Shalom, everyone. I would like to continue today in the study of the letter that Yohanan wrote, the epistle of 1 John. So please open your Bibles to the fourth chapter, 1 John chapter 4. And we're going to read today the first six verses of this chapter. Those six verses of 1 John chapter 4 are very important verses. Because in these six verses, Yohanan, John, pausing for a moment you might say in his writing to the believers about the importance of loving one another. And he's giving them a very important warning about false teachings that were already existed in the first century, some 2,000 years ago. So John is pausing, and he takes those short moments, short verses, and he presents before his readers a passage that is very, very important.

The danger of false prophets and false teachers that arose already in the first century. And so listen to these verses, 1 John chapter 4, verses 1 to 6. And I am reading, please follow me. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but tried spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the spirit of God, every spirit that confesses that Yeshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Yeshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come.

And even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. He that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. I am stopping here with the first six verses of 1 John chapter 4. Now really brothers and sisters, the passage here in 1 John 4 verses 1 to 6 is a very important passage for all of us to understand.

I don't have to tell you, but we live actually in the days of Laodicea, in the last days of the church age. Soon, Yeshua the Messiah is coming first of all for the church, for the called out ones, for believers who believe in Yeshua the Messiah. Secondly, he is going to come at the end of the tribulation to judge this world and to restore his people Israel. So in light of the order of events which the word of God teaches us, we really live in the last days of the assembly, of the church, of the ecclesia. And it wouldn't take too long, we do not know when really, we cannot set up dates, but the Messiah is soon going to come.

And when we listen to all sorts of opinions in the world in which we live in, we find ourselves oftentimes hearing different messages, many opinions, many views about the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach. Many, many opinions. You hear all sorts of things that man is saying about Yeshua the Messiah. Some say he was a very nice rabbi or rabbi. Others say he was a great prophet. Others say he was a good man who really wanted to please God. Others say that he was maybe one of the prophets like Elijah or Yirmiyahu, Jeremiah. All sorts of opinions people have about Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

And here we learn that already in first century, they were rising. Then, imagine, 2,000 years ago. We are not talking about now. Of course, it is even worse now. But already at the foundation of the assembly, of the ecclesia, of the church, there were things that were being taught by men, by false prophets concerning the person of our Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah. And here, Yohanan, as a father to those children or to those people to whom he was writing, he is out of care and out of love for them. He writes them a warning. And you notice he began by the word beloved. 1 John 4, verse 1, he called them loved ones.

You know, John is actually the Hebrew apostle that often times used the word, "I am the apostle whom Yeshua loved." He never claimed to love the Messiah, though I am sure, and we know from the word of God that he loved him. But he always claimed that he was the one whom Yeshua loved, whom Jesus loved. You read it in the Gospel again and again in the Gospel of John. I am the disciple whom Jesus, whom Yeshua loved. And so he is now writing in chapter 4, and he gives warning to those people to whom he wrote. And in these six verses that we have read in 1 John chapter 4, he is warning against false prophets.

He is giving, you might say, a really important warning to the brothers and sisters who believe in Yeshua the Messiah, warning them that they need to be very careful whom they listen to and what they listen to, because already at that time there were false teachings presented in the world in which we live in. And so notice this. Brothers and sisters, he now stopped to speak about love. He is going to continue from verse 7 on. And he is now beginning to give that warning. And he began, first of all, in verse 1. And you notice that he says to them, "Beloved," in Hebrew is Ahuvai, "those that I love so much, believe not every spirit, but tried spirits, whether they are of God, because," and look at the reason, "because many false prophets are gone out into the world." He is warning the believers and he says to them, "Listen, don't be fooled." Don't be persuaded by something and someone else.

Don't be careless in your walk with the Lord. But I am telling you, because I love you and I am giving you a warning, "Do not believe every spirit, but test and try the spirits to see whether they are of God or whether they are not." You know, this expression here, "Believe not every spirit, but try that spirit." Oftentimes in the Bible, in the Word of God, God always warned his people to test and to prove whether someone really ministered and teach and preach and share and say whether it is really indeed found in the Word of God. And the word here for try, in other verses in Scripture, sometimes it uses the word to discern.

It's the same word in the Greek. The word is Dokimazo, D-O-K-I-M-A-Z-O. It simply means to discern whether something is of God or not. In other words for that is to examine, to test. And the word that we use here in this chapter 4 and verse 1, to try to see if it is indeed that which is from the Lord or that which is not from the Lord. Because he is saying here in this verse 1, "Don't believe every spirit, but test the spirit." Why? Because many false prophets have already gone into the world. Now, can you imagine? It is the foundation of the ecclesia of the church. Everything just began, you might say.

