelation, or the word, or the preaching comes, we must know that the supernatural one behind that speaker may not be divine.

The spirit is revealed by the message or the doctrine of the prophet. Remember Thayer's definition. I will quote that to you again. "Spirit refers to one in whom a spirit is manifest [it is a human being] or embodied, hence one actuated by a spirit whether divine or demonical." It is up to you and me to make the test as to whether this person is speaking the truth.

Articles
The Falling Away

Booklets
For the Perfecting of the Saints

Essays
Deceivers and Antichrists (Part One)
Deceivers and Antichrists (Part Two)

Sermons
The Wisdom of Men and Faith
Passionate Patience
The Gun Lap Is Looming
Discerning Spirits and Discerning the Body
Using God's Given Authority
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part 5)
Is the United States a Christian Nation? (Part 4)
Purpose-Driven Churches (Part 6)
Testing the Spirits (Part 1)
Endeavoring to Keep the Unity
Developing Discernment
Recognizing the Intents of the Heart
Four Warnings (Part Two): Beware of False Prophets
Discern and Distinguish Between Spirits
The Father's Promise of Power!
Letters to Seven Churches (Part Eight): Overcoming
Antichrist Deceptions
Deceivers and Antichrists
Themes of I Corinthians (Part 7)
How Our Joy May Be Full!
Does Doctrine Really Matter? (Part 11)
Spirituality and True Conversion
The Spirit of Antichrist
A Calendar Summary
Purpose-Driven Churches (Part 6)
Man's Greatest Challenge (Part 1)
Powerful Effects of the Holy Spirit

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