"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world." 1 John 4:2-3
There is plenty of purported Holy Spirit activity in many church and christian circles. Some insist that the true evidence of the Spirit's presence and activity is a phenomena known as tongues. Without weighing in on that statement, this much is certain about Holy Spirit per the apostle John: The true work of Holy Spirit is to acknowledge that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This may seem like stating the obvious, but a subversive teaching was gaining a foothold in the first-century church undermining the human nature of Jesus. "Flesh" was considered sinful, and for the Messiah to be perfect would necessitate that He not have a physical, human nature. John warns that the "spirit of antichrist" was actively at work to distort and undermine this truth concerning Jesus' human nature.
Here is the important take-away today: an antichrist spirit has been, and is today, actively working to subvert the nature and character of the true Christ who saves all who look to Him in faith. It has long been understood that a clever and evil imposter would one day appear, masquerading as Christ, but an antichrist spirit has been, and is, an immediate threat. Beware of Christ imitations!
Does it really matter what we understand of Jesus? Is there any real difference between a binitarian, trinitarian, Jewish, or Muslim Jesus? That question might best be answered with this question: is there any real difference between a one hundred dollar bill and a carefully counterfeited one hundred dollar bill? The answer seems obvious.
Whatever theologians, pastors, and teachers may declare about Jesus, the thing that matters most is what we are learning and experiencing of Him. The apostle Paul stated, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" Philippians 3:8. Knowing ABOUT Jesus and PERSONALLY knowing Jesus is as different as a genuine and a counterfeit one hundred dollar bill.
The challenge and opportunity before us today is to be discerning of the spirit of antichrist and diligent to know the real Jesus. The best way to safeguard against deception is to be very familiar with truth.
©Steve Taylor, 2022 --Used by permission
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