Of course, John is writing it about A.D. 90. He was an old man by that time. And of course, the church was born, you remember, after Yeshua the Messiah died at about 30-33 A.D. And he died about 60 years. It is the assembly, the church, the ecclesia, is in its infancy. Very young. Already at that time, there were those that had a better idea. They probably thought that they know better than what God said in his word. And as far as they were concerned, the word of God has not final authority. And therefore, they had their own ideas, who God is, and who Yeshua is.

And they introduced all sorts of things concerning the person of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. And so he's telling them, listen, don't believe every spirit. And try the spirit, whether they be of God, or whether they would be not of God. Because many, and notice the word many, false prophets are gone into the world. In Hebrew, the word false prophet is nevi'e shekel. A prophet is a person who's not only telling, false telling, or what's going to happen in the future. But a prophet is also telling forth. He's sharing God's word. He's teaching the word of God. He's telling us what God says in his word.

A prophet is not only someone who speaks about some future day. But someone who speaks to the people of God and teach the word of God. Now, let me tell you that the false prophets did not begin at the church age. There were already false prophets among our people Israel, our Jewish people in our history. That God have warned our own people Israel from those that were false prophets. And I want you just for a moment to turn with me to the prophet Jeremiah for a moment. In Hebrew, his name is Yirmiyahu. Jeremiah chapter 14 and verse 14 and 15. Jeremiah warned God speak through Jeremiah to the people of Israel.

In chapter 14 and verse 14. Then the Lord said unto me. Jehovah is speaking to Jeremiah, to Yirmiyahu. And he said. The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I send them not. Neither have I commended them. Neither spake I unto them. They prophesy unto you a false vision. And divination. And a thing of not. And the deceit of their hearts. You see, God already said to our people of all the people of Israel. Listen. Jeremiah, Yirmiyahu. Tell the people of Israel that those false prophets were really not speaking my word. But they were speaking lies. They were commending the people of Israel to do certain things. But they prophesy deceit that came out of their hearts.

And he's saying this already a long time ago. 600 years BC. Through the prophet Jeremiah to the people of Israel. Jeremiah, Yirmiyahu, chapter 23, verse 21. I have not sent these prophets. Yet they ran. I have not spoken unto them. Yet they prophesy. If they had stood in my counsel. And it caused my people to hear my words. Then they would have turned them from their evil way. And from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, says the Lord? And not a God afar off? Then notice verse 25. I have heard what the prophet said. That prophesy lies in my name. Saying, I have dreamed.

I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lie? Yet they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart. So beloved brothers and sisters. False prophets is not something new. False teachers and prophets were something that have existed in the history of our nation Israel. And God gave warning through the prophet Yirmiyahu to the nation of Israel. He says, listen Israel, watch it. Those prophets will teach you things that are unbiblical. And be careful. Test to see whether what they say is indeed the word of God. And so Yohanan, also a Hebrew, like Jeremiah. He's writing now to the assembly, to the church.

At large, to the mishpacha. Remember, he's writing to the family of God. To all believers everywhere. And he's saying, listen, I love you. And because I love you, I'm going to give you this warning. He's saying to them, listen, don't believe everything that somebody is saying about God. You have to really see whether it is valid, whether it is found in the word of God, whether it is indeed the word of God. And he says, test it. Now, brothers and sisters, I don't know about you, but the Bible teaches us that we really have what you call the spirit realm, the unseen world. We are really today as believers in Yeshua the Messiah.

We might not see the spirit realm, the angelic beings that existing, that God have created. And yet we know very well that there is the spirit realm in which many things, many events are going on. We don't see the angels, per se, the spirits. But yet we know that there is that spirit realm. And the angels, you might say, whom God have created for himself, some of them, of course, fell and follow after Satan. The good angels, we might call them, are serving God, serving the people of God. But the demons or the angelic activity, the evil angelic activity is constantly seeking to destroy the testimony of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Paul said it, of course, if you remember the passage in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 12. Shaul Paul, he said, we are not wrestling against flesh and blood. Ephesians 6 and verse 12. But we wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against, here's the word, spiritual wickedness in high places. And you see what's happening really, because Satan is opposing God and opposing the people of God. Satan is using false preachers, false prophets to tell the people of God things that will sway them out from the truth, the narrow path that God had given for the people of God. And you know what was the problem in the first century?

The biggest problem that was in the first century is the problem of denying the humanity of Yeshua the Messiah. Some of those teachers who believed in what you call that Yeshua was like a phantom. What is a phantom? I took a note here of the description or definition of a phantom. They say that it is someone who was seen, who was heard, and had been even sensed, yet having no physical reality. They were saying about Yeshua the Messiah that he was like a phantom. He was seen, he was handled, he was touched, he was even sensed, but really there is no spiritual reality to the humanity of the Lord Yeshua from Nazareth.

