1 John 4:1-3

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SESSION 4

FEAR NOT!

The Point We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.

The Passage 1 John 4:1-6

The Bible Meets Life When we read the headlines, we can easily get the impression that evil is winning. Evil is rampant, and unfortunately, evil will even present itself as good. We can still recognize evil for what it is because the truth will always line up with Jesus Christ. Evil can be deceptive, but we can avoid deception by knowing the truth—and we know the truth when we know Jesus.

The Setting The apostle John wrote the Book of 1 John to a church in which false teachers were advocating a view of Christianity different from that of the apostles. The false teachers eventually left the church, but lingering doubts remained among members of the church as to the nature of true Christian beliefs and practices. John wrote his letter in order to deal with these false teachers and their heretical teachings.

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BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

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What does the Bible say?

1 John 4:1-6 (CSB) Antichrist (v. 3)—The term “antichrist” refers either to a person who rejects biblical teaching about Jesus and attempts to mislead believers or to the end-times opponent of Jesus and His church.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1

This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 2

but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world. 3

You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 4

They are from the world. Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 5

We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. 6

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THE POINT

We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.

GET INTO THE STUDY

10 minutes

DISCUSS: Invite your group members

Notes

to discuss Question #1 on page 37 of the PSG (Personal Study Guide): “What are some of the most unusual phobias you’ve heard about?” Allow time for each person to respond. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 38): She missed more than 10,000 sunsets. For nearly 30 years, Marjorie Goff never left her apartment. Marjorie suffered from severe agoraphobia, an anxiety

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disorder that causes a person to fear open spaces and crowds. Anxiety sets in when leaving the security of home. Driven by fear, Marjorie created a self-imposed prison out of her apartment. Only after a caring friend patiently coaxed her into getting therapy did Marjorie experience the beauty of the outdoors again—and all the things she had missed for three decades.3 Marjorie found freedom and healing when she accepted the truth. She stopped believing the lie about herself and her circumstances. She acted on the truth and stepped outside. SAY: “Satan and the spiritual forces of darkness are real. They seek to do us harm. That truth alone could cause us great fear, but there is another truth—a far greater truth. As we see in 1 John 4:1-6, Christians need not fear the work of Satan or demons, because the One in us is greater than the one in the world.” GUIDE: Call attention to The Point on page 38 of the PSG: “We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.” PACK POSTER:

PRAY: Transition into the discussion with prayer. Spend some time praising God for the specific things He has done recently in your church or small group.

Pack Item #4 “Satan and Jesus” poster

PLAYLIST PICK: “Jesus” By Chris Tomlin

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BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 John 4:1-3

Notes

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world. 1

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, create a large poster displaying the word “True” and another large poster displaying the word “False.” Display these posters where all group members can see them. Ask, “What comes to mind when you see these terms?” Responses may include True/False exam questions, TV game shows, trivia games, or even the correct or incorrect nature of statements made by public figures. Emphasize that our ability to tell the difference between fact and fiction is an invaluable skill we can employ in our defense against the enemy’s schemes. SAY: “Satan opposes biblical Christianity, and one of his primary goals is to corrupt or distort the truth about God and Jesus Christ.“ DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 39 of the PSG: “Who comes to mind when you hear the word ‘discernment’?” READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 John 4:1-3. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 40): Christianity rises or falls based on what we believe and teach about Jesus. John gave us a Christ-centered test by which to evaluate a person’s beliefs and teaching: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (v. 2).

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The full humanity of Jesus Christ is affirmed. Note the emphasis on the phrase “come in the flesh” (v. 2). Christ was not some spirit being; He was a human being with all the attributes and limitations we all experience as physical beings. John used the name given at His birth: Jesus. Jesus was fully a man.

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The full divinity of Jesus Christ is affirmed. John also used the title given to Jesus: Christ. He is the Anointed One from God, the Messiah. He is God.

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THE POINT

We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.

