Test the Spirits is the command not to believe every voice that sounds holy.
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.
Testing is love of the truth.
It is not unbelief.
John writes to a church that already knew anointing and still needed a filter. Spirits speak through people. Prophets go out. Not all of them are sent.
- The first test he names is the flesh of Jesus—the real incarnation, not a ghost-Christ who only seemed to suffer.
- Deny that, and the spirit is not God’s, however warm the meeting feels.
Moses had already given tests: if the word does not come to pass; if the sign comes to pass and the speaker says, Let us go after other gods.
Isaiah said, To the law and to the testimony. If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
Paul said even an angel from heaven preaching another gospel is accursed. Two or three prophets speak, and the others weigh what is said. The spirits of prophets are subject to the prophets.
Testing is how the church loves the sheep. Gullibility is not a fruit of the Spirit. The same letter says you have been anointed by the Holy One and you all have knowledge. Anointing does not cancel the test. It makes the church able to run it.
- Do not believe every spirit is as binding as do not quench the Spirit.
- Confessing Jesus Christ come in the flesh is the hinge John names first.
- Signs can accompany a lie. Other gods unmask the source.
- The written Word is the lamp by which night-speech is read.
- Another gospel, even from an angel, is not a new level. It is a curse.
- Weigh what is said. Prophecy in the church is not above the church.
- Antichrist is already a present spirit, not only a future man.
- Do Not Believe Every – Open ears, closed gullibility.
- The Confession – Jesus Christ come in the flesh.
- The Book – Law and testimony; no dawn without them.
- The Sign Test – Fulfilled wonder is not enough if the god is false.
- The Gospel Test – No other gospel, though an angel speak it.
- The Weighing – Others judge; spirits subject to prophets.
- The Anointing – You have knowledge; use it.
- 1 John 4:1-3 – “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.”
- 1 John 4:6 – “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.”
- 1 John 2:20, 22-23 – You have been anointed by the Holy One. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? No one who denies the Son has the Father.
- Deuteronomy 13:1-3 – If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign comes to pass, and if he says, “Let us go after other gods,” you shall not listen to the words of that prophet.
- Deuteronomy 18:20-22 – The prophet who speaks a word I have not commanded… When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken.
- Isaiah 8:20 – “To the law and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.”
- Galatians 1:8-9 – Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
- 1 Corinthians 14:29, 32 – Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. The spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
- 1 Corinthians 12:3 – No one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 – Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.
- 2 Peter 2:1 – False prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.
- Matthew 7:15-16, 22-23 – Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing… You will recognize them by their fruits. Lord, lord, did we not prophesy in Your name? I never knew you.
- Matthew 24:24 – False christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
- Acts 17:11 – They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
- Revelation 2:2 – You cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.
- John 16:13-14 – When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth… He will glorify Me.
Do not believe every spirit. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.
To the law and to the testimony. If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
Even if an angel preaches another gospel, let him be accursed.
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test everything. Hold fast what is good.
Let the others weigh what is said.
Love the sheep enough to test. Love the Spirit enough not to quench Him. Confess the Son come in the flesh. Stay with the Book. The spirit of truth glorifies Jesus. The spirit of error will not.
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