They didn't recognize, in fact, this was the Gnostics. They did not believe in the clear message of the word of God about the humanity of the Messiah. And so they believed this high knowledge. They thought that they know much more than everybody else. And they have kind of diverted themselves from the simplicity of the word of God. And therefore they began to teach false teaching. And John giving warning against it. And he's saying, believe not every spirit, but test it. Why? Because many false prophets, Nevi'ei Sheker in Hebrew, have already gone out into this world. They will teach false things. Let me show you a couple more verses for a moment in the scripture.

Look at 2nd Peter. Just go a couple of pages back. 2nd Peter chapter 2. Peter gave the same warning. Shimon Petos gave the very same warning to whom he wrote. And he said in verse 1 of 2nd Peter chapter 2, he said, But there were false prophets also among the people. Even as there shall be false teachers among you. Who will privately, shall bring in damnable heresies. Even denying, listen to this beloved brothers and sisters. Denying the Lord that bought them. And bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be even spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feign words make merchandise of you.

Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not. And their damnation slumbereth not. Shimon Petos, like Yochanan, gave warnings. Now we are talking about the beginning of the church age. Of the ecclesia. Gaving these warnings to those that belong to Yeshua the Messiah. You see, he's writing to the beloved one. To the family of God. To the mishpachat Elohim. To the children of God. He's writing, you be careful. Don't allow yourself to be influenced by false prophets. You make sure that you test it. That you check it out. That you make sure that you not allow yourself to be saturated with that which is not Bible.

That is not simply clearly the word of God. And I don't have to tell you brothers and sisters. You listen to the news. You watch the television. You look at the newspaper. You watch on the internet. And you find out so many views about the things of God. Many deny the truth of the word of God. Many deny the truth of the word of God. And that it was divinely inspired. And that's why Paul also said to Timothy. Timothy, study the word of God. To be yourself a man that is proving the truth concerning the word of God. A man that knows. Search the scripture.

Make sure that you learn the word. That you find out what is true and what is false. Because many false prophets have entered into this world. Be careful. John Yohanan is saying to these beloved brothers and sisters to whom he wrote. There will be false prophets. That will be influenced by demonic spirit. You might say. By Satan and his views. And they will seek to teach you things that are not found in the word of God. Study to show yourself a proof unto God. A workman that needeth not to be ashamed. Rightly dividing the word of truth. Paul said to this younger brother by the name of Timothy.

Make sure that you learn it from the word of God. Rather than to allow somebody to tell you what he or she feel like to say. That is not found in scripture. So he gave them this warning. And he said to them. Make sure that you test the spirits. Because many false prophets have entered into this world. And now he is directing in the next verse. Verses 2, 3, and 4. He is pointing to the mark of false teachers. How do we know when somebody is a false teacher? In light of the context here. He is emphasizing the humanity of the Messiah. And many other passages in the Bible can help us to understand how to detect a false teacher or a false prophet.

But in the context of this chapter. Chapter 4 of 1 John. John pointing out. Yohanan pointing out to the mark of the false prophet. Now let me tell you what John is emphasizing here. He says you want to know how to find out if a person is really a false prophet? He says a false prophet deny that Yeshua the Messiah came in the flesh. You want to know a false prophet? You don't need to be a theologian. John is really saying. You know very well yourself who Yeshua was. He says all what you have to know to detect if someone is a false prophet is when someone denies the humanity of Yeshua the Messiah and teach it and force it and entice others by this teaching.

He is a false teacher and a false prophet. And Yohanan now unfolded before us. Look what he says in verse 2. In verse 2 he is saying confessing the humanity of Yeshua is of God. Look at this. It says here in verse 2. Hereby know ye the spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Yeshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is of God. Now brothers and sisters listen to this. This is very important. You see today many people have a problem with the deity of Yeshua. I had a problem with this when I first was exposed to Yeshua to Jesus. I had a problem. I said to myself I don't know I am Jewish.

You see. We learn in our own home that there is only one God. And now you come and you are telling me that this man that died on the cross some 2,000 years ago is God. I had a lot of problem with it. And somehow God has been so gracious to unfold the word of God. To open the scripture to me by the Holy Spirit of God. Because you and I cannot do it on our own. And somehow by the grace of God I recognized that Yeshua is this God. The eternal Son of God. I want you to turn with me to Isaiah for a moment.

The verses that we just read earlier. Isaiah chapter 6, chapter 9 and chapter 7. Those chapters that we have read today in the prophet Isaiah. Just look at that for a second with me. Isaiah chapter 7 first of all. The Lord is speaking to this man by the name of Ahaz. Ahaz was the one that was the king of Judah. The king of the tribe of Yehuda. And the Lord spoke to him. It says in verse 10. Moreover the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz. And he said to him. Ahaz. Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God. Ask it either in the depth or in the height above. So Ahaz said.

I am not going to ask for a sign. Neither will I tempt the Lord. So he said. Hear ye now. O house of David. Now God went beyond Ahaz. And he was not talking only to Ahaz. But he was talking to the whole house of David. Actually to the whole tribe of Judah. And he was saying to the house of David. To the whole tribe of Judah. He said. A small thing for you to weary man. But will he weary my God also. And he said in verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you. The word for you is plural. Lachem. It's not lecha. Lachem.

