Sermon Tone Analysis

1 John 4:1-6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2001

 

The Great Impostor.

The arctic polar bear feeds almost entirely on seal.

To enjoy such a meal, he sometimes resorts to a cunning bit of trickery.

If the hole in the ice through which the seal gets his food is not too far from the edge of open water, the bear will take a deep breath, slip underwater, and swim to the seals' fishing hole.

He will then imitate a fish scratching lightly on the under side of the ice.

When the seal hears this sound, he dives in for a quick supper, only to find himself caught in the huge, hungry embrace of his predator.

The one pretending to be the food turned out to be the hunter.

The devil deceives people by speaking through false prophets who speak in the same way true prophets do.

Believers must be on the look out for them.

The Command

 

*1 John 4:1a* *says:* /Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;/ /because many false prophets have gone out into the world./

Verse one contains two commands and the /reason/ for them.

/Firstly,/ *don't believe every spirit.*

/Secondly,/ *test the spirits.*

/ Finally,/ the reason; *false prophets abound.*

We know that John is addressing believers because he calls them beloved.

This command must be obeyed, it isn't an option.

/Firstly,/* *The Reason for the Test

 

The Church at Ephesus

 

In the Ephesian Church there were a number of teachers who claimed to have special knowledge.

They claimed to have received this knowledge directly from God through His Spirit.

They claimed to be inspired prophets, speaking the true message of God.

Some of their teaching was similar, but it was not exactly the same.

At this point the New Testament cannon had not been completed, so God still spoke through prophets.

Others were given a word of knowledge and some a word of wisdom.

There may have been others who spoke in tongues.

Therefore, John wrote to the Ephesian Church about supernatural revelation.

He gave them */two commands/* to observe for their own good.

/Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God.

/The last part of the verse gives us the reason for the test;* */because many false prophets have gone out into the world./

John first speaks about testing the spirits and then talks about men, false prophets.

/Why?/

The answer is that the false prophets are inspired and empowered by evil spirits.

Because God spoke miraculously through His prophets did not mean that all prophets were genuine.

Jesus gave a test for false prophets in *Matthew 7:15-20*, where he said that /by their fruits you will know them./

Paul also in *1 Corinthians 12:3* gave another test, where he said that no one could say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

John warned the Ephesians of the reality of false prophets who have gone out into the world to deceive people including believers.

They are supernaturally empowered and can be identified through testing.

This was not an option, but a command.

If a prophet claimed to speak a Word from the Lord, his message was not to be believed until the spirit speaking had been tested.

Other New Testament Scriptures command this too.

*1 Thessalonians 5:20-22:* /Do not despise prophecies.

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Abstain from every form of evil.

/*1 Corinthians 14:29:* /Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge./

*Matthew 7:20-23:* /Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?

And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!/

/ /

Today's Pentecostal Churches

 

Today in many churches, especially Pentecostal churches, people prophesy and many speak in tongues.

Others claim to have a word of knowledge or wisdom from the Lord.

Yet contrary to Scripture, they don't test the spirit speaking through them.

Even though their message is usually erroneous these practices are not questioned but rather they increase.

They think that the supernatural nature of the gift validates it.

They claim that God has given them further revelation for the church.

Usually their lives are far from holy.

It doesn't concern them that God never speaks through unclean vessels.

Those who claim to have the gift of prophecy, tongues and knowledge refuse to test the source of their gift.*/

This is in direct disobedience to God's Word that commands all supernatural  revelation to be tested.

/*

 

We believe that God has finished supernatural revelation for the Church.

This happened when the New Testament cannon was completed.

*1 Corinthians 13:8-10:* /Love never fails.

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

/The gifts of prophecy, knowledge and tongues passed away at the end of the Apostolic Age.

They ceased as the Bible said they would.

For about 1800 years they have not functioned in the Christian Church.

Significantly, none of the great revivalists have exercised them either.

Purpose Of Revelatory Gifts

 

The important criterion in determining whether or not a particular spiritual gift will endure is its purpose.

The purpose of a mercury vapor light is to light up the highway at night.

When the sin rises, the highway becomes illuminated by a greater and more perfect light.

The mercury vapor light then goes out because it has served its purpose.

In a similar way spiritual gifts such as knowledge, prophecy and tongues have ceased to function now that we have a more perfect light in the completed cannon of Scripture.

Their imperfect light is no longer needed.

None of those who share new revelation today come close to the perfect revelation of God's Word.

/Why listen to them? /They haven't even been found genuine!

It wasn't until the charismatic movement began in the twentieth century that claims of supernatural revelation began again.

But its the very counterfeit that Paul warned would come.

*1 Timothy 4:1-2:* /Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

/Paul saw how believers would be lead away from the truth.

He spoke more of this in *2 Corinthians 11:3-4:* /But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted — you may well put up with it!/

Application

 

/Do you believe that God gives new revelation to His people today?

Do you know someone who claims to have the gift of prophecy or tongues?

Has someone told you that they have a word of knowledge or wisdom for you from the Lord?

Have they tested their spiritual source?

Do they get it right 100%?

Do their lives exhibit holiness and the fruit of the Spirit?/

If not, then they can't be trusted.

I believe on the authority of God's Word that such people are deceived and being used by Satan to deceive others!

Many lead people away from the truth into error and experience.

Many curse Christ in other languages under the guise of speaking in tongues.

They are in a deep spiritual bondage and lead others into it as well.

Today charismatic theology has taken over most churches.