Now let's turn in our Bibles
to the book of 1 John chapter 4. 1 John chapter 4. We're going to talk about this
subject this morning. Testing the preachers. Testing
the spirits is what it's called in 1 John chapter 4. Now as Brother
Mark mentioned there in Acts 17, I often quote that verse.
talking about in the context of the judgment of God and how
we as children of God desire to stand before God at the judgment
in Christ and in the realm of repentance because God hath appointed
a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness. And
though you didn't read that, it is part and parcel of this
message today. I want to show you that in just a moment. But
what we're going to be talking about, look here in first John
chapter four, the apostle writes by inspiration of the spirit
in verse one, beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets
are gone out into the world. Now that word spirit there, is
the English, the Greek word, we get our word breath from. And you'll see that in many different
contexts. But we use the word spirit, we
can talk about God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity.
And of course, God the Holy Spirit, his office in the plan of salvation
is to from the Father and the Son give life to dead sinners
in the new birth, regeneration, must be born of God, born of
the Spirit, born from above. And the Holy Spirit does that
through the preaching of the Word, the Word of God. So that's significant. And then
when we talk about spirit, you know, sometimes you go to passages
of scripture and you wonder, well, should they have capitalized
that? Is that talking about the Holy
Spirit? Well, this one is not talking about the Holy Spirit
because it says here, don't believe every spirit. So he's talking
about a plurality of spirits here and some you don't believe.
Now you always believe the Holy Spirit. He's God, the Holy Spirit. How do you know you're believing
God the Holy Spirit? You believe the Word. Because
the Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will never lie to people. Certainly never to the people
of God. But the Spirit here concerns those who claim to have the Spirit
of truth, who claim to preach the truth by the Spirit as inspired
by the Holy Spirit. They're those who claim to have
the spirit of life, preaching the words of life. What he's
talking about here is preachers. Test the spirits, test the preachers,
and don't believe everything you hear. You know, that's kind of an insult
to most preachers I know. Don't believe everything you
hear. but put him to the test. I remember a good friend of ours
who's passed away years ago up in Northwest Georgia began to
test the spirits listening to the preacher he was under. And
he began to see that once he tested him and the measure of
the test is the word of God. Now that's one thing I'm gonna
bring out here clearly. It's not how he looks, it's not
his eloquence, it's not his entertaining or puppet presence or personality,
it's the word. Does he preach the truth? Does
he preach the word? And so this man began to test
his preacher, been under him for years. But you know what
happens, you know, we kind of get lulled into a numbness, we
kind of get mind numb. And we don't listen. I tell you
all to listen critically. Now when I say critically, I
don't mean listening to find something wrong. That's what
a lot of critics do. But I mean listen intently to
make sure that what I'm telling you is the truth. And measure
it by the word of God. Am I? You know Isaiah said in
Isaiah 8 20 when when some of these, you know the New Age movement,
are you familiar with that? Well, that's not new. Isaiah
had to put up with it too. He called them wizards. Wizards
that peep. You know, put the evil eye on
you. Crystal ball gazers. Horoscope readers. Tea leaf readers. Familiar spirits. You know, in
the Old Testament, a familiar spirit is a lying spirit. Lies. Because that's what, you know,
we're all familiar with lies. We're not familiar with the truth
until God reveals it. So Isaiah had to put up with
that. In Isaiah chapter eight, he told them this, he said, if
they speak not according to this word, talking about the scriptures
that they had at that time, if they speak not according to this
word, there's no truth in them. They're liars. Well, this man
began to test his preacher and he found that the message was
sorely lacking the gospel. So he went to the preacher and
he began to talk to him. The preacher got offended. And
he looked at the man, he said, am I on trial? The man at that
time didn't know what to say to him, but I told him, I said,
well, if I'd been there, I said, you sure are. Every time you get
behind the lectern, every time you get in the pulpit to preach
the gospel, claiming to preach the word of God almighty, you're
on trial. And if you can't accept that
or if that offends you, just sit down and listen. I'm on trial
this morning. Now here's the trial. Am I preaching
God's word? Am I preaching the gospel of
Christ? Well, those noble Bereans, Mark. You know, there are preachers who want
you to accept what they say as true because of their years in
the ministry or their reputation? Well, here's the Apostle Paul
preaching in a town called Berea. And it says in, here it says,
verse 11, it says, when they, when Paul preached, Paul and
Silas, they preached in Berea. This is verse 11 of Acts 17.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica. Now that word
noble means exactly what it states. It's often used in the context
of a noble person, somebody who's wealthy or who is well-known,
somebody who is high-born, that kind of thing. And I'm sure that all the people
that Paul was preaching to here were not kings and dukes and
earls and lords and all of that. They were just regular people.