Give you a sign. Behold. The virgin shall conceive. And she will bear a son. And she will call his name Emmanuel. God said to Ahaz. Ahaz. Listen. You ask a sign for me. And Ahaz. Did not want to ask a sign from the Lord. So God is going beyond him. And he's speaking to the whole family of David. The king of Israel. That have already passed by. But the family of David. And the house of David. And he's saying to this family. To these people of Israel at that time. To the tribe of Judah. He says. Listen. I'm going to give you a sign. And what is this sign going to be?

He says. The virgin is going to conceive. And she shall bear a son. And you will call his name. And listen to this. He says the word Emmanuel. It's two Hebrew words. Emmanuel means with us. El means God. And Jehovah is saying to the house of David. He's saying. Listen. I'm going to show you. I'm going to give you a sign. In a future day. In a certain point of time. In Jewish history. The history of the people of Israel. People of Israel. I'm going to show you. A miraculous thing. That is going to happen. A woman that is virgin. Alma in Hebrew. Going to bring forth a son.

And his son. Because she was a virgin. He will be a child. That will be born into this world. That will be not a descendant of. Adam's nature. But by the Holy Spirit of God. He will enter into this world. And he is going to be called God with us. He was prophesied a long time. By the prophet of Israel. The prophet Isaiah. In chapter 7. In verse 14. Look at chapter 9. In verse 6. It was also read for us today. Unto us. A child is born. Unto us. A son. Is giving. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. Singular. And his name shall be called. Wonderful.

That is Pele. Counselor. That is Yoetz. Mighty God. That is El Gibor. Then it says. Father of Eternity. That is Aviad in Hebrew. And then finally. The Prince of Peace. In Hebrew. Sar Shalom. Listen. He is saying. That a child will be born. A son will be given. And I want you to pause with me for a moment. Notice. When it has come to his humanity. He was born. When it has come to his divine nature. He was given. You see. He is saying. Unto us. A child is born. Yeled Yuladlanu. But when it has come to a son. He was given. Ben Nitanlanu. Why he was given.

He was given. Because. He pre-existed. You see. The child. That was born. Already had a pre-existence. He was the eternal. Son of God. And as the eternal. Son of God. He was given. But as a child. He had to be born. And to enter into humanity. Through the virgin Miriam. And you see. Like I mentioned earlier. I personally had a problem. In the beginning. With the divine nature. Of the Messiah. Because I couldn't grasp. How could men. Be also. At the same time. God. And yet the Bible. Teaches us. That God. Would enter humanity. Through the virgin Miriam. And he will become. A human being.

Yet. Without. Sin. And so. While. We have the problem. Today. To recognize. That Jesus. Is divine. That he is God. That Yeshua is God. Many years ago. There was another problem. The problem. That they had. That John. Is warning against. Here. In verses 2. 3. And 4. Is not so much. The divine nature. Of Yeshua. But is the humanity. Of Yeshua. Notice again. Back to 1st John. Chapter 4. Verse 2. Hereby. Know ye. The spirit of God. Every spirit. That confesses. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Have come in the flesh. Is of God. In other words. Every one of us. That recognize. That Yeshua. Came. In the flesh. He became. Literally.

A man. A human being. A man. That would live here. In this world. You see. At that time. 2,000 years ago. In a time. Of John. That he wrote. To the family. Of God. To the Mishpacha. Already then. Those Gnostics. Did not believe. In the. Humanity. Of the Messiah. Now listen. To this. Brothers and sisters. Yeshua. Is not. Half God. And half man. Yeshua. Is completely. Entirely. Totally. The eternal. Son of God. And when he. Enter humanity. He became. Completely. Entirely. A human being. A man. He had. Spirit. Soul. And body. Just like. You and I. The only difference. Between him. And you and I. Is that he was.

Sinless. And you and I. Are sinners. He never had. A beginning. As the eternal. Son of God. You and I. Have. Had a beginning. And so. We have to understand. He was. Totally. Eternal. Son of God. And he became. Totally. A human being. And why. Is it so important. You see. Why. Is it so important. To believe. That Yeshua. Came. In the flesh. The Hebrew word. For flesh. Is. Basar. You know. There is often times. An expression. That we use. You see. John was a Hebrew. Jewish people. Often times. Use. Even up till today. When we talk about. A human being. He says. Oh. You are only.

Flesh and blood. We say. What do you know. This is an expression. That we use. When we want to talk about. A human being. We say. You are only. A flesh and blood. Basar. Vadam. So when we want to. Express someone. Who is the human being. Who is a person. We say. You are. Basar. Vadam. Flesh and blood. And John. He is wanting to. Emphasize this. To his readers. And he is saying. Listen. How do we know. That. A person. Is truly. Confessing. What God says. He believes. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Came. In flesh. He has. Entered. Into this world. In order to become. A human being.

