Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
1 John 4:1-3
The Attitude of Christians toward False Teachers and toward One Another.
The false prophets:
The Attitude of Christians toward False Teachers and toward One Another.
The false prophets:
CHAPTER IV. _We must not believe every teacher who professes to have a_ _Divine commission to preach, but try such, whether they be of_ _God; and the more so because many false prophets are gone ou...
BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT - Do not confide implicitly in everyone who professes to be under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Compare Matthew 24:4. The true and the false teachers of religion...
V. HEREBY WE KNOW Chapter S 3:19-5:13 _ 1. Hereby we know that we are of the truth (1 John 3:19)_ 2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God (1 John 4:1) 3. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and of error...
A digression. The reference to the Spirit (1 John 3:24) reminds John that some who claimed to possess the Spirit of God, _e.g._ the false prophets, did so unjustifiably. Hence his readers must have a...
THE PERILS OF THE SURGING LIFE OF THE SPIRIT (1 John 3:24 B- 1 John 4:1) _ 4:1 This is how we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he gave to us. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but t...
BELOVED. App-135. BELIEVE. App-150. SPIRIT. App-101. TRY. test, prove. By the Word of God. Greek. _dokimazo._ See Romans 1:28 with Romans 12:2. WHETHER. if. App-118. OF. App-104. GOD. App-98. FA...
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error 1 6. This section is an amplification of the sentence with which the preceding chapter ends. We certainly have the Holy Spirit as an abiding gift from God,...
1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12. God is Love There seems to be no serious break in the Epistle from this point onwards until we reach the concluding verses which form a sort of summary (1 John 5:13-21). T...
ἈΓΑΠΗΤΟΊ. See on 1 John 3:2. The tender address once more introduces a matter of deep practical importance: comp. 1 John 3:21. ΜῊ ΠΑΝΤῚ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ ΠΙΣΤΕΎΕΤΕ. This exhortation does not give us the main s...
1–6. THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND THE SPIRIT OF ERROR 1–6. This section is an amplification of the sentence with which the preceding chapter ends. We certainly have the Holy Spirit as an abiding gift from...
1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12. GOD IS LOVE There seems to be no serious break in the Epistle from this point onwards until we reach the concluding verses which form a sort of summary (1 John 5:13-21). Th...
ΠΙΣΤΕΎΕΤΕ _praes. imper. act. от_ ΠΙΣΤΈΎΩ (G4100) верить. _Praes. imper._ с ΜΗ (G3361) может призывать к прекращению развивающегося действия, ΆΛΛ (G235) но, скорее, ΔΟΚΙΜΆΖΕΤΕ _praes. imper. act. от...
BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT,— By _the spirits,_ understand not the men pretending to inspiration, nor the doctrines which they delivered, but the spirits from whence the doctrines proceeded; namely, _fir...
CHAPTER XI _DIVINE SONSHIP DEMONSTRATED BY CONFESSION OF CHRIST AND ATTENTION TO TRUTH_ (The Third Test. The Second Time) 1 John 4:1-6 A. _The Text_ Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove t...
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. BELOVED - the affectionate address wherewith he calls atten...
VERSE 1. BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT. Here a solemn injunction is laid upon the brethren to whom this epistle is addressed. We must first understand just what is exacted of us before we can comp...
8 The title..Adversary" has far more aptness than is at first apparent. Satan is known to us only through his word He never appears otherwise than as the evil creature indicated by his titles. From hi...
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD IN LOVE 1. Try the spirits] RV 'Prove the spirits.' The verb is used of testing metals. 2, 3. See on 2 John 1:7....
HOW CAN I BE SURE? 1 JOHN _IAN MACKERVOY_ CHAPTER 4 TEST THE *SPIRITS TO SEE IF THEY ARE TRUE (1 JOHN 4:1-6) V1 My friends, do not believe every *spirit. First, make sure where they are from. Se...
IV. (6) NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE THE RESULT OF THE SONSHIP: NECESSITY OF EXAMINING THEM (1 John 4:1). (_a_) _The difference among spirits_ (1 John 4:1). (_b_) _The measure_ (1 John 4:2). (c
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. Herein ye...
THE TOKEN OF GOD'S LOVE 1 John 4:1 In those days the intense ferment of men's minds wrought many delusions and heresies which were fraught with temptation to young converts, and the Apostle wished to...
Two closely related perils threaten our fellowship with God as love, false prophets and the spirit which actuates them. Teaching is to be tested by the indwelling Spirit. All who refuse to confess tha...
TESTING THE SPIRITS Every person claiming to teach God's law is not from God (Matthew 7:15-20). Moses told the children of Israel they could test a prophet by whether or not his words came to pass (De...
(1) Beloved, believe not every (a) spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1) Taking occasion by the name of the Spirit, lest lov...
Try the spirits; i.e. every doctrine that you hear: for now are many false teachers, false doctors, and false prophets. (Witham) --- Try, &c. viz. by examining whether their teaching be agreeable to t...
CONTENTS Here are contained Commands to try the Spirits, and Rules given for discovering of them. Some blessed Things are spoken of Christ. The Chapter concludes with an Account of God's Love....
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 confess...
