Christmas Is A Test

There are many different kinds of tests. Practical tests, multiple choice, essay, true/false, and more. Each test is as unique as the teacher giving it.

Tests are designed to reveal the accumulation and assimilation of knowledge. Meaning, tests show us what we have learned and what we know. Those are not always the same.

In some institutions, tests are used to determine your suitability for their program.

Christmas is that kind of test.

The Christmas test is a pass/fail exam.

Today we will learn what the test is and why it is important.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and Tuesday is Christmas.

This time of year we hear about Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Wise men, Innkeepers, King Herod…

Those are great stories.

But. Every year at Christmas time I have a concern. My concern is this.

When proclaiming the Christ-child we must emphasize the Christ in the child.

What do i mean by that?

In our Christmas program last week we had an innkeeper continually declare that Jesus was “just a baby.”

I praise God, that Jesus is so much more.

We are going to consider a non-traditional Christmas passage this morning.

At first glance, this might seem to have little or nothing to do with Christmas. However, when we look more closely, we find that what is written here cuts to the very heart of Christmas.

This passage gives us three tests that reveal a persons spiritual status.

I want us to ponder the importance of Christmas as we examine the three tests of Christmas. REWORK!

That is

What we believe and teach about Christmas reveals whose side we are on.

Two goals this morning.

We need to be challenged to believe the truth.

We need to be equipped to discern when truth is compromised.

Test #1…

1. The Test Of Origin v. 1

Do they come from God? Or are they false?

This is the test and these are the only options.

The origin of something, or where it comes from, is a vitally important question.

This last week we went out to eat with my brother and his family. As we are eating and chatting we notice that their youngest boy is eating something and no one had given him any food. At that moment the most important question was, “where did that come from?”

Because that’s what mattered!

It turned out to have been french fry he dropped earlier. So it was ok. Didn’t want anyone to be worried for the rest of the message. :)

Origin deals with purpose, design, and intention.

Knowing where something came from helps us to know why it exists, what it is supposed to do, and what it is doing.

We need to determine origin. As already mentioned there are only two. First we have…

First we have…

a. A faithful origin v. 1a

In the first half of this verse we are given two commands and a purpose statement.

But first we need to note that when John talks about the spirit here, he is not talking about the Holy Spirit, he is talking about the spirit of man.

We are to test one another. A 21st century way to put it would be “do a background check.”

We are going to take these in the order given, so first we are confronted with a command.

Command #1: Don’t be naive.

Don’t blindly trust people. Trust needs to be earned. Earning trust in this context begins with examination.

Don’t be naive.

I want to be really careful in explaining what is meant here.

This is a call for discernment. Specifically, discernment in who we learn from.

It is naive to think that everyone claiming to be a Christian leader, actually is.

However, we are not to become so jaded that we assume the worst.

There is a very careful balance that must be maintained. We need to be discerning, yet we also need to trust.

Don’t believe every spirit. Be a little bit sceptical.

What does this look like practically? When you walk into a Christian bookstore, don’t automatically assume that everything in there is good. Just because the author has PhD’s and big endorsements, doesn’t mean the content of the book is Biblical! Just because they may have other books that are good doesn’t mean everything they write is!

Be discerning. Always.

Let’s get to the second command and then i will clarify a little bit more.

Command #2: Be bold.

This is the command to test.

Test – δοκιμάζω (dokimazō) examine; test; approve. To scrutinize. To look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail.

Test – δοκιμάζω (dokimazō)

This is an imperative. It is not optional.

This is speaking of investigative examination.

There is an intensity present here.

Beloved, here is what we must understand.

The proclamation of the Word of God is the most important method of growth in the life of the believer.

Therefore, we dare not take lightly the responsibility of finding teachers who accurately handle Scripture.

We want to do our due diligence here. I don’t want to make an unsupported statement. Really quickly, we are going to look at three passages.

; ; (S).

; ;

1 Peter 2:2 NKJV

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,

Hebrews 5:12–14 NKJV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

1 Corinthians 3:2 NKJV

I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;

There is an expected progression in the Christian life. You begin with the easily digested truth of Scripture and gradually move on to the doctrines you have to chew on.

It is the Word of God that brings growth!

I’ve said this before, I will say it again. If I cease to teach the Word of truth; show me the door.

There should be no place in the church for a preacher who does not teach the Word.

Now, let’s talk about the purpose statement.

Purpose: Determine origin.

We need to find out if the teachers we are listening to are from God or not!

How? John will get to that. We need to lay some ground work first.

When it comes to teachers in the church, there are only two options. Of God, or not of God.

We have to put teachers to the test to know where they are from!

We must determine the origin, to do that we test the content of their teaching.

We’ll get to that in just a moment.

What does this have to do with Christmas?

Everything!

We are going to learn in the next verse that what we believe about Christmas is a determining factor in our orthodoxy.

Here’s what I mean: What we believe happened at Christmas determines if we are on God’s side or not.

