Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 1 Jn 4:1 and following. Indeed, the truth has always had its “counterfeiters”. Just as every citizen, on pain of serious trouble, must know how to recognize the currency of his country, we must be able to discern from where the various teachings before us come from. Each of them must be tested (1 Thess 5:16-22) and the Word gives us the sure way not to confuse the “false coins” with the good ones. The latter all bear the seal of Jesus Christ. For parmi the tricks of the devil, imitation takes a place of the first order. In the Old Testament, for example, when God operated in power through Moses in the presence of the Pharaoh, egyptian magicians imitated what was done as much as they could, in order to neutralize the impression made on the Pharaoh’s mind. We find this at the time when a sanctuary was established in Jerusalem with its ceremonies for divine service: Jeroboam easily diverted the ten tribes from it by setting up a religion of imitation in Bethel and Dan. The first verses of ch. 4 show that Satan began his deceptive imitations very soon after the faith had been passed on to the saints by God’s chosen apostles.
Indeed, the apostle John, the last of the apostles, lived long enough to see many false prophets already out into the world. The apostles had obviously been animated and sustained by the Holy Spirit to convey God’s inspired word either in writing or orally. It didn’t take long for other men to stand up. They too spoke as carried by the power of a spirit, and so what they uttered was also inspired. But what they said was very different from what the apostles had taught, although they claimed that their teachings were only an improvement and an extension. It all looked rather attractive, and was therefore seductive. But was that the truth? How could it be tested?
We have already made remarks on how any claim is tested, and it is obvious that the more one is in the presence of imitations, the more necessary it is to do tests. The issue now is of the utmost importance. How can one distinguish between “the Spirit of God” and “the spirit of the Antichrist”,” “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error”? Spirits must be tested, but by what criterion? First, the test is about Christ Himself and the truth about His Person. Does the spirit confess Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh? If so, he is of God, if not he is not of God. It’s a very simple test, and if we meditate a little bit on it, we’ll see that it’s very deep.
It is not correct to say, speaking of us, that we came in the flesh. Jehovah said long ago, “My Spirit will not dispute forever with man, since he is only flesh” (Gen 6. 3). We are flesh. And even, apart from this consideration, we must not speak of ourselves as having come in the flesh, for we did not exist before, and we had no choice between different options as to how to come. For to be part of the human race, we must be here on earth with bodies of flesh and blood. But it was different for Jesus Christ. He existed beforehand, and He could have come in other ways. And indeed, in the time of the Old Testament, He really appeared in other ways, for example as “the Angel of the Lord”.
The truth is that Jesus Christ -that Person who is the eternal Son of God- came in the flesh to be a true man among us. The anti-Christian doctors did not confess this. They were not healthy about His deity as verse 2:22 shows. They were not healthy about His humanity, as this verse 4:3 shows. – History tells us that one of the first heresies that afflicted the church of the beginning is the one that John deals with here: they taught that, matter being evil, Christ could not have had a truly human body of flesh and blood; he could only have had the appearance of it, but it was actually an illusion. Another form of error about the humanity of Christ also troubled the church of the beginning when men stood up to say that the seat of sin is in the spiritual part of man rather than in his material body. They denied the spiritual part of His humanity and emphasized the reality of His flesh; it took place a century or two later, and there is no reference here to these men.
Then Jesus Christ came in flesh, a flesh of a perfectly holy nature, and so there was in Him that wonderful manifestation of eternal life of which the first verse of the epistle speaks. To deny His coming in the flesh is not only to deny the possibility of this clear manifestation among us, but also to deny that there was there, in Him, the divine fullness that has to manifest itself. But this subject is treated even more vigorously: We do not need to wait for an open denial, because the very absence of confession of the truth is enough to betray the spirit of the antichrist.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
How to recognize what comes from God:
- Examine all things
Jer 6:27 I had established you in observation among my people, Like a fortress, that you might know and probe their way. Eph 5:10 Consider what is pleasing to the Lord; 1 Thess 5:21 But examine all things; remember what is good; 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not add faith to every spirit; but test the spirits, to know if they are of God, for many false prophets have come into the world.
