3 tests of the spirit of Antichrist

Read 1 John 4.

Throughout the teachings of Jesus and the writings of the Apostles, there was great concern about false teachers, phony apostles, and heresies.  John, the so-called Apostle of Love, drew lines between those who are true believers and mere pretenders in every chapter of this book.

-"If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and the truth is not in us." (1:10)
-"Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come." (2:18)
-"Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning." (3:8)
-"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God., for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (4:1)
-"Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (5:5)

So, how can we "test the spirits" to know if someone is of God or not?  Three tests are mentioned in this chapter.
1. Do they confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh? (vv.2-3)
This is the true Christmas story.  Everything else is commercialism.  "'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)."  Without the Son of God taking on human flesh in order to die on the cross for our sins, there is no Christ-mas!  "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God." (vv.14-15)

2. How do they respond to God's word? (vv.5-6)
When they hear that Jesus is the only way to heaven, what is their response?  Do they believe and live by the philosophies and theories of this world?  Or, do they discipline their thinking and their lives by the Scriptures?  Learning from the Bible and submitting oneself to be taught by true preachers of the Scriptures is a key indicator of abiding in Christ.

3. Do they demonstrate genuine affection for the followers of Jesus? (vv.7-12)
In 3:18, the admonition to believers is to love "in deed and in truth".  How a person connects with, involves themselves with, and seeks to meet the needs of other Christians is a test of a true faith.  Avoidance of meeting with other believers and isolating oneself from the needs of people are opposites of true Christianity.  "And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." (v.21)