Setting that aside, Christmas is very revealing about what we believe. What do we believe about Mary? Prophecies? Miracles? Angels? Are we committed to a strictly literal interpretation or is there room for variation? All of this can be seen in what we believe about Christmas.

Before we talk about that we need to look at what John’s second option. Of God or…

b. A false origin v. 1b

This gives us the reason behind the test. The cause.

Why do we need to test the spirits?

Because of the presence of false prophets.

False prophets – ψευδοπροφήτης (pseudoprophētēs) false prophet. False prophet n. — a deliberately deceptive person pretending to be a prophet. Noun (subject), nominative, plural, masculine.

False prophets – ψευδοπροφήτης (pseudoprophētēs)

John wants us to know three things about these teachers.

They are many.

I don’t like this. There are a lot of them! There are a large number of these false prophets. They claim to proclaim Christ but in reality they serve self!

puts it this way (S).

Romans 16:17–18 NKJV

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.

They serve their own appetites. They don’t care about the body of Christ at all!

Notice in the verse that there is a safeguard. The safeguard is knowing doctrine, knowing truth so that you can recognize error.

Chris Katulka writes,

The easiest way for a false teacher to infect the church is to have a Biblically illiterate congregation.

They are false.

Pseudo prophets. They masquerade as one thing while in reality being something else. They are eloquent, they speak words we want to hear, but they are not true proclaimers of Jesus Christ!

It’s like being told you are getting and iPad for Christmas and only getting an eye pad (S). An actual pad for your eye.

That is what a false prophet does. Makes you think they are the real thing, but they are not.

They are here.

“Have gone” - past tense. They are already here.

They have gone out, they are teaching, and we need to be equipped to spot them.

Recap: We need to be cautiously sceptical. We need to test teaching and teachers. We need to discern when someone is sent by God or is a false prophet.

Sitting there thinking, “Pastor Jon, this is a weird Christmas message.” This next verse takes us into Christmas. Ready?

Test #2…

2. The Test Of Belief vv. 2-3a

We had the test of origin, where do they come from. Now the test of belief.

Do they believe that Jesus the Christ (God) came in the flesh?

We already saw that you are either from God, or not. This is how we determine which side you are on.

It all comes back to Jesus.

When I was younger I enjoyed reading detective books. I really like a series called Encyclopedia Brown it was a young kid who solved crimes because he remembered everything he read.

In one particular mystery he was able to solve it by noticing that one member of the left-handed club wasn’t actually left-handed!

You see, to be in the left-handed club, there was one all-important requirement. You had to be left-handed!

John tells us that when it comes to being either of God or not of God; there is an all-important question.

Who is Jesus?

This is what Christmas is all about!

Again, there are only two options. Option #1…

a. Belief that confirms v. 2

How do we spot false teachers?

This is a vital question at this point!

If we are to be sceptical, if we are to test people because false prophets exist, we must know how to spot them.

John tells us that A false teacher is recognized by what they believe.

More specifically, by what they believe about Jesus Christ.

If they are of God, they will confess both the humanity and deity of Jesus.

This word “confess” refers to a public acknowledgement.

This is a public acknowledgement of the dual nature of Jesus Christ!

This is a public acknowledgement of the dual nature of Jesus Christ! Also called the hypostatic union.

What we mean is that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man.

What John is saying is that someone called by God will have correct Christology. They will have a proper understanding of who Jesus is and they will be willing to declare that.

What do they need to declare? That Jesus Christ came in the flesh.

Flesh – σάρξ (sarx) flesh. The soft tissue (or the physical body) that makes up humankind.

Flesh – σάρξ (sarx)

This is the whole point of Christmas.

(S).

Isaiah 7:14 NKJV

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Why did a virgin need to conceive? Was it just to have a miraculous birth? No! It was so that Jesus could be born without a sin nature.

When the angel appears to Joseph, he quotes this verse and gives us the meaning of Immanuel. (S).

Matthew 1:23 NKJV

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

God is with us! Born as a human baby. But more than just a human baby. (S).

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

He is the everlasting Father! The next verse says that His kingdom is an eternal kingdom.

All the prophecy about this child was to demonstrate that it was no ordinary baby!

None of this is possible if God the Son did not take on flesh as Jesus the Christ.

If I could sum up Christmas in one word it would be Immanuel. God with us.

That brings us to Option #2…

If someone does not have the Spirit of God, they are not saved according to (S).

Romans 8:9 NKJV

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

This is not a comfortable truth.

What we believe matters. It matters eternally. It matters right now.

Beloved, what we believe about Christmas is a salvation issue.

If the baby in that manger is not Immanuel. If He is not God in the flesh. If He is not the great I AM come down to us. We. Are. Not. Saved.

According to these verses, saying that Jesus was not fully God or was not fully man places you outside the faith. The one who denies the full humanity and deity of Jesus is not a Christian. They are not saved.

Christmas is a test of what we believe. Either we believe in who Jesus is and it confirms that we are from God. Or we do not.