He said Gentiles and others. So what does it mean they were
more noble? Well, turn to Proverbs. told Mark I was going to read
this verse in the lesson, I forgot about it, but it applies this.
Turn to Proverbs chapter 25. Just give you a little proverb
here you could mark that sort of gives us an idea of what he's
talking about. They were more noble. Now let
me say this now. it doesn't mean they were better
people than the ones who rejected because by nature we're all rejecters says in Proverbs twenty five
two it is the glory of God to conceal a thing now think about
that God concealing a thing and that's his glory you know what
that's talking about it's talking about God's sovereignty God's sovereignty is his glory
he does as he will to whom he will, when he will, how he will,
and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou?
God's in control, God's the boss. And he says it this way, he says,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, I will be gracious
to whom I will be gracious. It's not of him that runneth,
it's not of him that willeth, it's of God that showeth mercy.
That's God's choice, that's God's way, he's it. And if he chooses
to conceal it, that's his prerogative. You say, well, that's not fair.
Well, as I told you during the Sunday school, you better be
careful about talking about what's fair. I'll tell you, it is fair. It
is just is there in, you know, when, when he made that statement
about that, God shows mercy on whom he will, and God shows grace
to whom he will. That's the first question that
the objection that Paul anticipated, he said, is there injustice with
God? And he said, God forbid. God's in control. So it's his
glory to conceal a thing. Well, if that's the case, then
I shouldn't seek out, search out anything. Oh, read the rest
of it. He says, but the honor of kings
is to search out a matter. That's the kind of nobility the
Bereans had, the honor of kings, because they searched it out
by the word of God to see if what Paul's telling us is true. And they were high-born people,
look at it, Acts 17, 11. Look at it. These were more noble
than those in Thessalonica who totally rejected the gospel in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind. Now what
does that tell you about the Bereans, these Bereans? They
were born again from above. They were high-born. That doesn't
mean they were high-minded with pride. If you're born again by
the Spirit, I'm gonna tell you, if you're born again by the Spirit,
one thing you're gonna, you'll receive the word with all readiness
of mind. That's the new mind, that's the
new heart that God gives his people. High born, that's how they were
born. They were more noble by the grace
of God in Christ. They searched what? Now look
what they searched. They searched the preacher's
background. No, they did a Google search
on him, no. What did they search? They searched
the scriptures, the written word of God. And they did it daily,
and why'd they do it? To see whether those things were
so. is what Paul the Apostle told me true. Now why should
any preacher like me or anybody else get offended when people
put us to the test? That test. By the word of God. We shouldn't. And I'll tell you
what it is when they do get offended, it's preacher pride. Well, why
is this necessary? Go back to 1 John 4 now. Why is this necessary that we
test the spirits? Test the preachers? Whether they
are of God. I want to know, is this a man's
sin of God? Remember we read in Romans 10, how shall they
preach except they be sent? Is this a man's sin of God? I'll
tell you why. Because many false prophets are
gone out into the world. Many false prophets. The false
prophets, the false preachers, way outnumber the truth. The true preachers. I'll tell
you what, we're living in a day where I believe it is more important
that we be diligent to try the spirits than almost any other
day in history. I know it's always been important,
but the reason is, the reason is, is what Christ said in Matthew
24 and Mark 13 about the last days. And you know what he said
the greatest sign of the nearness of his second coming is? Basically,
it's false Christianity, folks. And they'll be numerous. It'll
be populated. And he said the true gospel will
be scarce and few. Now, I'm not just saying that
because I preach at a small church. I'm saying that because that's
what the Word of God says. Now, you search the Scriptures
and see if what I'm telling you is true. I encourage you to do it. And
if you find that I'm wrong, come and tell me and we'll search
the scriptures together and you show me where I'm wrong. But I got a lot of scriptures
that I know will prove what I'm telling you is true. Well, first of all, who's he
talking to here? One word says it all, beloved. That is a term of love and fellowship
that applies only to sinners saved by the grace of God. Believers. It's the fellowship of faith
and love. Those who know and believe the
truth of the gospel. Those who have been chosen of
God before the foundation of the world, given to Christ. Those
for whom he died on that cross. brought forth everlasting righteousness,
those who are justified before God based upon His righteousness
imputed, they're His bride. They wear the robe of His righteousness,
that's His righteousness charged to them. Those who have been
born again by the Holy Spirit, that's the evidence that they
are beloved. When you're born again and come to believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of everything else, beloved. Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians
2 verse 13, blessed but we are bound to give thanks for you
brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit
and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our gospel.
