In this lesson we will learn the tests given by John to determine whether someone is a false prophet. They are whether they confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, are they of the world or of God, and do they listen to the Apostles.

1. Testthe
Spirits
1John 4.1-6,
CB NT, p. 423

2. — False Prophets
— Antichrist
— Spirit of
Error

3. How Do We
Test the
Spirits?

4. Not by Appearance

5. Not by Appearance
When they came, he looked
on Eliab and thought,
“Surely Jehovah's anointed
is before him.”
(1 Samuel 16:6, CB OT p. 497)

6. Not by Appearance
But Jehovah said to Samuel,
“Do not look on his
appearance or on the height
of his stature, because I
have rejected him. For
Jehovah sees not as man sees:
man looks on the outward
appearance, but Jehovah
looks on the heart.”
(1 Samuel 16:7, CB OT p. 497)

7. Not by Appearance
Nice Guy

8. Not by Appearance
Confident

9. Not by Appearance
Good Presenter

10. Not by Appearance
Knowledge of Bible

11. Not by Appearance
Nice Guy
Confident
Good Presenter
Knowledge of Bible

12. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:

13. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:

14. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
She will bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people
from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21; CB NT p. 2

15. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, and we
have seen his glory, glory
as of the only Son from the
Father, full of grace and
truth.
John 1:14; CB NT p. 161

16. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:

17. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
that which is conceived in
her is from the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:20; CB NT p. 2

18. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
“Behold, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, and
they shall call his name
Immanuel” (which means,
God with us).
Matthew 1:23; CB NT p. 2

19. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
Simon Peter replied, “You
are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
Matthew 16:16; CB NT p. 32

20. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
the light has come into the
world
John 3:19; CB NT p. 165

21. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
But you, O Bethlehem
Ephrathah, who are too
little to be among the clans
of Judah, from you shall
come forth for me one who
is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from
of old, from ancient days.
Micah 5:2; CB OT p. 1488

22. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:
This was according to the
eternal purpose that he has
realized in Christ Jesus
our Lord,
Ephesians 3:11; CB NT p. 339

23. Do they confess that
Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh?
Test 1:

24. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:

25. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
following the course of
this world ... lived in the
passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires
of the body and the mind
Ephesians 2:2-3; CB NT p. 337

26. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
Do not love the world or
the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is
not in him.
1 John 2:15; CB NT p. 420

27. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
For all that is in the
world—the desires of the
flesh and the desires of
the eyes and pride of life
—is not from the Father
but is from the world.
1 John 2:16; CB NT p. 420

28. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
And the world is passing
away along with its
desires, but whoever does
the will of God abides
forever.
1 John 2:17; CB NT p. 420

29. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
Do not be conformed to
this world
Romans 12:2; CB NT p. 281

30. Are they of the
World or of God?
Test 2:
You adulterous people! Do
you not know that
friendship with the world
is enmity with God?
Therefore whoever wishes
to be a friend of the world
makes himself an enemy of
God.
James 4:4; CB NT p. 404

31. Do they listen to
the Apostles?
Test 3:

32. Do they listen to
the Apostles?
Test 3:
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide
you into all the truth, for he will not speak on
his own authority, but whatever he hears he will
speak, and he will declare to you the things that
are to come.
John 16:13; CB NT p. 195

33. Do they listen to
the Apostles?
Test 3:
which was not made known to the sons of men in
other generations as it has now been revealed to
his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:5; CB NT p. 338

34. Do they listen to
the Apostles?
Test 3:
built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the
cornerstone,
Ephesians 2:20; CB NT p. 338

35. Do they listen to the Apostles?
Are they of the World or of God?
Do they confess that Jesus
Christ has come in the flesh?
Test the Spirits...

36. Little children, you are from
God and have overcome them, for
he who is in you is greater than
he who is in the world.
1 John 4:4; CB NT p. 423

37. Will today be the day
you decide
to go to
heaven?

38. Photo Credits: (All photos from istockphoto.com are copyright protected. Please do not use without permission.)
Polygraph: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Limestone_Technologies_Inc._-_Polygraph_Test.jpg
Preacher: http://www.flickr.com/photos/densmore/2369607293/sizes/z/in/photostream/
Masks: Masks: http://ilterzoorecchio.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/maschere.jpg
Infant and Parents: http://distantshoresmedia.org/images/rg/42/42_Lk_02_02_RG.jpg
Closed ears: iStock_000006775944
Man with Glasses: Photoxpress_6345028
Victory: iStock_000005179635

39. Full Joy: 1 John
#19
Test the Spirits
1 John 4.1-6
Compiled and Presented by:
Dave Stewart
19 May, 2013
www.churchofchristmiranda.com
Synopsis: In this lesson we will learn the tests given by John to determine whether someone is a false prophet. They are whether they
confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, are they of the world or of God, and do they listen to the Apostles.
“Let all that you do be done with love.”
“Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway
Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”