January 2025
The Bible encourages us not to believe everyone who claims to be from God but to test them because many false prophets are in the world. The first test is to discover if they are theologically correct concerning Jesus. If they don’t believe He is the Messiah and has come in the flesh, they are not of God (1 Jn. 4:1-3, 5:1). The next test is love. As believers, we are commanded to love one another. John clearly states that everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, and if they do not love, they do not know God because God is love (1 Jn. 4:7-.8). Real believers love others and follow God’s commandments. John points out that His commandments are not too difficult to obey. According to John, if they are born of God, their faith in Christ will lead them to victory over the world's enticements (1 Jn. 5:2-5). Next, genuine believers have the testimony of God within their hearts. It’s not a testimony from a man but rather the testimony concerning the Son of God they received when they responded to the Gospel (1 Jn. 5:10-12).
John goes on to make an often-misinterpreted statement, “We know that no one who has been born of God sins…” (Jn. 5:18a). A better translation is, “…keeps on sinning..” (The ESV takes into account 1 John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us”). The second half of the verse explains that God keeps true believers, and the devil can not take the eternal life God has given them. False prophets often claim sinless perfection to maintain salvation while ironically justifying their sin. Someone wisely said that the only way to stop sinning is to accept that we cannot. If a person doesn’t stop trying to save himself by not sinning, he can never be at peace knowing God has saved him. It is God who is at work in the life of believers, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). There is great joy in knowing it is God’s job to conform us to the image of Christ, not ours (Rom. 8:29). When we acknowledge God’s sovereign work in us, the good works we do are the fruit of faith and love rather than self-effort motivated by fear and duty.
Referring to false prophets, Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits (Mt. 7:20). Aside from outright rejection of God’s grace, the biggest mistake a person can make is to assume they are saved and end up hearing “I never knew you; depart from me you who practice lawlessness” (Mt. 7:23). Born again believers live differently than the lost world around them. A lifestyle of disobedience is no longer attractive to them. They go from practicing lawlessness or sin to a life of faith, love, and obedience. The Apostle Paul said, “…if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). If anyone is in Christ, there will be a change and an ongoing evidence of new things.
In Christ,
Derrick Poston
Chaplain, GCPD
President, Great Adventure Missions
678-665-8164
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