1 John 4:1

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 from the personal assurance of fellowship with God given by the Holy Ghost, to the assurance given by the same Spirit concerning the doctrine on the belief of which that assurance is based. Believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. The ‘spirits' and the ‘false prophets' are one. They are ‘antichrists' in chap. 2; but the predominant reference to the Holy Ghost in this section gives occasion for the use of these two terms: ‘spirits' as professing to be His organs, and ‘false prophets' as professing to be moved by Him. As teachers they are not to be believed until tested: hence we are not to speak here of the gift of ‘discerning spirits' (1 Corinthians 12:10), but of the universal duty incumbent on every Christian, of trying the doctrine brought concerning the Son of God. Many men professing to be inspired had gone out not as in chap, 2 from the church from the invisible realm, and from the one spirit of the lie into the world: not from the church into the world, but from the world into the church.