Pastor Chris’ Corona Quarantine Epistles to the Flock of AIC Ngong Road, in Dispersion and Isolation. 89th. Edition.
Dear Body of Christ,
We continue in today’s passage (1 John 4:4-6) with the theme of false teachers and the spirit behind them. We saw in the previous passage, the lie that denies the humanity of Christ. Today we look at the spiritual battle raging in the background.
The Certainty of our triumph (v. 4). The false teachers have a spiritual power behind them. They are a threat to the believers because the power behind them is great and evil. But our strength is not what we depend on in this battle. If we did, we would have been long defeated. Christ’s Spirit in us, though, is greater than the enemy, and that is the source of our victory. We need not fear – not because of some foolish bravado, but rather because, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31).
The Course of the lie (v. 5). The world has an affinity for things of the devil. It should not surprise us that people believe the lies they do. This is why we doubt the faith confession of everyone who lives in sin because that is typical of the world, not God’s people. In the same way, we ought to question the validity of the faith of one who easily believes a lie. Those who listen to lies and believe them demonstrate an affinity for falsehood, and that should worry us all, because it is a pointer to the possibility that they are not true believers.
The Confirmation of the faithful (v. 6). In the same way that the world has an affinity for lies, true believers have an affinity for the truth. We dealt with this in an earlier passage (2:27) but now it is clarified. If you want to tell who is a true believer, just observe their response to the truth. The truth of scripture will make no sense to the unbeliever; it will be the bread of life for the believer.
What is your response to the teaching of God’s word? Now you know what your response means.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.