"TRY THE SPIRITS"

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.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
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 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.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
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.

"GOD IS LOVE"
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
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.
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.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
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.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
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.
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.
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.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
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?
21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

1Beloued, beleeue not euery spirit, but trie the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2Hereby know ye the spirit of God: euery spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God.

3And euery Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: and this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof you haue heard, that it should come, and euen now already is it in the world.

4Ye are of God, little children, and haue ouercome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world.

5They are of the world: therefore speake they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6We are of God: hee that knoweth God, heareth vs: he that is not of God heareth not vs, hereby know wee the spirit of trueth, and the spirit of errour.

7Beloued, let vs loue one another; for loue is of God: and euery one that loueth, is borne of God and knoweth God.

8Hee that loueth not, knoweth not God: for God is loue.

9In this was manifested the loue of God towards vs, because that God sent his only begotten Sonne into the world, that we might liue through him.

10Herein is loue, not that wee loued God, but that he loued vs, and sent his Sonne to be þe propitiation for our sins.

11Beloued, if God so loued vs, wee ought also to loue one another.

12No man hath seene God at any time. If wee loue one another, God dwelleth in vs, and his loue is perfected in vs.

13Hereby know wee that we dwell in him and he in vs, because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit.

14And we haue seene, and doe testifie, that the Father sent the Sonne to be the Sauiour of the world.

15Whosoeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the Sonne of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16And we haue knowen and beleeued the loue that God hath to vs. God is loue, and hee that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17Herein is our loue made perfect, that wee may haue boldnesse in the day of Iudgement, because as hee is, so are we in this world.

18There is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare: because feare hath torment: hee that feareth, is not made perfect in loue.

19We loue him: because hee first loued vs.

20If a man say, I loue God, and hateth his brother, he is a lyar. For hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene, how can he loue God whom he hath not seene?

21And this commandement haue we from him, that he who loueth God, loue his brother also.

I == Jer 29:8 ; Matt 24:4-5 , 24 ; Rev 2:2

III == 2nd Thess 2:7 ; 1st John 2:18 ; 2nd John 1:7

IV == John 12:31 ; 14:30 ; 16:11

V == John 16:19

VI == John 8:47 ; 10:27 ; 14:17

VII == 1st John 2:29

VIII == 1st John 2:4 ; 3:6 ; 4:16

IX == John 3:16 ; 15:16

X == John 15:12 , 16 ; 1st John 2:2 ; 4:19

XI == Matt 18:33 ; John 15:12-13

XII == John 1:18

XIII == John 3:24 ; 14:20

XIV == John 1:14 ; 3:17 ; 4:42

XV == Rom 10:9

XVI == 1st John 3:24 ; 4:8 , 12

XVII == 1st John 2:28

XIX == 1st John 4:10

XX == 1st John 2:4

XXI == Matt 22:37 , 39 ; John 13:34 ; 15:12

1 Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh be longs to God, 3 and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. 4 You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. 7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. 8 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. 10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us. 13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. 14 Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world. 15 Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. 16 We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. 17 In this is love brought to perfection among us, that we have confidence on the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

COMMATARY

FALSE PROPHETS

v 1. The expression of love, Beloved, John uses 8 times. Peter used it 8 and others along with Paul used it multiplied times. Heresies were becoming prominent even then, hence the concern of testing the spirits to see if they proceed  from God.
V 2,3. True spirits bear witness to the faith in the incarnate Christ.  Many of the old denominations agreed on the basic of the Apostles Creed. Others deny he was God, ignore it, or speak of it in an ambiguous way. As a Jehovah Witness hedged to me, “Yes, we too believe Jesus was the son of God , in the sense that -----.” Compare 2 Jn. 7-11. These are more of the Antichrists already mentioned in chapter 2.
v 4. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, so if God be for us, who can be against us? Rom. 8:31. The battle isn’t over, but we will be victorious, so John declares us winners.
v 5,6. A man is known by the company he keeps. If people of the world  flock to a leader, that is a strong indication he is one of them, while believers attract believers.
Chapter 4: 7-21 LOVE. JOHN'S FAVORITE THEME IS LOVE.
We know Christ if we keep his commandment (2:3) "He that says I know him and keeps not his commandments is a liar" (2:4) "What so ever we ask, we receive, because we keep His commdments (3:22) "This is his commandment, that we Love one another". (3:23) "He that keeps His commandments, abides in Him" (3:24)
It is told that John would be carried into Church and speak "Little children love one another, It is the Lord's commandment" This commandment we have from God, that he who loves God loves his brother also" (4:21) "This is the love of God that he keep his commandments (5:3)
v 7-9. Most of the rest of this chapter has to do with love. v 7, Love is one of the gifts given by God so we should love one another. v 8, Those who don’t love have never become acquainted with God because God is love. v 9, Love of God is shown by sending His Son that we might live.
v 10. 1 Jn 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given, and in 4:19, amazingly God loved us first; and while we were yet sinners Christ died for us, Rom. 5:8. As in 1 Jn. 2:2  Propitiation is not pacifying God but meeting a requirement, which in this case was the sacrifice of Christ in our place. This does not appease, but satisfies God. Illustrate receiving a “satisfaction piece” for purchase of land.
v 11. Love becomes real when we respond to God’s love by loving others.
v 12. Jesus told Philip, Jn. 14:9, “He that has seen me has seen the Father. We have seen neither, but in knowing Christ, having Him dwelling in us,  we know the Father. As we love one another, His love is brought to maturity in us.
v 13,14. John had personally witnessed the Son being sent as the Savior of the world, but by the love in v 12, we can recognize we are in Him and Holy Spirit in us.
v 15,16. God’s love provided salvation, True believers, those who confess Christ, dwell in God and God in them. This makes our holiness necessary and possible.
v 17. If love is complete in us we can have confidence our lives will meet approval at the judgment seat of Christ.
v 18. We do not fear those we love. Fear implies punishment, and may now punish through a guilty conscience. If we have fear, we are not mature in love.
v 19. Our love for God and others originated in Him.
v 20. Love and hatred cannot coexist. To claim they do is a lie and is an indication that we do not really know God.
v 21. Love affects our activity, and God orders and  expects that if we love God, we will love others also.