The Doctrinal Test of “Knowing the Faith” 1 John 4 The Doctrinal Test of “Knowing the Faith”

Knowing the Faith Today’s lesson concludes the 2nd cycle of the three tests of faith: The Moral Test (1 Jn 2:28-3:10 cf 2:3-6) Obedience to God’s will The Social Test (1 Jn 3:11-24 cf 2:7-11) Love your brother The Doctrinal Test (1 Jn 4:1-6 cf 2:18-24) Right believing

1 John 4:1 Compare this doctrinal test to its first application, 2:18-27. Vs 1 - “do not believe” = “stop believing” It seems that the people John was writing to gave credence to every belief whether it was right or wrong A/D – “Every church like every person is entitled to his own interpretation of the Bible.”

I John 4:1 How is the word “spirit” being used in verse 1? What is the “spirits” connection to false prophets? How does one “test the spirits to see whether they are from God”? Acts 17:11 Why is this testing necessary? False prophets “have gone out into the world.” Where do they come from? Define a false prophet.

I John 4:2,3 These verses teach us how to identify a false prophet. How does one do that? “Spirit of God” is capitalized. Is this the 3rd person of the Godhead or is it someone else? “every spirit that acknowledges …” or “does not” regarding Jesus, the Christ, in the flesh, come from God – This is the litmus test for orthodoxy. Why? What had John’s readers heard about “the spirt of antichrist?” (cf 2 Th 2:7 – “the secret power of lawlessness is already at work”)

I Jn 4:4-6 These verses teach that another way to determine a false prophet is to examine the audience that listens to him. Note how each verse in this section beings with an emphatic personal pronoun. “You … have overcome them.” Why? And who are the “them?” Who is “the one who is in you” and “the one who is in the world?”

I Jn 4:4-6 In verse 5 John describes the false prophets. In what sense are false prophets from the world? And in what sense does the world listen to them? Who are the “we” in verse 6? How do you recognize a faithful teacher? (John 10:3-5) To whom is John referring with the phrase “the spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood?” How would we apply these words about determining a false prophet by the audience that listens to his message to our present religious landscape?