“Acknowledging Christ”

“Acknowledging Christ” (1 John 4:1–6)

Pastor Cameron Jungels

Eastside Baptist Church

Sunday AM, July 31, 2016

1 John 4:1–6 (NIV) 

4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 

1. God’s people must exercise discernment (1).

2. God’s people agree with the Holy Spirit’s witness regarding Jesus’ person (2–3).

3. God’s people will experience the victory of God, even though they face the world’s opposition (4–5).

4. God’s people agree with the true apostolic witness regarding Christ (6).

Main Idea: Those who belong to God and truly have God’s Spirit within them will acknowledge the truth about Jesus Christ, that He is God and Man and our Savior and Lord.