Try the Spirits!

“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.” 1 John 4:1-3.

We are exhorted to test the spirits, since many false prophets have gone out into the world. John admonishes us to do this because he knows we are able. He gives us clear instructions: “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.”

Why is it that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God? It is because the person has been so God-fearing that he, through the cross, has been able to learn something about the sufferings of Christ in the flesh and therefore can confess, with assurance, that Christ has come in the flesh.

The mysteries of godliness are not revealed to the enemies of the cross of Christ. Yet those who experience the cross can testify that He has come in the flesh. We know with certainty that such spirits are of God.

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.” 2 John 7. These deceivers are not the world in a general sense, because the world does not deceive people regarding the question of whether or not Christ has come in the flesh. These are people who have some personal benefit in denying that Christ has come in the flesh. They lead unstable souls away from the cross and the word of the cross, which is the power of God. That is why they preach a Jesus who has not come in the flesh, who did not become like His brothers in all things and who did not take on Himself the seed of Abraham. They preach a Jesus with the flesh of an angel or something similar, a Jesus who has not been tempted as we are. The reason that people want this kind of Jesus is so they can avoid partaking of Jesus’ sufferings.

He who works against Christ come in the flesh is the deceiver and Antichrist. Hatred of the cross of Christ and the sufferings is the main reason that people deny that Christ has come in the flesh.

According to the flesh, Jesus came of the seed of David and is declared to be the Son of God. Rom. 1:3-4.

People deny that Jesus has come of the seed of David and that He is the son of David. In other words, they deny that He has come in the flesh. It is common knowledge that Abraham, Judah and David, from whom Jesus came according to the flesh, did not have the flesh of an angel or the nature of an angel. Since His fathers according to the flesh did not have the nature of angels, then neither did Jesus. He was made a little lower than the angels and was found in appearance as a man. Phil. 2:8.

It was as a man that He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Verse 8. We should not be amazed by the fact that these deceivers are not interested in accepting Jesus as a man who humbled Himself and was obedient, because the logical conclusion of this understanding is that if He, who was the Master, had to humble Himself and be obedient in order to attain the glory, then we must do the same thing.

Some believe they make Jesus great by ascribing to Him the nature of an angel, even though it expressly says in Hebrews 2:16 that He does not give aid to angels. However, when we believe that He gives aid to the seed of Abraham, we proclaim Him to be who He truly is. It was as the Son of Man that He said, “Not My will, but Yours, be done.”

If we want to know the teaching of Christ, let us learn to practice the meaning of these three words: Not my will. Once a person has learned these three words, it will become a tremendous comfort that Jesus was manifested in the flesh and justified in the spirit.

Yet these truths belong to the mysteries of godliness, and false prophets are as far away from these mysteries as east is from west.

It is not at all surprising that they become outraged and travel long distances to obliterate this doctrine of Christ. The mindset of Herod and the fear of losing the esteem of being religious have long ago taken control of their hearts. A “Saul” can maintain an outward religious appearance long after he has been dethroned; yet David is—and always will be—king.

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” 1 John 2:18-19.

If the spirit of the Antichrist had been the spirit of the world, the prophet would not be able to say, “They went out from us.” The spirit of the Antichrist is more bitter than the spirit of the world. Those who “went out” had been among the believers but had hardened themselves to the teaching of the cross. As a result, they became the believers’ greatest enemies. No one hated David more than Saul; he was consumed with envy. When a person has made his way up to the exalted pinnacles of religious honor and fame and then discovers that he has been undermined by the doctrine of Christ—which is humility—the fire of hatred is ignited, and he rages against the spirit that proclaims Jesus has come in the flesh. David, according to the flesh, is once again persecuted by an envious Saul.

We want to reiterate what Jesus says: “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. . . . These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you.” Verses 24-27. He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God overcomes the world. This is He who came by water and blood; therefore there are three that witness: the Spirit, the water and the blood, and these three are one. 1 John 5:7-8.

As long as the Spirit imparts only grace, and people feel as though they have been placed in heaven, everything is fine, and they are happy to be together with us. However, when the Spirit requires a relationship with the two witnesses—water and blood—then come the sufferings and the cross of Christ, and with them comes hatred. Everything seemed so wonderful as long as the person was bathed in the grace of the Spirit; but as soon as the Spirit brings the requirement of the law, everything changes.

We have seen men who have attained great religious stature as long as the joy of grace rested over the assembly. Yet, when it came to sacrificing themselves in obedience by the same Spirit, these same men became the greatest enemies.

The baptism of the Spirit is the glorious result of Christ’s sufferings and death. It is easy to rejoice in it. Yet when the person himself is required to suffer with Christ to partake of His glory, a Saul is born.

People gladly revel in the testimony of the Spirit, yet they hate the water and the blood. In other words, they deny that Christ has come in the flesh. They only want to have Him in His glory so they can share the glory with Him, but they want nothing to do with His sufferings.

Devilish spirits can work freely when there is only talk of the Spirit; but if the other witnesses are included—the water and the blood—these evil spirits are exposed for who they truly are. Preachers can speak eloquently about the cross and the sufferings of Christ, about His water and His blood, as long as there is no requirement for people to be personally united with the water and the blood.

If you have a spirit that hates the idea of personally experiencing the sufferings of Christ with the water and blood, then you are an enemy of Christ even if you have rejoiced for years in the grace that was given to you, albeit in vain.

These are the truths that cause religious leaders to oppose us so vehemently, and they find support from a multitude of other enemies of the cross of Christ. However, their foolishness will be manifest. We can say with Luther, “The word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth.”

God has confirmed the truth of His own doctrine, and many are now rejoicing because they are counted worthy to suffer for Christ and with Christ. Those who oppose us complain to their religious leaders. Yet the truth is that these leaders have never led them at all; they have only sought what is to their own personal advantage. These leaders now play the part of defenders and place their words on the scales. Yet for years it has been clear that they themselves and their words have already been tried and found wanting.

God has no use for servants who serve themselves, and neither does the church of God.

Test the spirits whether or not they are of God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.