1 John 4:1-6
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)
Introduction
John gives us a command to test the spirits, the contrast between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the world, and confidence in the midst of discernment – “greater is He who is in you.” (v. 4).
1. The Command: Test the spirits
2. The Contrast
2.1 The Spirit of Truth (vv. 1,2,4)
a. The Spirit of truth is from God (v. 1, 4)
b. Confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (v. 2)
c. Has overcome the spirit of error (v. 4)
d. Is greater than the spirit of error (v. 4).
e. Is listened to by those who are from God (v. 6).