I John 4:1-6 tests for christians 3 - the test of false teaching. Bluffing your way. Do you confess the Son? Do you listen to the Son? Do you obey the Son? Do you pass the test?

1. Tests For
Christians #3
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The Test of
False Teaching

2. 1 John 4:1-6 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but
test the spirits, whether they are of God; because
many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of
God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that
Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And
this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have
heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome
them, because He who is in you is greater than he who
is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they
speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We
are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is
not of God does not hear us. By this we know the
spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

3. Last Two Weeks Tests
• Do you know God?
• Do you walk like Jesus walked?
• Do you love like Jesus loved?
• Are you abiding in Jesus?
• Do you practice righteousness?
• Does Jesus “know” you?
• Are you a child of God?
• Are you pure as he is pure?

4. BLUFFING YOUR WAY
A. Bluff Your Way In New York!
1. “Bluff Your Way In New York” Ken
Lawless 1990
2. How to look and act like a New Yorker
a. How to dress
b. How to talk
c. Where to go
d. What to do

5. BLUFFING YOUR WAY
B. Bluff Your Way At Church!
1. People who claim Christianity, but are just
bluffing.
2. They know the right words, cliché’s, and
forms!
3. Matthew 7:21—Jesus said there would be
people like this
4. 2 Corinthians 11:13—Paul said there would
be false prophets
5. Acts 20:29-30—Paul said they would even
come from among elders!
C. How do we know? 1 John 4:1-6 Test ourselves!

6. I. Do You Confess The Son? 4:1
A. Denying Jesus
1. He was just a myth—like the lone
Ranger!
2. He was just a good man—like Roy
Rogers
3. He was just a prophet—like Moses
4. These, who say these things are not
Christians, are just bluffing.

7. I. Do You Confess The Son? 4:1
B. Denying Jesus’ Authority
1. Many admit that Jesus existed, but just
another Human Being.
2. These overlook John 1:1—the word was
with God and was God
3. Philippians 2:7-8 —was equal with God
4. Matthew 28:18—“ALL AUTHORITY is
given to me…”
5. These claim Christianity but are just
bluffing.

8. II. Do You Listen To The Son?
A. Intellectually Acknowledging Jesus?
1. James 2:17-19 Thus also faith by itself, if it
does not have works, is dead. 18 But
someone will say, "You have faith, and I have
works." Show me your faith without your
works, and I will show you my faith by my
works. 19 You believe that there is one God.
You do well. Even the demons believe--and
tremble!
2. We must confess who He is – Son of God
3. We must confess what He did – Died for us
4. We must confess what He taught – All truth
5. We must confess Him as Lord – Of our lives

9. II. Do You Listen To The Son?
B. Listen From Our Hearts
1. Hebrews 1:1-2 … has in these last days
spoken to us by His Son, …
2. Matthew 17:5 "This is My beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
3. Luke 10:42 “Mary has chosen that
good part”
4. John 6:68 Peter said, “To whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal
life!

10. III. Do You Obey The Son?
A. False Prophets
1. Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, who
come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their
fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or
figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears
good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear
good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit
is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by
their fruits you will know them.
2. Colossians 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you
through philosophy and empty deceit, according to
the tradition of men, according to the basic
principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

11. III. Do You Obey The Son?
B. The Only True Prophet - Jesus
1. Deuteronomy 18:17-22 And the LORD said to me:
'What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for
them a Prophet like you from among their brethren,
and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall
speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall
be that whoever will not hear My words, which He
speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the
prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name,
which I have not commanded him to speak, or who
speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall
die.' 21 And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we
know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'--
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD,
if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is
the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the
prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not
be afraid of him.

12. III. Do You Obey The Son?
B. The Only True Prophet – Jesus
1. When Christianity closes with the church
doors, we’re bluffing
2. When the Gospel (Good News) is that we
can claim God while acting like the devil,
we’re bluffing
3. When Worship does not affect our daily
lives, we are bluffing.
4. Is it possible to deny Christ and not even
know it? Mat 7:21-22 Many will say to
me…

13. III. Do You Obey The Son?
B. The Only True Prophet – Jesus
5. Following Jesus means
a.“Practicing what we preach” - Luke
6:46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord,
Lord,' and do not do the things which I
say?
b.Bearing fruit of the Spirit of Christ -
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against
such there is no law.

14. DO YOU PASS THE TEST?
• Do you know God?
• Do you walk like Jesus walked?
• Do you love like Jesus loved?
• Are you abiding in Jesus?
• Do you practice righteousness?
• Does Jesus “know” you?
• Are you a child of God?
• Are you pure as he is pure?
• Do you confess Jesus?
• Do you listen to Jesus?
• Do you obey Jesus?

15. ARE YOU JUST
BLUFFING AT
BEING A
CHRISTIAN?