20161028 Friday, October 28 2016
1 John 04: Try The Spirits

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world"

The Biblical Greek words, pronounced hil-as-mos and hil-as-tay-ree-on, mean to conciliate or to atone for (see also The Christian Day Of Atonement). The words are always used in the Holy Bible in describing the Messiah's task (see The Messiah's Atonement And Reconciliation For You).

The words are accurately translated in the King James Version three times as "propitiation," which means the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing and once as "mercy seat" - the name given to the cover of the Ark of the Covenant which contains (to this day) the stone tablets on which were written the Ten Commandments (see the Fact Finder question below).

Other translations render the original Greek words similarly: Where the KJV uses "propitiation," the Revised Standard Version uses "expiation," and the New International Version uses "atoning sacrifice" or "sacrifice of atonement." Where the KJV uses "mercy seat," the RSV also uses "mercy seat," while the NIV uses "atonement cover."

Many seek to understand the Holy Scriptures by means of human philosophy or opinion (see The Philosopher's Folly), but the Holy Bible can only be understood by means of the Light of the Holy Spirit (see The Light That Shines Through All Darkness). Otherwise, it's like reading a book in a room in which there is no light.

As such, the Holy Spirit, the "inspiration" by which the Holy Scriptures were written, does not contradict itself - the reason that we are to "try the spirits" (i.e. test the spirits) by comparing the Truth that was actually written and rejecting all of the deviant spirits of man and demons that lust to make the Scriptures say what they want them to say for themselves.

"4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." (1 John 4:1-6 KJV)

Hence, John's "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins" isn't just a statement of belief that the Messiah came in the flesh (the antichrists and even some atheists freely admit that Jesus of Nazareth existed; see Where Did John Say That The Antichrist Would Come From? and What Prophecy Do Atheists Fulfill For Themselves?), but moreover to do what He commanded. Merely claiming Christ's Name for one's religion doesn't make one a genuine Christian - as the Messiah warned (see Why Call Me, Lord, Lord, and Do Not The Things Which I Say?).

"4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. 4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

4:19 We love him, because he first loved us. 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 John 4:7-21 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does "the LORD weigheth the spirits" mean?
See Is Your Spirit Level? and What Does Mercy Really Mean?