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Testing the Spirits
John teaches believers to be careful about what they accept as spiritual truth. Instead of believing every claim, they are to test what they hear by what it says about Jesus and by whether it matches God’s truth.
Understanding the passage
The setting of these words
This part of the letter speaks directly to “Beloved” and “little children”. It warns that many false prophets have gone out into the world and explains how to recognise what is from God. The passage stays focused on testing spirits, listening rightly, and telling truth from error.
1 John 4:1–6Main takeaway
Believers should test spiritual teaching by its confession about Jesus Christ and by whether it listens to the message that is from God.
Follow the letter’s teaching
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Do not believe every spiritJohn begins with a loving warning: do not believe every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are of God.
Explanation
John begins with a loving warning: do not believe every spirit. Instead, test the spirits to see whether they are of God. The reason is clear in the passage itself: many false prophets have gone out into the world, so spiritual claims must be examined rather than accepted quickly.
02The key test is what is confessed about JesusJohn gives a specific test. The Spirit of God is known where Jesus Christ is confessed as having come in the flesh.
Explanation
John gives a specific test. The Spirit of God is known where Jesus Christ is confessed as having come in the flesh. A spirit that does not confess this is not of God. John says this refusal belongs to the spirit of the Antichrist, which is already in the world.
03God’s people are not helplessJohn encourages his readers by calling them “little children” and saying they are of God. He says they have overcome them because the one in them is greater than the one in the world.
Explanation
John encourages his readers by calling them “little children” and saying they are of God. He says they have overcome them because the one in them is greater than the one in the world. The passage gives confidence, while still calling for careful testing and discernment.
04Worldly speech and true listeningJohn contrasts two groups. Those who are of the world speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
Explanation
John contrasts two groups. Those who are of the world speak from the world, and the world listens to them. In contrast, “we are of God”, and the person who knows God listens to this message. In this way, John says, truth can be told from error.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01Why does John tell believers to test the spirits instead of believing every spirit?
Look at the reason given in the verse: many false prophets have gone out into the world.
02What confession does John give as a clear sign of the Spirit of God?
Use John’s exact wording about Jesus Christ in verse 2.
03How does John describe the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error?
Notice who listens, who speaks from the world, and who listens to “we are of God”.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
1 John 4:1–6
1Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
3and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.
4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.
5They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.
6We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.