That's who he's talking to. And then he says, beloved, believe
not every spirit. Again, that's talking about false
preachers. Paul dealt with false preachers all the time. Remember
in the book of Galatians, these professing believers were being
led astray by the Jewish legalists. And Paul told them in Galatians
chapter one, verse six, he said, though we are an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel on you than that which we have preached,
let him be anathema. Now that tells you that testing
the preachers has nothing to do with outward appearance, or
their personalities, or their reputation. He said, though we,
an apostle, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we've preached, let him be accursed. In Romans 16, he said, mark them
which cause division among you, contrary to the doctrine which
we have preached unto you, and avoid them. In 2 John, just over
on the next page, the little book of 2 John, he dealt with
them. In verse 9, he says, whosoever transgresseth,
that means they go too far. They go beyond the word of God. And he says, and abideth not
in the doctrine of Christ, the doctrine of his person, the doctrine
of his work, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine
of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. So Paul dealt with
false preachers. So he says, believe not every
spirit. Don't believe everything you hear. Then he says, but try,
test, in verse one of chapter four. Try and test the spirits,
whether they are God. test these spirits by the word
of God, be like the noble Bereans. What you hear, you say, and listen,
I thank God for godly men whom God has kept
faithful for years and years and years. You may say, well,
I've listened to Bill Parker preach for over 30 years. Some
of you have, haven't you? But you ought to be just as diligent
today in putting me to the test as you ever were. Do you know
that? There's no time that we can say,
well, I've heard enough of him. I don't have to test him anymore.
No. Test the spirits, whether they
have God, me, everybody who claims that's what I'm doing up here.
I'm telling you. I hope you don't think I'm just
giving you the gospel according to Bill Parker. or giving you
my opinion I'm telling you what I'm telling you because I believe
I have the authority of the Word of God in Christ now you put
that to the test by looking to the Word and the reason he says
is because many false prophets are gone out into the world turn
to 2nd Corinthians 11 This thing of false preachers,
I was listening to a group of preachers, and I really don't
know much about all of them, some of them I do, and they were
talking about one popular preacher, I think his name is Joel Osteen,
and they were talking about Joel Osteen, how he was telling them
that he'd had a conversation with a Muslim, and that he came
away feeling good about the Muslim because they had so much in common. Yeah, you're right. And one of
the other preachers told him, he said, well, let's see, they
don't believe that Jesus is the son of God. They don't believe
he died on the cross and arose the third day. The Muslims don't. They don't, they don't, you know,
some of them will say he's a good prophet and that's it. And if
this man wrote a book, this Osteen wrote a book about your best
life now, there's not one, I haven't read it, I'm not going to, but
I don't want to waste my time, but it said there's not one word
in that book about the cross. Now tell me, test the preachers
by the word of God, not by a smile, Not by his personality, not by
how good he makes you feel. Test the preachers by the word,
a man's a false prophet. Incidentally, on this panel discussion,
they wouldn't even mention his name, and I know who it was,
because he mentioned that book. One guy said, well, I'm not going
to mention any names to protect the guilty. Well, why do we want
to protect the guilty? Test the preachers. But look
here at 2 Corinthians 11, verse 2. This is the problem in the
church at Corinth. False preachers had crept in
and wanted to change the minds, the direction of the message. And Paul said, for I'm jealous
over you with godly jealousy, for I've espoused you to one
husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Believers are married to Christ. He's our only husband. We don't
prostitute or adulterate ourselves out to another. But look, verse
three, but I fear less by any means as the serpent begot Eve
through his subtlety, so your mind should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ. Now that word simplicity is singularity,
singleness. And here's what Paul's saying,
listen, sinners saved by grace, beloved, our whole salvation,
our election before the foundation of the world, Our being put in
Christ as our representative, our surety, our redemption, the
cross, our new birth, our perseverance, our being glorified is singly
wrapped up, accomplished by, fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ
and based upon His righteousness imputed to us. That's our single
message. And everything we preach about
Christianity, about faith, about obedience, the Christian life,
everything we preach is singly, singly founded upon that one
person who did that one great work wherein we stand before
God in His righteousness alone, singly, nothing added, nothing
taken away. That's our hope. Now, false preachers are going
to complicate that. They're going to corrupt that.
They're going to add this or that to it, or they're going
to confuse it. But Christ is all and in all to his people. And that's what Paul's saying.
