The Spirit of truth

4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit ^a of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:4-6) 

Thoughts: The word "antiChrist" sums up the atheist movement.  It is not really "for" anything- it is just against God and against Christ.  It is a negative.  But the positives of life are always more powerful than the negatives.  Those for God are greater than those against Him.  However, this does not mean that there are not many more for what we see than what we do not see. 
    We should not expect popularity.  But we should expect God to be there when we are on His side, doing His will as He proscribes it.  Whoever listens to us as we share God's Word, shows that God is at work in them.  Those who refuse to listen have hard hearts showing that God is not at work in them.  Those who listen to God's Word of truth show a desire for truth.  Those who refuse to listen to scripture desire to make up their own idea of truth.  When we make up our own truth and refuse to listen to God- then there is a spirit of falsehood.  John is trying to say who can be assured of salvation (this is clear from verse that follow in chapter 4).  People can be assured if they believe the truth of God- but they ought not be assured if they do not believe.  God- the Creator of reality- is also the creator of all truth.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to believe and hold forth the great love and truth that you have made.  

The Spirit of truth

1Dear friends, 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. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4)

Thoughts: The western world's leading philosophy is postmodernism.  Postmodernism's dictum is that there is no real truth.  That your sincere truth is as good as anyone else's view.  The problem is, we don't and can't live like that.  If you decide you want to drive down the wrong side of the road, I would dispute your view of truth.  If you are a nurse and you decide it doesn't matter what kind of medicine you give out- I would dispute that way of looking at things- for one person's medicine is another's poison.  The obvious problem of postmodernism is it devalues meaning and purpose in life with the hope that if we say it doesn't matter- people will get along better. But when we say that your meaning is as good as my meaning- in the end there is no meaning- for there is no truth to live for- only feeling.  Your feelings may get in the way of my feeling.  I think this was evident somewhat in the supreme court confirmation hearings this week.  Feelings and lust for power seemed to own the day.  But the real search for truth was downgraded.  For some, one religion is as good as another.  But then something like 911 happens- fueled by misguided beliefs. 
     So our passage says to "test the spirits" to see if they are really from God.  This implies there are some that are not from God.  The measure of the test is not our feelings or how much we want something selfishly.  The measure of truth is the way, the truth, and the life- Jesus Christ.  

Prayer: Lord, give me the will to not just go with the flow of popularity or my feelings.  Help me to test everything by you- the ultimate rule and standard of truth.  

3/30/13- Spirit of Truth

26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. (John 16:26-27)

Thoughts: The Holy Spirit, is our advocate- our lawyer- our counselor.  The Greek word is "Parakletos" the one called along side to help us.  The Spirit is the Spirit of truth.  So the Spirit does not contradict Himself or change His mind, His promise, His truth.  But the Spirit leads us into truth, and leads us to share (testify to) the truth.  Jesus was saying that the Disciples not only may testify, or should testify, but they must.  The longer we have been with Jesus the more we want to speak of Him.  

Prayer: Holy Spirit, lead me into your truth, and give me the opportunity to share that truth.