Daily Bread – July 14, 2022 (The Fifth Day – Genesis 1:20-23) 1 John 4:5-6 – They are of the world; for this reason, they speak from the world, and the world hears them. You are of God; he that 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. John now includes all of the doctrines that were delivered to the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ, and of those who were specifically anointed to deliver His Word to the Church. When a person refuses to hear the Word of God, then the spirit of error is manifested in them. With this statement, John allows us to more fully understand the false prophet and the antichrist spirit. The spirit of error is opposed to the ‘Spirit of Truth’, which is another title for the Holy Spirit (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13). Jesus said His sheep hear His voice (they hear His words), and the voice of another they will not listen to. Jesus said, “Those who are of God, hear God’s words” (John 8:47). If we have been born of God, then we will hear everything written in the New Testament and believe it. Anyone who opposes the things God has said – including everything about the Holy Spirit, the gifts, and living free from sin – has the spirit of error. The spirit of error manifests in several ways: from those who walk in darkness and say they know God, to those who refuse to obey God’s commandments and yet say they are born again, to those who refuse to believe He has made us righteous to live in righteousness. These are all important points among a host of others John has made in his first epistle. Those who make excuses for sin, and not only continue in sin but promote the same in others, are said to be of the spirit of error. Once again, every point John has developed in this epistle is now underscored with the strongest words possible. John informs the reader that if they refuse to hear what he has said, it is because they are not of God. He has labored to provide the proofs and evidence for those who are of God and those who are not of God, so that men will not be deceived. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 7/14/2022