False preachers are going to come in and they're going to
say, well, no, you've got to have a righteousness in you. Or they're
going to come in and say, no, you've got to do this or you've
got to do that. You've got to do your part to make yourself
holier, more righteous, more saved, more acceptable. And that complicates it, that
corrupts the simplicity that's in Christ. Look over at verse
13 of chapter 11, 2 Corinthians. For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles
of Christ and no marvel. Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light therefore it's no great thing if his ministers
also be transformed into the ministers of righteousness whose
end shall be according to their works. What he's saying there
is they can transform for a while, they can preach good things for
a while but they can't stay with it. That simple message of God's
free and sovereign grace, salvation all of grace, sovereign grace,
redeeming grace, justifying grace, Christ's blood alone. What can
wash away my sins? Singly, simply, nothing but the
blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus. this is all my hope and peace
this is all my righteousness christ crucified and risen from
the dead that's all my righteousness before god that's what paul was
talking about on mars hill there when he said god has commanded
everyone everywhere to repent because he has appointed a day
in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that
single man that man whom he hath ordained in that he hath given
assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Now look back at 1 John 4. Verse
2, hereby know ye the Spirit of God. And here's how you know. Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. Every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not God. And this is the spirit of antichrist wherever you've
heard that it should come and even now already is in the world. Now, what I want you to see when
it talks about confessing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh,
That is the summation of the whole gospel message. That's
more than simply saying Jesus Christ has come in the flesh,
that he is human, that he is man. Okay? It involves the whole
gospel message. Now, how do I know that? Well,
what does the name Jesus mean? Matthew 121, for His name shall
be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Well, what does the title Christ
mean? It means anointed one, it means
Messiah. It means the one who was promised by God from the
very beginning. He is the Messiah who saves His
people from their sins and He's come! He's come in the flesh, yes He
is man. There were people back then who
denied His humanity because they saw anything of human flesh as
being sinful, materially sinful. And that's not so. Jesus Christ
is both God and man in one person. So it does involve confessing
that Jesus Christ is God-man. There are those who deny his
humanity. There are those who deny his deity. They're false
prophets. But it's more than that. Now,
look back at that passage we just quoted in Acts 17 31. Listen to what it says here. Talking about Jesus Christ, the
man, Jesus Christ, the God man. He was, listen, great is the
mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.
So Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. He was made of the seed
of David according to the flesh. His children, his sheep, God's
elect, were flesh and blood. He had to carry the same with
him without sin. So yes, he is man, very man of
very, but he's also God. Very God of very God. But listen
to what this says in Acts 17, 31. Because God hath appointed
a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by
that, what? That man. Now what's the point
here? That man whom he hath ordained.
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and they raised
him from the dead." Now, does that mean that Paul was denying
his deity? No. Look across the page. Verse 2 of Acts 17. Paul said, this is the gospel
of God concerning Jesus Christ, which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh, but declared to be the son of
God, his deity, by his resurrection from the dead. But look at verse
two of Acts 17. And Paul, as his manner was,
went in unto them, and the three Sabbath days reasoned with them
out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging that Christ, Messiah,
must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead, and
that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. God-man. But why did he say man over in
verse 31? It's because he's showing that
Christ, the Messiah who is God in human flesh, has come and
that man, that God-man has done the work. How do you know? Righteousness
is established. God's going to judge you according
to the righteousness that Christ established. And that's the meaning
of His coming in the flesh. He's finished the work. He's
done it all. Sinners are justified before
God based upon His righteousness imputed, and that's it. Now that has a lot of far-reaching
implications and results. That means that those who are
in Him are going to be nobler, high-born. They're going to be
born again, just like the Berean. So this is the gospel message.
It's the glorious person and the finished work of redemption
that Christ accomplished to establish righteousness for his people
in order that God can be just to justify them. And it ensures
and secures the complete salvation of his people. The moment a preacher
tells you that there are people who perish for whom Christ died,
he's denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. Did you
know that? Test him. And this righteousness that Christ
established that's imputed to his people, the God-man, say,
is the righteousness from which God gives spiritual and eternal
life to every one of them. Now look at verse four, 1 John
4. He says, you're of God, little children, and have overcome them.
That is these false preachers. Now how did you overcome? Is
it because you're so strong and good and righteous in yourself?
No. It's because greater is he that is in you than he that is
in the world. How is Christ in his people?
By his spirit and his word. And I'll tell you something,
you can't get away from that. Because it's by his grace and power.
It's all his greatness. If we're victorious in this,
it's the goodness, power, and greatness of Christ, not us.
And then he says in verse five, they are of the world, therefore
speak they of the world and the world hear it. Those false preachers,
when they go beyond the word of God, they're just simply telling
people what they want to hear. Just like that fella out in Texas.
He makes his crowd feel real good about themselves. They've
got so much positive attitude that it almost chokes you. Now, I don't wanna be a constant
downer and negative. I want y'all to think positively,
but here's how I want you to think positively. Looking unto
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. That's where our
assurance is. He's where our assurance is,
our peace, our comfort, our encouragement, our motivation is in Christ. Let me brag about him. Let me
talk to you about him. And then he says in verse six,
for we are of God, he that knoweth God, heareth us. If we preach
the word of God, the people of God, Those who are nobler, high-born,
regenerated by the Spirit, they're going to hear us. You hear what
I'm saying, don't you? He that is not of God, heareth
not us. Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error.
Again, this is how we know the difference between truth and
error. As Isaiah said it, if they speak not according to this
word, there's no light in them. Put it to the test. Test the
preachers, test the spirits.