Just like. You and I. And now the question is. Why? You see why. Brothers and sisters. You see. God could never. Save. Sinners. By simply. Not dealing. With the problem. That sinners have. God could never say. Listen. I am God. I can brush. Your sins aside. I can put. Everything aside. And I am just. Because I am. God is love. You see. I love you so much. And I will bring you. Into my presence. I will restore. A relationship. With you. And not deal. With sin. He couldn't do so. Because he is holy. You remember. First John. Chapter one. And verse five. We read. God is light.

And in him. There is no darkness. At all. So if God. Is going to deal. With darkness. With sin. He had to do. Something about it. Well. What would he do? What could he do? Well. The only thing. For God. To do. Is to enter. Humanity. And to become. A man. Yet. Never cease. From being. God. And yet. At the same time. He himself. Will take. The punishment. That we deserve. Upon himself. As men. That's why. It was so. Important. For the humanity. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. He could never. Save. Mankind. Unless. He became. As. Mankind. Turn with me. To Hebrews. Chapter 2. Let me show you.

This verse. I think. This is one of the most. Important verses. To understand. The humanity. Of the Messiah. And the reason. Why Yeshua. Became. A man. Why God. Became. A man. Hebrews. Chapter. 2. Verses. 14. 15. And 16. And you notice. The writer. To the Hebrew. Hebrew. Believer. Who wrote. To his. Hebrew. Brethren. About. Some things. That they knew. From history. And he said. To them. In verse 14. For as much. That the children. Are partakers. Of flesh. And blood. Notice. This expression. For as much. Of the children. Are partakers. Of the flesh. And blood. He. This is the Messiah. God the son. He also. Himself. Likewise. Took part. Of the same.

That through death. He might destroy. Him. That had the power. Of death. That is the devil. You see. If God. Is going. To save. The human race. He had. To become. A human being. Without sin. And that. He himself. As man. Now. Could go. To the altar. And to be punished. On behalf. Of the human race. That is why. The writer says. He took part. Of the same. Because. The children. Are partakers. Of flesh. And blood. All of us. Have. Flesh. And blood. All of us. Are human beings. Well. He also. Took of the same. In order. That through. Death. When. He suffered. For us.

On the tree. On the cross. And he died. As the lamb. Of God. For our sins. He destroyed. Totally. The one. That had power. Over death. That is the devil. Satan. Had power. Over. Those. Sinners. That were away. From God. And so. God. Decided. To come. Down. To this world. And take. Humanity. Men. Who. Through fear. Of death. Were all. Their lifetime. Subject. To bondage. Verse 16. For verily. He took. Not. Of himself. The nature. Of angels. But he took. Upon himself. The seed. Of Abraham. You see. When God. Enter humanity. Of angels. Of angels. God. The son. Didn't. Become. An angel. But he. Became. A man.

Because he. Was not. Going. To save. Angels. He was. Going. To save. The human. Race. And he. Became. A man. And a man. And you notice. Which descendants. He took. Upon himself. Not. The nature. Of angels. But he. Took. Upon himself. The seed. Of Abraham. He became. A Jewish. Man. All. What the Hebrew. Prophets. Spoke. About. That when. The Messiah. Will. Become. A descendant. Of Abraham. Isaac. And Jacob. Through the tribe. Of Judah. And the family. Of David. And so. He didn't. Take. Upon himself. The nature. Of angels. Now. Can you imagine. If God. Would. If God. Would. Become. Would not. Die. For your sins.

Of mine. You and I. Cannot die. For the sin. Of another. Because we. Are sinners. Angels. Are ministering. Spirits. They are. Serving. God's people. They cannot. Forgive. Our sins. And so. Yeshua. This is God. The son. And brothers. And sisters. What is. Human being. Spirit. Soul. Human soul. Human body. When Yeshua. Entered into this world. He became. A human being. Spirit. Soul. And body. And yet. He was sinless. Because he was not. An offspring. Of a relationship. Between Yosef. And Miriam. But he was. Born. Of the. Holy Spirit. Of God. The seed. That had been placed. In the womb. Of Miriam. Therefore. He was. The holy one.

Not. The innocent. One. But the holy one. The sinless. One. The undefiled. The one. That was separate. From. Sinners. And so. John. Giving this warning. And he's saying. And I'm back now. In first. John. Chapter four. And verse two. That he's pointing out. Confessing. The humanity. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. Is really of God. Confessing. That he came. In the flesh. Is really of God. Now. When someone. Tell you. According to this text. That Yeshua. Is not. Human being. Spirit. Soul. And body. That he's a phantom. Immediately. You know. That this person. Is not of God. He's teaching. False teaching. Some of those. Gnostics. Already taught.

