1 John 2:18-27; 1 John 4:1-6 False Prophets and Antichrists This is not a problem specific only to the time when John wrote this letter. Jesus warned us about false prophets, Jeremiah talked about false prophets in the OT and we still have false prophets today. Sometimes they are easy to spot but often they are "ferocious wolves in sheep's clothing." Sometimes they can even have Christian origins. So how do we defend ourselves?
John points out three defenses against false prophets. First - Anointing; vs. 3:20, 24 & 4:4 assures us that we have the Holy Spirit living in us, His word planted in us, and that the One that is in us is greater than the one who is in the world! WooHoo! Second - Tests; 4:1-6 says we can test the spirits, using our eyes and ears and minds to see if what they are saying and doing matches up with what we know. And Third - Each Other; v. 4:6, Hebrews 3:12-13 tells us that by listening to wise leaders and by encouraging one another daily we can keep each other from being hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
Have you been on the look out for false teachings this week? They are definitely out there disguised as spiritual truths and wisdom. Feel free to share some of your experiences in the comments sections.
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