They Speak from the World's Perspective

[Sue J Love]

Do Not Believe Every Spirit

1 John 4:1-3 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and which is already in the world at this time.”

We must be very careful in how we interpret this passage of Scripture, for the English word “confesses” usually represents a verbal acknowledgement only which is never enough in itself to assure that a person either is or is not from God. So if we look at the Greek word “homologéō,” we find that the word has a deeper meaning. It means to speak to the same conclusion as, to be in full agreement with and to align with God. And this is not verbal only. For if we are fully aligned with God it will show in our actions, too.

So, we even need to test the English translations (and all translations) of the Scriptures to see whether or not they agree with the Scriptures, as a whole. For in 1 John, chapters 1-3, we learn that if “we say” we have fellowship with God/Christ Jesus, yet we walk (in conduct, in practice) in sin, we lie. And if anyone “says,” “I know Him,” but does not keep (obey) his commands (New Covenant), he is a liar. And the one who “practices” righteousness is righteous, but the one who practices sin is of the devil. Actions speak loudly!

So, if we are to test the spirits, we cannot go by people’s confessions only. We cannot trust that just because someone claims to be a follower of Christ that they are who they say they are. For we have many “wolves in sheep’s clothing” among us who are liars, thieves, false apostles, false teachers, deceivers, and manipulators who speak lies to the people. So test what they are teaching against the teachings of the Scriptures taught in the correct biblical context to make sure that their words agree with the Scriptures.

We Are From God

1 John 4:4-6 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)

“4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.”

So, how do we determine who is from God and who is not from God? We study the Scriptures to learn what they teach qualifies us to be from God or not from God. But we need to study them word by word and book by book in context, for many false teachings are being taught from Scriptures taught out of the appropriate biblical context. But the foundational teaching of the Scriptures is that a true follower of Christ will be someone who has denied self, died to sin (repented), and who is following our Lord in obedience.

Now, the Scriptures do not demand that we live in absolute sinless perfection and that we never fail to be all who God requires or desires that we should be. But they do teach that if sin is what we practice, and not obedience to our Lord’s commands, that we do not have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. So it all comes down to what we practice in lifestyle. That is what says who we really are and what we truly believe. And that will come out in the words which we speak and teach, as well.

So, if they speak from the world’s perspective then they are most likely teaching that God does not require of us that we repent (turn from) our sins and that we obey God’s commands in practice. Or else they are teaching these as optional and not as required for salvation from sin and for eternal life with God. For they call that “works salvation.” But the Scriptures are clear on this subject. We must die to sin and obey God, in practice, or we do not have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God guaranteed us.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

They Speak from the World’s Perspective
An Original Work / July 19, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Teach Them

Based off various scriptures
An Original Work / May 24, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Open up the blinded eyes of
Those who walk in sin’s darkness.
Turn them to the light of Christ
And to His righteousness.
Turn them from the pow’r of Satan.
Turn them to the peace of Christ,
So they may receive forgiveness
And eternal life.

Teach them to put off their old selves
And their former way of life,
And to put on their new self,
Reborn to be like Christ;
To not copy worldly customs;
Be transformed in life and mind;
Obey freely His word in them,
Pleasing unto God.

Teach them how to love their neighbors
Truly as they love themselves;
Be a witness; share the gospel;
Satan’s lies dispel;
Comfort all who mourn in sadness;
Share Christ’s love and joy today.
Do this through your life and witness
For your Lord always.