These things. In first century. Others. Teaching this. Today. They're teaching. The same thing. That. He's not really. Fully God. He's not really. A human being. He's like a phantom. You know. By the way. You. For example. The Jehovah witness. Today. You read. The Gospel of John. It says. In the beginning. Was the word. In the beginning. Was the word. And the word. Was with God. And the word. Was a. God. In other words. He had been created. As far as. They were concerned. They don't realize. They don't. Confess. The truth. That he was. Literally. Equal. With the father. The God. And man. In one. If he was.

Only. A creature. He could. Never deal. With your sins. And with mine. No. Creature. Can deal. With the sin. Of the sinful. World. In which we live in. With my sins. And with yours. It is so fundamental. Brothers. And sisters. To. Confess. The fact. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Has come. In the flesh. Let me read you. One more verse. In first. Timothy. Chapter 3. And verse 16. Without controversy. Great is the mystery. Of godliness. Listen to this. God. Was manifest. In. Flesh. Justified. In. The spirit. Seen. Of angels. Preach. Listen to the Gentile. Believe on. In the world. And received. Up. Into glory. It is a mystery.

But it's a great mystery. And god does not want your opinion. And my opinion. He wants us to simply accept what he said in his word. Even though we cannot fathom that. But it is found in the scripture. And it's truly indeed. Something that we cannot quite grasp. But we accept it. Because the spirit of god. Revealed this to us. From. The word of god. Now listen to this. Brothers and sisters. As he continues. And I am back. In first john. Chapter 4. And now. Verse 3. After he established. The truth. Concerning. Yeshua. Coming the flesh. In the flesh. He became a man. And that which is of god.

The spirit that is of god. Is recognizing. That Yeshua came in the flesh. Then he says in verse 3. Look at the opposite. Not confessing. The humanity of Yeshua. Is not of god. Not confessing. Or rejecting. The humanity of Yeshua. Is totally not of god. Verse 3. Every spirit that confesses. Not. That Jesus Christ. Yeshua HaMashiach. Is come in the flesh. Is not of god. And this is the spirit. Of antichrist. Whereof ye have heard. That it should come. And even now. Already. Is it. In the world. Now two things. He's saying here. In verse. Three. The first thing. Of course. He's saying. That not confessing. That Yeshua became.

That Jesus Christ. Yeshua the Messiah. And the humanity. Became flesh and blood. Not confessing it. Is really not being of god. If somebody. Is going to come to you. And I am going to say. Listen. I don't believe. That Yeshua. Is a real man. Spirit. Soul. And body. Sin apart. Well if somebody. Does not confess this. And reject it. This person. Have to question. His salvation. This person. Have to ask himself. Or herself. Whether they. Even belong. To the Lord. Because why. If they reject. The perfect humanity. Of the Messiah. What they are really saying. That someone else. Have died. For their sins. That another human being.

But a sinner. Have died for them. And that is wrong. That is not what the Bible. Teaches us. And so. He is clearly telling them. That anyone. That confesses. Not that Yeshua. The Messiah. Has come in the flesh. Is not of God. He is adding here. And the second part. Of verse three. He say. Rejecting. The humanity. Of Yeshua. Is really. Out of the spirit. Of the antichrist. The word. For antichrist. Here. It is. Antichristos. In the Greek. In the Hebrew. It is. Soten. HaMashiach. The one who is. Against. God. But this expression. Antichrist. Can be used. In two. Fold ways. Anti. Is not always.

Against. Many times. We use this word. Anti. Against. When somebody. Is anti. He is against. So anti. Mashiach. Is against. The Messiah. But there is another way. To look at it. In the Greek language. That the word for. Anti. Also. Speaks of being. Like. Or replacing. The Messiah. Instead. Of the Messiah. Now. Beloved. Brothers and sisters. Listen to this. The only time. We find. In the Bible. The word. Antichrist. Is in the letters. That Yohanan wrote. In the epistles. Of John. You don't find. This expression. Anti. Christ. Or antichristos. Anywhere. Else. In the scriptures. In the Hebrew scriptures. For some reason. Yohanan. Is the only one.

Who uses this terminology. In fact. He uses this word. Antichrist. Five times. In his epistles. Four times. In the first epistle. One time. In the second epistle. And every time. You can see. How he developed. That word. Antichrist. Counterfeit messiah. Which is. Against. The messiah. The first time. He uses it. Just turn back. To chapter 2. First. John 2.18a. Then. Is the first time. That he has. A reference. To the antichrist. In the epistle. Of John. In the letter. Of Yohanan. He says. Little children. This is the first part. Of verse 18. Little children. It is the last time. And. As ye have heard. That antichrist. Shall come.

This. First time. That he is using. This expression. That expression. About the antichrist. Has to do. Specifically. About. A single. Person. That is called. Here. Antichrist. Against. The messiah. But also. Instead. Of the messiah. Apparently. What he has. A reference here. To some man. That is going to come. In a future. Day. Who will be. The one. Who will seek. To take the place. A true. Messiah. Of Israel. And a savior. Of this world. I mentioned. To you already. In our previous study. Of first. John. Chapter. Two. That this man. Has various. Names. And titles. In the scripture. He has all. Sort of titles. That we have them.