- Satan’s Limited Power
-In the affliction of the holy Jb 1:12 Jehovah said to Satan: Behold, all that belongs to him, I deliver it to you; only, do not bear his hand on him. And Satan withdrew from the face of Jehovah.
-To be defeated by divine grace Lk 10:19 Behold, I have given you the power to walk on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy; and nothing can harm you. Rom 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
-His temptations are limited 1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has occurred to you that has not been human, and God, who is faithful, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but with temptation he will also prepare the way out, so that you can bear it.
Satan knows the hour of his defeat Jas 4:7 Submit to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Satan’s time is short Rev 12:12 That is why rejoice, heaven, and you who dwell in heaven. Woe to the land and the sea! for the devil has descended upon you, animated by great anger, knowing that he has little time. Rev 13:5 And he was given a mouth that uttered arrogant words and blasphemy; and he was given the power to act for forty-two months.
- Special Teachings relating to Brotherly Love
-Impartial Dt 10:19 You will love the stranger, because you have been strangers in the land of Egypt.
-Altruistic Mt 22:39 And here is the second, which is similar to him: You will love your neighbor as yourself.
-The proof of the true disciple Jn 13:35 To this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
-The love of Christ as a model of brotherly love Jn 15:12 This is my commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you.
– Sincere Rom 12:9 Let charity be without hypocrisy. Abhor evil; attach yourself strongly to the good.
-Abundant 1 Thess 3:12 May the Lord increase more and more among you, and towards all, that charity that we ourselves have for you,
-Fervent 1 Pet 1:22 Having purified your souls by obeying the truth to have sincere brotherly love, love one another ardently, with all your heart,
- Divine Commandments
Mt 28:20 and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you every day, until the end of the world. John 13:34 I give you a new commandment: Love one another; as I have loved you, you too love one another. Jn 14:15:21 If you love me, keep my commandments. 21 He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, I will love him, and I will make myself known to him. Jn 15:10, 14 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 14 You are my friends, if you do what I command you. Acts 10:42 And Jesus commanded us to preach to the people and testify that it was they who were established by God as judge of the living and the dead. 1Jn 3:23 And this is His commandment: that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and that we love one another, according to the commandment He has given us.
From all of the above, we note that due to His nature, this epistle teaches us that God is light (1 John 1:5-7) and that He is love (1 John 4:13-19). The only source of all love is in Him. If someone loves, then it is a sign that he was born of God. Conversely, the one who does not love does not know God. One must possess nature that loves, to know what love is (1 Thess 4:9-12). Now this love, of which God had the initiative towards us, responded perfectly to the state of his creature. Man was dead: God sent his only begotten Son that we might live by Him; man was guilty: God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1-2); man was lost: the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:11-14; John 3:16-18). Two facts of unlimited significance: Christ leaving his life for us (1 John 3:16-22) and God sending his Son (1 John 4:7-11) revealed divine love to men. And now this love is given to them to know even more in a third way: in that the redeemed of the Lord love one another. This is how God is – or should be – made visible since Jesus is no longer on earth (John 1:18). It is not possible to love God and not love His children. When someone is really dear to us, everything that relates to him is dear to us too. For example, someone who really loves his spouse, also loves his family. And God is not satisfied with verbal love (1 John 3:16-22). Constantly in this epistle come back the expressions “if we say…”, “he who says…”, “if someone says…”. We love each other…” So, let’s show it! We have found in these verses: first, love for us; it is salvation already accomplished; then, love within us, poured by the Spirit into our hearts; finally, love with us, giving us the very assurance to appear before God soon. This is the perfect activity towards us of this divine love! Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “obedient love and victorious faith. “
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.