This morning, upon opening my Bible, I realized that I can pretty much open it to anywhere and receive revelation from the Word. That being said, I was also aware that the Lord has specific things that He does want to say to me today, so it is always a good thing to ask for Him to speak, rather than just reading where ever I want.
This morning I felt led to read from 1 John 4, and while I know several verses from this chapter, I was trying to read it without going to my favorite verses in that chapter. I actually used a different translation and a Bible that I have only highlighted a bit. Otherwise I tend to read what I have highlighted, and sometimes might miss verses that are helpful. Anyway, so about the commentary... this morning the verses I am reflecting on are from 1 John 4:1-6 NASB:
[1] "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from 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 from God; [3] and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. [4] You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. [5] They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. [6] We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
John was writing these words several decades after Jesus ascended and He was combatting some of the error that was already creeping into the church. There were heresies that developed quite early in the church and one of them had to do with Jesus' humanity, arguing that He didn't really come in the flesh. This heresy came to be known as Docetism, and a few of the early Church councils discussed this in depth. Here John is providing some of the first comments meant to prove its falseness.
While interesting, Docetism is actually not the focus of my thinking today, but rather I was drawn to verse 5, as it seems applicable these days. In verse 5, John lays bare the competing voices, and I see this in play all around me these days, as it seems there are almost two completely different voices describing the events around us, and some people only hear one voice, and others hear a completely different voice. I have spent some time reflecting on the divergence of truth and fact, and find myself amazed by some of the conclusions that people draw from same events or "facts" that are completely different than the conclusions I draw. As I have reflected on this, it does seem like they are listening to a completely different voice. John says there is a worldly voice, that people in the world listen to, and that this is different than the message that we speak. It is as is they only hear that one voice, while we do hear something different.
What I find confusing these days is the fact that many people whom I love and respect, have started listening to a voice that I just don't hear, and while I see their thinking presented in their comments and such, I just can't get there logically. It seems to me that their ears and maybe their hearts are hearing something completely out of synch with what I am hearing. Now I am not one to think that my hearing and understanding is always right, so this is not a judgment. I am saying this because I am concerned at the voices that are prevalent in the Church today, and see all around the danger of division and deception creeping into the Body of Christ and into the teaching, more than it already has historically. It seems that different voices and conclusions are becoming more and more polarized and diverging rapidly, and that concerns me greatly, for as the Body of Christ we are called to unity in Christ Jesus. Unity does not mean conformity, but it does require love, mercy, compassion, and relationship.
I love that John calls us back to the main thing in the next set of verses, and I will just put forth a few that capture his thinking - 1 John 4:7-11,20-21 NASB:
[7] "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. [8] The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. [9] By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. [10] In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
[20] "If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. [21] And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
My encouragement this morning is to make sure that my heart is full of love towards my brothers and sisters, especially those who have different opinions and thoughts, who seem to be listening to a different voice. I must be sure to not just love them in thought, but in word and action. I reminded of Peter's charge found in 1 Peter 4:8 NASB: "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."
Therefore, let us choose to love one another first and foremost! Let us embrace one another, listen to one another, and mostly let us listen to the Lord, for He is surely speaking into this situation, and we want to make sure we are listening to His voice, and not tuned into another voice.
Help us Lord!
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