This article is the sixth in a series drawn from the book of 1 John. The previous articles appeared in earlier issues of the Gospel Herald during 2025. These articles are adapted from Bible class lessons and revised for publication, each focusing on a specific section of John’s letter. By the series’ end, we will have covered the entire book.
Text: I John 4:1-6
Summary of I John 1:1–3:24
The apostle John begins his letter by affirming that he is an eyewitness of Jesus—the eternal Word of God made flesh. Jesus lived righteously, fully divine yet truly human. Because of this, John insists, that what we do in our bodies matters, both in the present and in eternity. All have sinned and therefore stand in need of forgiveness. That need remains, even when we have become Christians.
John offers hope for Christians who sin: salvation remains ours when we confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. Jesus is both our advocate when we stumble and the sacrifice that redeems us. He purchased us for God, appeased God’s wrath, and brings salvation not just to us, but to the entire world.
To truly know and love God is to keep His commandments. This is not reserved for the spiritually mature; even the newest Christian is fully saved, knowing the Father and having His Spirit abide in them. The call, then, is not to love the things of the fallen world but to glorify God rather than self.
John also addresses the topic of the Antichrist—a subject of speculation throughout Christian history. At its core, the “spirit of the Antichrist” is present in anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ, or that He came in the flesh. Whether there will be a final figure known as the Antichrist, or whether this spirit continues through false teachers, the charge is the same: remain grounded in God’s Word. Persecution may come through such antichrists, but persecution has always come in many forms. Believers are encouraged by the witness of the early church, which endured suffering and overcame.
God’s love for us is so profound that He has called us His children, his family— not merely servants or friends. Christ will return, and though we do not yet fully know how, we will be transformed into immortal resurrection bodies, like His. Because of this hope, we purify ourselves from unrighteousness, striving to walk in the light.
The Christian life is described as a race to be run, a fight to be fought, a path to remain faithful upon. Love for one another is to be lived out in tangible ways, sharing with others what God has entrusted to us. And with this, we may know and have confidence that we are truly in God, and that He is in us.
I John 4:1–3: Testing the Spirits
John continues the thought from chapter 3, contrasting the Spirit given by God with spirits that are not from Him—particularly the spirit of the antichrist. But how exactly do we “test the spirits”? John is not speaking of ghostly figures like in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Rather, he refers to the spirit influencing a teacher or prophet.
The test is direct: does the person openly confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? To confess (NASB) or acknowledge (NIV) means more than mere intellectual assent. It involves professing aloud, worshiping, and celebrating Christ as Lord.
This teaching was crucial in John’s time because of the Gnostic denial that Jesus could be both divine and human. John exposes such teachers as false prophets whose spirit is not from God. Still, we must be cautious: some who confess Christ may nevertheless bring false teachings, whether through error or deliberate distortion.
Paul affirms this principle: “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). But words must be tested further, in at least two ways:
- By Scripture. The Bereans provide an example in Acts 17:10–11. Unlike the jealous Thessalonian Jews, they examined the Scriptures daily to confirm Paul’s message. If teaching contradicts God’s Word, it is false.
- By life. Jesus taught that false prophets could be recognized “by their fruits” (Matt. 7:15–23). John reinforces this: those who claim to know Christ must obey His commands (1 John 2:3–4). Paul likewise warned Titus about those who “profess to know God, but by their deeds deny Him” (Titus 1:10,16).
Even Jesus pointed to His works as proof of His divine mission. He urged listeners to examine His actions, which fulfilled Scripture (e.g. Matt. 26:23–24, 52–56) and demonstrated God’s power through Him (John 10:37–38).
Thus, John’s immediate application is plain: those who refuse to confess Jesus as the Anointed One who came in the flesh bear the spirit of the antichrist.
For us today:
- Be Bereans—search the Scriptures diligently to test every teaching.
- Evaluate the lives of teachers: do they practice what they preach?
- As teachers ourselves, ensure our words and actions align. Guard against letting cultural perspectives shape our interpretation more than Scripture itself does. And when we fall short, confess it honestly and seek growth rather than hypocrisy.
Paul’s reminder in Colossians 2:6–8 stands as a warning: do not be taken captive by hollow philosophy that depends on human tradition rather than on Christ.
Verses 4–6: God Is Greater Than the World
John encourages believers: “You, dear children, are from God.” Despite false teachings, they have overcome, because the One within them is greater than the one who rules this world.
This echoes Paul’s exhortation in Ephesians 6:10–17 to “put on the full armor of God.” Truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word protect us against Satan’s schemes. Jesus Himself described Satan as “the prince of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Yet John reassures us: God’s indwelling Spirit is stronger. If we remain in Christ, we have already overcome false prophets.
John also highlights a contrast: those who speak “from the world” appeal to worldly perspectives, and the world listens to them. Those who are from God speak truth, and God’s people hear them.
This offers a practical caution. Any teaching easily embraced by non-Christians should be carefully scrutinized by believers. This is not to reject all such teachings, but to test them thoroughly. For example, in the mid-20th century some church leaders adopted corporate business models for eldership, replacing Christ’s servant-leadership model with worldly top-down structures. By contrast, insights from psychology and sociology regarding abuse or depression, when filtered through Scripture, have been valuable for pastoral care.
John warns specifically against teachings born of the world’s rebellion against God. His conclusion in verse 6 is decisive: “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us.” Here, “we” refers to the apostles, those who saw and heard Jesus (1:1–3). To reject their testimony is to reject the Spirit of truth.
Summary of 4:1–6
John’s teaching may be summed up in two essential truths:
- Test every teaching. Does it confess Christ’s incarnation? Does it align with Scripture? Does the teacher’s life reflect obedience?
- Trust that God’s Spirit is greater than Satan. If we remain in Him, we have already overcome falsehood
Final Reflection
John’s exhortation remains deeply relevant: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (4:4). Christians today face false teachings, cultural pressures, and distorted philosophies. But with God’s Spirit, His Word, and the example of Christ, we are equipped to stand firm.
The call is both simple and weighty: test the spirits, walk in the truth, and remember that the Spirit who abides in us is stronger than all opposition.
Kitchener, ON