It’s Imperative Not to Believe Every Spirit

Apostle John wrote these Gentile believers to reassure them in their faith and to squash false teachings that Jesus did not come in the flesh. The Apostle addressed these believers affectionately as “beloved,” a term of endearment. He warned them “not to believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; many false prophets have gone out into the world” (v.1). Apostle John was a sound voice of wisdom to that new generation of believers.

  Do we believe this warning is relevant still? We must not deceive ourselves, but always be mindful that there are many today who desire to turn us away from the truth – belief in the incarnation of Jesus. Some believers then and now are spiritually immature in their thinking; therefore, they are easily persuaded and misled by those who use false teaching to deceive them. So that same warning that Apostle John gave thousands of years ago is still relevant.

Recall how Satan used half-truths to deceive Eve into disobeying God. That’s exactly what false prophets and teachers do. However, Apostle John said every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is of God (v.2), and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not of God (v.3). Jesus had to come to earth and live in the flesh in order to die for us. Only those who are born of the Holy Spirit can confess with their mouth that Jesus came as a real person, and declare “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthians 12:3). This is how we know they have the Spirit of God (v.2). On the other hand, false prophets and teachers are already in the world. They have the spirit of the Antichrist – “every spirit that does not confess that Jesus came in the flesh” (v.3). It is imperative that believers grow spiritually to know the truth and not believe every spirit. Remember, every spirit that’s of the Holy Spirit can confess Jesus Christ came in the flesh.