In the word of God. For example. In Daniel. Chapter. Seven. And verse. Eight. He is called. The little horn. Verse 26. He is called. The prince. That shall come. This is an individual. He is not only. That he is against. The messiah. But he is a count of it. In a sense. That he want to take. The place. Of the true. Mashiach. We read of him. Also. In Daniel. Chapter 11. Verse 36. He is called. The willful king. He is called. He who comes. In his own name. He will come. In his own name. Not in God. The father's name. But in his own name. But in his own name.

He will claim. To be. The one. That is the messiah. Of Israel. And the savior. Of this world. And he will seek. To take that place. Paul wrote about him. In second. The second. The king. In Daniel. In Daniel. In Daniel. In Daniel. 11. And verse 36. We read about him. In the gospel. In the gospel. Of John. And I already made. A reference. To that. In John. Chapter 5. In verse. 43. He is called. He who comes. In his own name. He will come. In his own name. About him. In second. Thessalonians. Chapter 2. And verse 3. He called him. The man of sin. Paul said. About him. In second.

Thessalonians. He was the lawless one. He said. Also. He is called. The son of perdition. In second. Thessalonians. Chapter 2. And verse 3. And John. Called him. In Revelation. Chapter 13. The beast. Like an animal. And so. Beloved. Brothers and sisters. You see. You and I. Are not going to be here. We are going to be taken out of here. Before. The tribulation. The antichrist. The antichrist. Shall come. Little children. It is the last time. As ye have heard. That antichrist. Shall come. And you know what. Brothers and sisters. You see. You and I. Are not going to be here. We are going to be taken out of here.

Before. The tribulation. Will begin. But this. Single individual. Who is called. Soten HaMashiach. Antichrist. The false messiah. He will be prominent. During the tribulation period. He will seek to take the place of the messiah. And according to Revelation. Chapter 13. He will seek worship. He will be actually sitting. Standing. In the holy of holies. In the temple. In Jerusalem. Claiming to be God. Claiming to be the messiah. And he will seek worship. This is the false messiah. Who will seek to take the place of our Lord. Yeshua. The messiah. The true Mashiach. I want you also to notice. That in first. John chapter 2. And verse 18. This time.

B. There is not only one. Single one. Who will come. According to verse 18. Of the very same. First John 2. It says here. In verse 2. And there. Many. Antichrist. Are now already. Whereby. We know. That it is the last time. Apparently. There was not only one. Single one. That will come in the future. Yes. But in additional to that. There are many. Already. At that time. Who were really. Against. The messiah. But also. Seeking to take the place. Of the messiah. And so. The warning. Has been given. To the people of God. In first. John chapter 2. And verse 18. A. And 18. B. There is a single. False messiah.

Sotena. Mashiach. One who is an antichrist. But there were. Many already. That will. Pretend. As if they would be. That leader. This messiah. That is going to come. Look at first. John chapter 2. And verse 22. Here. He is leading on. He says. Anyone. Who denies. That Yeshua. Is the messiah. Look. And he is an antichrist. Against. The messiah. First. John chapter 2. Verse 22. Who is a liar. But he. That denies. That Yeshua. That Jesus. Is the messiah. He is. Antichrist. That denies. The father. And the son. The humanity. Of the messiah. Anyone. That denies. The triunity. Of the. Godhead. He is really. Against. Christ. He is really.

The one. That is. Against. The truth. Of the. Word. Of God. And finally. I want you. To turn. Antichrist. Expression. Is being. Mentioned. By. John. He says. In second. John. Chapter. One. Verse 7. For many. Deceivers. Are entered. Into the world. Who confess. Not. That Jesus. Christ. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Is come. In the flesh. This is. A deceiver. And. An antichrist. A false. Teachers. Brothers. And sisters. Here. Is. The lesson. That John. Is. Warning. The believers. And he. Telling them. Listen. You better. Get a hold. Of this truth. Someone. Who confesses. That Yeshua. Came. In the flesh. He is. A literally. Human. Being. But. Those.

Who. Deny. The humanity. Of the Messiah. They deny. That he took. Flesh. And blood. Against. The Messiah. They are. Following. The spirit. Of the one. That is. In the future. Going to come. Who will deny. Jesus. The Messiah. And will seek. To take his place. Verse. For us. To understand. And to watch. Against. Because today. You and I. Can see that. In various. Views. Of those. Who. So-called. Teach. And influence. Others. Concerning. The things. Of Jesus. The Messiah. So. Let's move on. So we can head on. Towards the conclusion. Here. Now that he. Finished. In verse. Two. And three. To present. Before them. What is of God.