1 John 4:1-3 Commentary Test the spirits and believe only those that hold to the truth of Jesus Christ. Verse 1: One of John’s major goals in his letter was to refute the heresies of the false prophets and teachers who were trying to deceive the church (2:26). His readers were wrestling with the teachings of individuals who claimed their messages were based upon revelation from God. However, John warned his readers to not believe every spirit. He told them to test the spirits. To test the spirits means to examine the messages of those claiming to be prophets and teachers to see “if they are from God.” The Greek term for “spirits” is used of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18,20) and angels (Hebrews 1:14); however, it is also used for what Scripture identifies as evil and unclean spirits (Luke 11:24,26) and demons (Revelation 16:13‑14). John’s readers were dealing with false prophets who had gone out into the world. These false teachers had been active in the church but eventually identified with “the world” rather than God’s truth by leaving the church (2:19). Their true identity was now clear. Verse 2: John gave a clear example of how to “know the Spirit of God.” The false prophets who were troubling John’s readers had a defective view of Jesus. Their heresy involved what today we call the doctrine of Christ, or Christology. Earlier John had written that the false teachers denied that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah; 1 John 2:22). John declared that a truthful spirit “confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.” In this context, when a person confesses something, he or she expresses in words what he or she believes in the heart. John was writing that if someone acknowledges that Jesus Christ was truly human, that person has an orthodox Christology. That Jesus was fully human and lived a sinless life allowed Him to be the perfect representative of humanity and an acceptable sacrifice to atone for our sins. Christian tradition and many Bible students agree that the apostle John wrote the Gospel of John as well as 1, 2, and 3 John. In the beginning of the Gospel, John stressed both the full deity and the full humanity of Jesus. The basis for the doctrine traditionally called the “incarnation” of Jesus is seen especially in John 1:14. John used the key term “Word” to refer to the second Person of the Trinity. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The Word, the eternal Son of God, took human form and lived among us. This powerful theological truth is crucial to John’s discussion of false teaching in 1 John. John’s audience could recognize those prophets and teachers who were from God by the test of if they acknowledged Jesus as coming “in the flesh.”

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 John 4:1-3 (Continued)

Notes

SAY: “Scripture is clear: Jesus is both fully man and fully God. Any religion, philosophy, or individual that does not teach that foundational truth did not originate with God. ‘Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist’ (v. 3).” LEADER PACK: Bring your group’s attention to Pack Item #4, “Satan and Jesus” poster. Use this visual to review what we’ve learned about Satan in the past few weeks contrasted to what we know is true of Jesus. SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 40): Because not every teacher and preacher teaches biblical truth, John told us to “test the spirits to see if they are from God” (v. 1). How do we test the spirits?

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We must be discerning with the sermons we hear, the books and online articles we read, and the teachers we listen to. Ask yourself, Does what I am hearing or reading line up with the Word of God? Is Jesus presented biblically?

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When we remain discerning and keep our eyes open by continually testing what we see and hear against God’s Word, we will not be caught in error.

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The more we know about the truth of Jesus Christ and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit, the easier it becomes to spot error and deception.

ALTERNATE QUESTION: What kinds of damage can be caused by false prophets and false teaching?

DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 40 of the PSG: “What are some distortions of the nature of Jesus we still hear today?” DO: Place group members into subgroups of three or four people each. Invite subgroups to complete the activity on page 41 of the PSG together. If time allows, invite volunteers to share their responses aloud. TRUE OR FALSE?: We regularly encounter a number of ideas about Jesus that we need to evaluate in light of what God’s Word teaches.

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What false idea or misconception about Jesus have you heard recently? How can you respond in a conversation when this misconception about Jesus comes up?

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THE POINT

We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.

1 John 4:1-3 Commentary (Continued) Verse 3: Anyone who could “not confess Jesus is not from God.” In light of John’s argument in verse 2, the implication is that some people could not affirm Jesus’ incarnation. The spirit that denied Jesus’ full humanity was in fact the spirit of the antichrist. The term “antichrist” has at least two possible meanings. First, the preposition “anti” in Greek can have the meaning “against.” Therefore, an antichrist might refer to someone who opposes (stands against) Christ and His work. Second, the preposition in Greek can also have the meaning of “in place of.” Therefore, reference to an antichrist might mean someone who tries to replace Jesus. The traditional view of the end-times antichrist is closer to the first definition. Only John used this exact term in the New Testament (1 John 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 7). Earlier in the letter, John used it in both the singular and the plural (1 John 2:18), where John apparently was referencing both the end-times individual identified as the antichrist and many who have the same spirit of the antichrist. John stressed that these “antichrists” were already present, attempting to lure believers in Christ away from the truth. John reaffirmed this in verse 3 when he stated that the spirit of the antichrist is “already in the world.” Bible scholars are uncertain as to exactly why the denial of Jesus’ humanity was an issue in the church of John’s day. One popular view is that a religious belief system traditionally called gnosticism might have been behind the problem. Scholars disagree on some details, but they note the gnostics claimed to possess a special knowledge about spiritual issues. Gnosis is a Greek word for “knowledge.” Also, these gnostics usually embraced a kind of dualism, meaning that the spiritual and material worlds were viewed as totally separate, with the spiritual world being seen as good and the material world being viewed as evil. One consequence of this dualism was a form of gnosticism that held to a docetic view of Christ. The term “docetism” comes from a Greek word that means “to seem” or “to appear.” Basically, this branch of gnosticism claimed Jesus only appeared to be human, but was in fact not truly human. While gnosticism as a fully developed movement is generally viewed to have emerged in the second century A.D., the basic beliefs of gnostic docetism seem to match the “spirit of the antichrist” John was denouncing.

