Many people seem to be spiritual but really aren’t biblical. We must learn to test the spirits of what people say so that we don’t drift away from the Spirit of God.
1 John 4:2-6
- If you aren’t grounded in the truth of God’s Word, you are a prime target to be deceived by the world’s ways.
- Much of what we hear these days that sounds spiritual is actually satanic (4:1).
Counterfeit Christianity (4:2-3)
- False teachers deny the exclusive claims of Christianity.
- False teachers reject the absolute authority of Jesus.
Comfortable Christianity (4:4-5)
- False teachers can be recognized by how they focus more on worldly goals than heavenly priorities.
Current Deceptive Versions:
- Prosperity Gospel – God is not a means to your financial end.
- Pleasure Gospel – God does not permit you to do whatever you feel like doing.
- Political Gospel – God’s work can never be perfectly paired with any political idealogy.
Contradictory Christianity (4:6)
- False teachers deceitfully share spiritual platitudes that subtly contradict biblical truth.
- If we remain biblically illiterate, we run the risk of accepting counsel that sounds spiritual enough.
Overcome the nonsense of the world by the power of the Word.
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