Option #2…

That brings us to Option #2…

b. Belief that contradicts v. 3a

Very simple, direct, and easily understood. If you don’t believe the humanity of Jesus. You are not saved. You are not of God.

You are a false teacher.

If someone does not believe that the baby in the manger was God Himself, John says that they do not have the Spirit of God.

If someone does not have the Spirit of God, they are not saved according to (S).

Romans 8:9 NKJV

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

This is not a comfortable truth.

What we believe matters. It matters eternally. It matters right now.

Beloved, what we believe about Christmas is a salvation issue.

If the baby in that manger is not Immanuel. If He is not God in the flesh. If He is not the great I AM come down to us.

We. Are. Not. Saved.

Christmas is a test of what we believe. Either we believe in who Jesus is and it confirms that we are from God. Or we do not.

There are only two options.

What do we believe about Christmas?

Is it the strange story of a prophets birth?

Or is it the supernatural story of God becoming a man that He might provide salvation and reconciliation to a world of sinful men?

What do we believe about the identity of Jesus?

We’ve tested origin, we’ve tested belief, finally, test #3…

3. The Test Of Position v. 3b

Are they for Christ or against Christ?

That’s what this word “antichrist” means. Against Christ.

What we believe about Christmas, about who that baby was and is, that determines if we are for Christ or against Him.

In any sport when two opposing teams face off they make sure you can easily distinguish between them.

If both teams wore the same uniforms the game would quickly descend into chaos.

What John is challenging us to do is make sure we know who is on our team!

Unfortunately it is not their attire or even their activities that will reveal whose team they are on.

A false teacher is revealed by the message he or she proclaims.

That is what we are to test. We must determine their position. Again, there are only two. We test teachers to determine if they are…

a. Positionally against v. 3b

Far from having the Spirit of God, those who deny the humanity of Christ have the spirit of antichrist within them.

We must understand something here.

Those who deny either the deity or humanity of Christ are against Him.

They may claim to follow Jesus, they may claim to be His, but they are antichrist!

Kent Hughes writes,

Preaching the Word: 1–3 John—Fellowship in God’s Family Do They Confess the Divine Lord? (vv. 2, 3)

antichristian teaching is not necessarily an open denial of Christ. Sometimes it is a misrepresentation of Christ, adding something to him or detracting something from him.

This is why it is so dangerous and why we need to be on guard. Mormons have a Jesus who became god. Jehovah’s witnesses have a Jesus who was created. Islamist's have a Jesus who was a good teacher. Catholics have a Jesus who is insufficient. He needs a co-redemptress and mediator.

Many religions will say that we should follow the teachings of Jesus but they deny He is the exclusive path to heaven!

Saying good things about Jesus while denying the truth of who He is makes you an antichrist!

This means they have taken up a position in opposition to God.

It is antichrist to deny the incarnation.

We must be able to identify false teachers. To do that, we test them.

We also test to see if a teacher is…

b. Positionally accepting v. 3c

Go back to v. 1 for a second.

Our hope, our desire in testing teachers is for them to be approved. Our desire must be to discover that they are true followers of God!

The end of v. 3 seeks to remind the believer of truth.

We need to know who Jesus is. We need to know what it means for Him to be born as a baby in Bethlehem.

We need to be aware that false teachers exist and be prepared to defend the church against them!

We need to know the Word of God.

We need to know the gospel.

Later in his commentary, Kent Hughes writes,

Preaching the Word: 1–3 John—Fellowship in God’s Family Test the Teaching (v. 1)

The fact of the matter is, true Christianity is doctrinally intolerant. Jesus said, “I am the way.” There is no other way. Either he is right or wrong. Either John 14:6 is true or false. Christianity is by definition a God-revealed religion whereby God says this is truth and this is error. God gets to make the rules. It is his world.

God could have chosen to save people however He wanted. He could have saved us by being good, giving money, or church attendance. But God went on record declaring that Jesus was the way truth and life.

Because God has chosen to save people only through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus becomes the only way, the only truth, the only life.

We need to accept what God has said, and we need to stand with Him.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are positionally His.

It is better to believe difficult truths than to be easily lost.

Conclusion

Christmas is about God becoming man. It is about Immanuel, God with us.

What we believe about Jesus Christ is vitally important.

We must believe that He is God and that He is also man.

Any denial of Christ’s deity or humanity leaves one outside the faith.

Warren Wiersbe writes,

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Five: Truth or Consequences (1 John 2:18–29)

The great assertion of the faith that sets a Christian apart from others is this: Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh (1 John 4:2).

Long ago the angel Gabriel told Mary and Joseph that Jesus would save His people from their sins.

The miracle of Christmas is a miracle of Salvation.

Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given! His name will be Jesus because He was born to save!

This Christmas, celebrate who Jesus is.

If you have never trusted Him as Savior. Do it today.

Believe that He died, that He was buried, and that He rose again.

May we be men and women of discernment.

May we test the teachers.

May we believe and proclaim the truth about Jesus, the Christ of Christmas.

#147 “Silent Night! Holy Night!”

1 John 4:1–6 NKJV

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. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

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