John speaks of the antichrist among us, that is, ones who do not represent Christ. He warns us to not trust everyone. What do you see? Do you see clearly? This is wise counsel as there are many voices of influence in the world who do not profess Jesus Christ as Lord. Those are the ones to look out for.
I think of cults and how people are sucked in to believing the leader. Many of those situations have turned out badly for those who blindly trusted. Instead, John counsels us to “test” the spirits to see if they are from God. Do they profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior? If not, we should not be drawn in by them.
Can we still be deceived? I’m afraid so. Evil spirits can be crafty and may use the right words and everything. Yet, if their actions are in contradiction to what we know Jesus would do, we know their words are merely a smoke screen. We need to be careful and be watching closely to sources we tend to trust.
So, what does this mean? Do we need to walk around in fear? No, but we need to be aware. Those who are oblivious will be targets. A real-life example would be phone scams. The elderly are often attacked here because they tend to be more trusting. We’ve had several examples of friends being told that a relative is in peril of one sort or another and needs cash. Who wouldn’t want to help a relative? But who is the source of this news? If we don’t know the source, we put ourselves in potential danger.
This is similar to trusting a so-called prophet. What or who is their source? Do they trust God. Are the words of their mouth consistent with Biblical truth? If we don’t know the Bible, it’s hard for us to know this. One thing is certain, a true prophet will never contradict the Bible. This is one reason we should want to be familiar with the truths of scripture. To prepare ourselves to recognize a false prophet, antichrist, unclean spirit, whatever you want to call them.
Have no fear! As John reminds us, we are from God and have overcome them “because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Take a moment to just let that truth wash over you. Jesus sent his Spirit to dwell in us and give us wisdom. We know Jesus because of the Spirit inside us. We can use that same power to discern the evil around us.
Why don’t we? Why do we sometimes let the world’s message entice us? It sounds good. It isn’t hurting anyone. It isn’t serving God though, is it? In today’s society, we see so many people becoming “spiritual” but their beliefs have absolutely NOTHING to do with Christ. Based on this passage alone, what does that mean?
One particular phrase I hear over and over is “the universe has spoken” or “the universe will provide.” Yes, God created the universe but he is NOT the universe! We should not give credit to the wrong source. There are so many examples of how the world has distorted the truth to fit its own needs and cover up sinful behavior.
Will we be popular for our viewpoint? With the world, probably not. With God, absolutely. The world will pass away, and it is not our final destination. I don’t know about you, but I am much more concerned with pleasing God and making sure I am true to him. If it means I have to reject the world, I will. If it means I’ll lose friends, I will. Yet my hope and prayer is that God will use me to bring back those lost souls. That God will use my words and deeds will entice people back to Him and away from the world.
What are your thoughts? Please feel free to share in the comments.
Let’s pray. Lord, I live in a broken world and I am saddened. Forgive me when I let the messages of the world entice me away from you. Give me the wisdom and discernment I need to stand strong and fearless. Use me to bring a beacon of your light into this dark world. Help me to shine. Thank you for how you live in me and provide for me. I cherish your presence in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
