Test the spirits and teachers around you (vs. 1).

In Matthew 7 Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” In 1 Corinthians there is reference to a gift of spiritual discernment, discerning perhaps by what spirit or type of spirit a person spoke in order to recognize imposters.

A true believer affirms Christ’s full humanity and His full deity (vs. 2-3).

By testing the spirits we can know if a teacher or a doctrine is from God; those who confess Jesus has come in the flesh are from God.

The church has overcome false teachers because of the Father in us (vs. 4-6).

In Matthew 7, Jesus directs us beyond the words of the teachers, pointing us to observe the lives of the teachers. Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Those who know the voice of the Shepherd abandon everything so that they can be with Him.

Test the spirits and teachers around you (vs. 1).

In Matthew 7 Jesus says, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” In 1 Corinthians there is reference to a gift of spiritual discernment, discerning perhaps by what spirit or type of spirit a person spoke in order to recognize imposters.

A true believer affirms Christ’s full humanity and His full deity (vs. 2-3).

By testing the spirits we can know if a teacher or a doctrine is from God; those who confess Jesus has come in the flesh are from God.

The church has overcome false teachers because of the Father in us (vs. 4-6).

In Matthew 7, Jesus directs us beyond the words of the teachers, pointing us to observe the lives of the teachers. Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Those who know the voice of the Shepherd abandon everything so that they can be with Him.

One evidence that a person is truly saved is that they genuinely & actively practice Christian love.

For the believer, even when you’re convicted of sin and you’re broken-hearted about it – when your heart condemns you – the God who knows everything certainly knows the desires of your new heart even when your flesh fails to follow through.

Our confidence is not based on performance, but on the evidence of His work in our hearts. When love for the brethren consistently springs out of our hearts, we can know & be confident that God is doing the kind of thing only He can do – changing a heart.

The heart of a Christian asks according to God’s will [1 John 5:14].

- We know God’s love because of the person & work of Christ.

- We know God’s presence because of the person & work of the Spirit.

An encounter with Jesus takes us from death to life, and from separation from the body to love for the body.

One evidence that a person is truly saved is that they genuinely & actively practice Christian love.

For the believer, even when you’re convicted of sin and you’re broken-hearted about it – when your heart condemns you – the God who knows everything certainly knows the desires of your new heart even when your flesh fails to follow through.

Our confidence is not based on performance, but on the evidence of His work in our hearts. When love for the brethren consistently springs out of our hearts, we can know & be confident that God is doing the kind of thing only He can do – changing a heart.

The heart of a Christian asks according to God’s will [1 John 5:14].

- We know God’s love because of the person & work of Christ.

- We know God’s presence because of the person & work of the Spirit.

An encounter with Jesus takes us from death to life, and from separation from the body to love for the body.

One evidence that a person is truly saved is that they genuinely & actively practice Christian love.

For the believer, even when you’re convicted of sin and you’re broken-hearted about it – when your heart condemns you – the God who knows everything certainly knows the desires of your new heart even when your flesh fails to follow through.

Our confidence is not based on performance, but on the evidence of His work in our hearts. When love for the brethren consistently springs out of our hearts, we can know & be confident that God is doing the kind of thing only He can do – changing a heart.

The heart of a Christian asks according to God’s will [1 John 5:14].

- We know God’s love because of the person & work of Christ.

- We know God’s presence because of the person & work of the Spirit.

An encounter with Jesus takes us from death to life, and from separation from the body to love for the body.

John explained the kind of love that God hates in 2:15-17 (the patterns & desires of the world), and describes the kind of love He loves in 3:11-18 (the love that serves & sacrifices for another).

No matter what a person says, how they love reveals what they really believe because practice/actions follows belief. The real test of having new life in Christ is loving the brethren.

o Real love is seen in Christ laying down His life for us.

o Real love shown in us laying down our lives for another.

We know what real love looks like because we know what Jesus did. We practice real love by doing what Jesus did. Christ has not only set the example of sacrificial love, He enables Christians to love others the same way by His death on the cross.

John explained the kind of love that God hates in 2:15-17 (the patterns & desires of the world), and describes the kind of love He loves in 3:11-18 (the love that serves & sacrifices for another).

No matter what a person says, how they love reveals what they really believe because practice/actions follows belief. The real test of having new life in Christ is loving the brethren.

o Real love is seen in Christ laying down His life for us.

o Real love shown in us laying down our lives for another.

We know what real love looks like because we know what Jesus did. We practice real love by doing what Jesus did. Christ has not only set the example of sacrificial love, He enables Christians to love others the same way by His death on the cross.

John explained the kind of love that God hates in 2:15-17 (the patterns & desires of the world), and describes the kind of love He loves in 3:11-18 (the love that serves & sacrifices for another).

No matter what a person says, how they love reveals what they really believe because practice/actions follows belief. The real test of having new life in Christ is loving the brethren.

o Real love is seen in Christ laying down His life for us.

o Real love shown in us laying down our lives for another.

We know what real love looks like because we know what Jesus did. We practice real love by doing what Jesus did. Christ has not only set the example of sacrificial love, He enables Christians to love others the same way by His death on the cross.

According to John in this text, when we make a practice (commit/abide) in sin its because we don’t see Jesus for who He is or have a saving knowledge of Jesus. New birth in Christ means a new/changed relationship with sin.

The substance of sin (v. 5), the source of sin (v. 8) and the self of sin (v. 9) are dealt with through the effort of Christ on the cross.

According to John in this text, when we make a practice (commit/abide) in sin its because we don’t see Jesus for who He is or have a saving knowledge of Jesus. New birth in Christ means a new/changed relationship with sin.

The substance of sin (v. 5), the source of sin (v. 8) and the self of sin (v. 9) are dealt with through the effort of Christ on the cross.