Big Idea: How are we to discern between the spirits of the teachers that we encounter on a regular basis? John gives us two tests that we should apply to every one who claims to be “from God” in order to discern whether they are a genuine teacher of God’s Word or a false teacher.
Acts 17:16-21
Two tests to discern between the spirit of the world and the Spirit of Christ;
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___________________ ________________________ Test
1 John 4:2–3 (ESV) — 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God…
Anyone who does not recognize the physical birth and corporeal (material) existence of the Second Person of the Trinity, the man Christ Jesus, does not come from God and therefore should be put in his proper place.
If at any moment, you demote and diminish the person and work of Jesus Christ you are not from God.
Discerning between these spirits is our personal responsibility.
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___________________ _________________________ Test
1 John 4:6 (ESV) We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1John 1:1-4
How do we hear from God? We listen to preachers as they expound the truth of the Apostles and Prophets. The Spirit of God in us, attaches itself to the Spirit of God in the text of Scripture and is satisfied that it has heard from God.
2 John 10 (ESV) — 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,
2 Corinthians 11:1–6 (ESV) — 1 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! 2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5 Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. 6 Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things.
Acts 17:11 (ESV) — 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Questions to Consider
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What are some of the predominant worldly philosophies of our day? Are you familiar with them? How do they contradict the teachings of the Bible?
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How might you familiarize yourself with the fundamental knowledge of Jesus Christ? What book might you read? What “statement of faith” might you memorize?
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Are you satisfied in the Scripture? How might God be calling you to repent of your lack of trust in the sufficiency of Scripture? What specifically might you need to turn away from?
