1 John 4:3 (KJV) Recognizing and Rejecting Deception

1 John 4:3 (KJV)

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 

 

There are at least three main themes found in this chapter:

•       Confessing Jesus

•       Loving Jesus

•       Loving those who love Jesus

 

But like so many things in the Bible, each of these themes is much deeper than the surface. Consider Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. This verse is unequivocally true, but it doesn’t mean you can call in jest and be saved. It doesn’t mean you can call without faith and be saved. It doesn’t mean you can call while denying the gospel and be saved, etc.

 

There are many “spirits” in the world today willing to confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, but they still possess the spirit of Antichrist. So many, in fact, that I am willing to suggest this is a tactic of Antichrist, like his misrepresentation of God’s word to Eve. He’s willing to say what the Bible says but not mean what the Bible says. Remember, even the devils believe.

 

To confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, I submit, is to surrender to the entire body of truth the Bible teaches about Christ. To deny any aspect of Biblical teaching is to have the spirit of Antichrist. Therefore, to deny the creation account is a spirit of Antichrist, because Christ was involved in Creation. To add any good work to salvation is a spirit of Antichrist, because it diminishes the saving effectiveness of Christ.

 

This concept must also be applied to loving Jesus and loving those who love Jesus. It’s not just that we love Him, but that He first loved us. And it’s not that anyone who professes to love Christ is automatically to be loved as one who loves Christ,[1] but that we try their spirit before we love them as we would the brethren.

 

If we do not apply all the Word of God to all the teaching of the Word of God, we easily fall into the snares of the devil, and we risk breaking down the critical doctrines so essential to carrying the gospel to the next generation.

 

#ConfessingJesus #SpiritOfAntichrist #LoveJesus #BiblicalTruth #GuardTheDoctrine

Recognizing and Rejecting Deception: The Spirit of Antichrist

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[1] Though we are to love even the lost

• How do you ensure that your confession of Jesus Christ aligns with the full truth of Scripture?
• Share your thoughts on how you can guard against false teachings in the comments below.

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1 John 4:3 (KJV) Recognizing and Rejecting Deception