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10 minutes

STUDY THE BIBLE 1 John 4:4-6

Notes

You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world. Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. 4

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 John 4:4-6. DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 42 of the PSG: “How would you describe the two opposing spirits in the world today?” SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGES 42-43): The enemy is at work, albeit covertly. So, how do we keep from falling for his tricks? John reminds us of two great truths:

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You are from God. Believers—those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ—are brought into His family. We are secure in Him. We’re reminded of this in John’s Gospel: “I give them eternal life … No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

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You have conquered those who have the spirit of the antichrist. Our relationship with God is not just a secure, defensive position; it is an offensive position. Because we are in Christ, we can boldly step out, test the spirits, and represent Christ in the face of any and all evil we encounter.

SAY: “We do not conquer in our own power. Because we are from God and rest ALTERNATE QUESTION: How does this passage equip us to deal with the reality of evil in the world?

in Him, He has given us His own Holy Spirit. It is only through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit that we conquer. ‘The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world’ (v. 4).” DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 43 of the PSG: “Jesus is greater than those who oppose us. How will this truth influence your daily life?” TRANSITION: Satan may be powerful, but God is more powerful. God is the One who protects us and guides us. He is in control and He alone calms our fears.

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THE POINT

We don’t need to fear evil forces when we’re in Christ.

1 John 4:4-6 Commentary Christ in us is greater than and victorious over Satan. Verse 4: John drew a sharp contrast between two types of people. Those faithful to Christ and the true teachings about Him were “from God.” Those who rejected Jesus’ incarnation and advocated heresy were “from the world” (v.  5). Believers are “from God,” not in the sense of being divine in the way Jesus was, but in the sense of being God’s children, those “born of God” (v. 7). Also, they had conquered them. The “them” likely refers to the false teachers. The truth of the gospel would defeat all false teaching! The basis for their victory or conquest was the fact that the one in them was “greater than the one who is in the world.” The One who empowers these (and all) Christians is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is greater than any other spirit in the world. Before His crucifixion, Jesus had promised His followers that the Holy Spirit would be with them in the days ahead. The role of the Holy Spirit as Counselor is especially highlighted in John’s account of the conversation in the Upper Room (John 14:16‑18). In that same setting Jesus noted His victory as the basis for His followers’ confidence. Although Jesus would shortly face His own crucifixion, He said, “I have conquered the world” (16:33). John’s letter builds on the victory claimed by Jesus. The tense of the Greek verb translated “have conquered” in 1 John 4:4 indicates a victory in the past that continues into the present. John said those born of God have conquered the world. “This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith” (1 John 5:4). John did not mean a generic faith or belief; he meant faith in Jesus as the Son of God (v. 5). “The one who is in the world” is most likely the Devil (see 3:10‑14). The Devil suffered his decisive defeat in Jesus’ death and resurrection, but he is still resisting God, in this instance through the antichrists: the false teachers and false prophets troubling this church. Verses 5-6: The opponents of John’s original readers and those who oppose us today are “from the world,” having committed themselves to this value system which is in opposition to God and His will. Those who heed the messages of false prophets and false teachers are themselves part of this same world system. The Spirit of truth is the Holy Spirit. Jesus echoed John’s description of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of truth in His Upper Room teaching: “He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you” (14:17). Jesus also noted that the Spirit of truth would guide believers “into all the truth” (16:13). Truth in this context involves a vital relationship with God through Jesus, acknowledging Him as Lord and Savior and living a life of faithful obedience to Him.

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5 minutes

LIVE IT OUT SAY: “How will the truth that you have nothing to fear in Christ make a difference in

Notes

your life? GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the responses to the Bible study listed on page 44 of the PSG.

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Pray. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit as you seek to discern the truth. Since the Holy Spirit always reveals the truth, depend on Him to lead you and give you guidance.

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Memorize 1 John 4:4. God’s Word is a powerful tool when facing spiritual confusion. Use this verse to remind yourself of the confidence you have in Jesus. He has overcome the world!

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Be discerning. Regularly evaluate the different voices you encounter in books, sermons, studies, devotionals, and articles. Identify what is being taught about Jesus and to what degree His name is being honored and lifted up.

Wrap It Up
 SAY: “When we consider the evil in the world, we could truly feel afraid. In 1 John 4:1-6, we are assured of this overarching truth: Christ-followers need not fear the work of Satan or demons, because the One in us is greater than the one in the world.“

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