He returns to his former doctrine, which he had touched upon in the second chapter; for many (as it is usual in new things) abused the name of Christ for the purpose of serving their own errors. Some...
Now, to make use of this last proof, caution was required, for many false prophets would assume, and even in the time of the apostle had already assumed, the semblance of having received communication...
BELOVED, BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT,.... The apostle having mentioned the word "spirit" in the latter part of the preceding chapter, takes an occasion from thence to return to what he had been suggestin...
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Ver. 1. _But try the spirits_] As lapidaries do their stones,...
Because the Gnostics and other heretics, in the first age, to gain the greater credit to their erroneous doctrines, assumed to themselves the character and authority of inspired teachers, John put his...
EVERY SPIRIT; speaking to you through one who claims to be a prophet. TRY THE SPIRITS; the "discerning of spirits" was one of the special and temporary spiritual gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:10; but here t...
But there must be guards as to the operation of the Spirit of God, that is, the child of God must be guarded against all that would imitate the operation of the Spirit. Satan is extremely cunning, and...
1-6 Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, may, in humble dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrines according to the apostles, and those who contradict the...
1 JOHN CHAPTER 4 1 JOHN 4:1 The apostle warneth to try by certain rules the spirits that pretend to come from God. 1 JOHN 4:7 He presseth the obligation of mutual love upon Christians from the example...
Irenaeus Against Heresies Book III Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit which separates Jesus Christ is no...
1 John 4:1 Beloved G27 not G3361 believe G4100 (G5720) every G3956 spirit G4151 but G235 test G1381 ...
Compare 1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Corinthians 14:32 THE SPIRITS OF THE PROPHETS (1 JOHN 4:1). John here warns of the dangers of listening to prophets without testing their message, in the way that Pa
‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world.' ‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but prove the sp...
The ruling idea of the third part is Faith in the Spirit's testimony concerning the Son of God incarnate. The close of chap. 3 introduces the theme by the first explicit mention of faith and the Spiri...
_Episode on the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error; the test to be applied; and the sure application of it._ 1 John 4:1. BELOVED introduces an affectionate interlude, in which the apostle passes...
BELOVED (αγαπητο). Three times in this chapter (1 John 4:1; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11) we have this tender address on love.BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT (μη παντ πνευματ πιστευετε). "Stop believing," as...
1 John 4:1 This text shows (1) that the highest pretensions may be hypocritical, and therefore mere profession amounts to nothing; (2) that all pretensions should be submitted to trial, and therefore...
1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit,_ A simpleton believes every word that he hears, but «the wise man's eyes are in his head,» so he examines what he sees and hears, and does not blindly...
1 John 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._ It was so in John's day: it is so in these days....
1 John 4:1. _Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirit whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world._ This is an unction of which there is great need i...
1 John 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._ If John had need to say that in the early mornin...
CONTENTS: Christians warned of false doctrines concerning Christ's person and work. Tests of the true. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, Holy Spirit, anti-christ, John. CONCLUSION: God's people must be ever c...
1 John 4:1. _Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God._ Whether those teachers believe that Christ is come in the flesh, which to the present hour the unbelieving jews den...
DO NOT BELIEVE. BUT TEST. In 1 John 3:24 John mentions the evidence of the Spirit. Because the false teachers all claimed to be inspired and to have received their (false) message from the Holy Spirit...
_Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God _ THE TEST OF TRUTH--CONFESSING CHRIST In the Word of God we are warned against sitting in judgment on others. Especia...
1 JOHN—NOTE ON 1 JOHN 4:1 It is not only Cain’s bad example that John wants his readers to avoid (1 John 3:11); it is also the forces of spiritual deception. John furnishes a litmus test for detecting...
Would someone please check the Psalm number in sentence formatted in blue in the 3rd note of ver. 18. CHAPTER 4 1. _Most dearly beloved_, &c. By the word _spirit_ he means suggestion, inspiration, im...
LOVE FINDS THE TRUTH; FEAR TAKES UP WITH ERROR _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ IN the first three verses the apostle guards his readers against being misled by false pretensions to the possession of...
EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 4:1 - 1 JOHN 5:12 (2) _The source of son-ship. _Possession of the Spirit. 1 JOHN 4:1 Confession of the Incarnation is
Shall we turn now in our Bibles to I John chapter 4. As we go back to verse 1 John 4:24 of chapter 3, the later portion, "Hereby we know that He abides in us by the Spirit which He has given us." I kn...
1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 John 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Timothy 4:1;...
Beloved. Again the recognition of danger from false spirits prompts this affectionate address. Compare 1 John 3:21. Try [δ ο κ ι μ α ζ ε τ ε]. Better, as Rev., prove. See on 1 Peter 1:7; Luke 12:55. C...
TESTING THE TRUE AND THE FALSE 1 John 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have in our opening verses some important admonitions, and also some important instructions. 1. IMPORTANT ADMONITIONS. (1) "Believe...
Believe not every spirit — Whereby any teacher is actuated. But try the spirits — By the rule which follows. We are to try all spirits by the written word: "To the law and to the testimony!" If any ma...
Our apostle having in the last verse of the foregoing chapter mentioned the abiding of the spirit of God in the souls of believers, lest the Christians to whom he wrote should be deceived by such as m...