And what is not of God. Then he is telling them. But you. Now he is speaking to the believers. In verse four. And he is saying. In first John chapter four. In verse four. He says. But you. Are of God. Little children. And have overcome them. Because. Greater. Is he. That is in you. That is he. That is in the world. Now what is he saying here. He is writing. Obviously. To believers. And he is saying. To those believers. He called them. By the way. Little children. It is a terminology. That Yohanan. Often used. In his epistle. Applying. To all believers. Born ones. Those that have been.

Born again. And he is saying. You are of God. Because you have been. Born again. You have become. Children of God. How did you become. Children of God. Because you have accepted. The truth. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Came in the flesh. You have acknowledged. Your sins. You have acknowledged. That he paid for your sins. When he died for you. On the tree. You became sons. And daughters of the father. You are the children of God. And then he is saying. Listen. You have overcome them. How do we overcome. The unbelievers. In this world. How do we overcome. Those who teach. False teachings. How do we overcome them.

We are going back. To the Bible. We are going back. To the truth. Of the word of God. And how do we handle. The word of God. How do we understand. The word of God. Brothers and sisters. We cannot understand. The word of God. On our own. We have to have. Illumination. We have to have. Inspiration. We cannot understand. You know. Before you became a believer. You didn't understand. The word of God. Neither have I. Because. Paul said. In 1st Corinthians 2.14. The natural man. Receives not the things. Of the spirit of God. Why. Because there are foolishness. Unto him. You know. As far as we were concerned.

The word of God. The Tanakh. The Brit HaKadasha. It's foolish. It's not for me. I'm not religious. You see. It's for those. Religious people. I don't believe in the Bible. The word of God. Is not religious. It's just a book. You know. We used to say. But you see. Now. When we became believers. In Yeshua. The Messiah. The word of God. Became precious. It is the truth. Upon. Which we stand. You see. Our eternal destiny. Depends upon. Whether this book. Is right or wrong. If we believe it. What God says. In his word. We have. Eternal relationship. With him. If we reject. What God says.

In his word. Man is eternally. Separated. From him. So we believe. But how did we believe. Well. We needed to get. Some help. And so. Notice that. He says. In 1st John. Chapter 4. Verse 4. He said. You have overcome. Them. This is the unbelieving world. And these false teachers. Who came to teach us. Teaching. And then he says. Why? How come? Because greater is. He that is in you. Than he that is in the world. Greater is he. That is in you. This is the. Spirit of God. Ruach HaKodesh. The Holy Spirit of God. Which indwells. Every believer. He is greater. Than what they possess. Notice.

Notice the word. He is mentioned twice. The first. He. Applied to the. Holy Spirit of God. The second. He. Applied really. To Satan. And his followers. And his. Fallen angels. The demons. Who teach false teaching. Greater. Is he. That is in us. In the believer. Than he. That is in the world. Because we have. The Holy Spirit of God. That instructs us. He teaches us. John. Chapter 14. Verse 16. And 17. Yeshua said. Before he died. On the cross. And I will pray the father. And he will give you. Another comforter. That he may abide. With you. Forever. Even the spirit of truth. Whom the world. Cannot. Receive.

Because it seeth him not. Neither knoweth him. But you have known him. For he dwelleth. With you. Listen to this. And he shall be in you. He shall be in you. You see what Yeshua said. Before he died. On the tree. He says. Listen. I am going. To leave you soon. I am going to die. On the tree. And I am going to pay. For the price of sin. And I am going to be. Resurrected. From the grave. And ascended to heaven. But once I have gone. Once I have gone. I am going to send. The Ruach HaKodesh. The Holy Spirit of God. He is called.

The spirit of truth. He is the one. That the world cannot receive. Because the world. Doesn't even know him. And he will dwell. With you. And he will actually. Be in you. You know. Brothers and sisters. The truth. Of the present day. The present day. Dispensation. Of the. Assembly. Of the church age. That every one of us. That is a believer. Today. We have a divine. Person. Indwelling. Right here. In us. And we are born. Again. Born from above. And he helps us. To understand. The truth. He helps us. To sort. Things out. To see. Things out. To set. That which is. Not from the Lord.

Not from the scripture. Aside. And to embrace. That which is. From. The word. Of God. And so. Greater. Is he. That is. In us. In you. In the believer. Than he. That is. In the world. And so. He concluding. Brothers and sisters. When he gave them. This warning. He concluding. In these last verses. Verses. Five and six.

teachers are marked by the world view and not by God's view that's what really happened with false teachers they are really having a worldly views not a divine view and so he's concluding and he's saying to them they are of the world verse 5 therefore they speak they of the world and the world heareth them we are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error how do we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error we discern it on the basis of the word of God and we can see if the world

listening you know this is incredible that according to this verse they are of the world because the world listened to them and what is the world is this system in the word cosmos is a system that is headed up by satan and these views are accepted by the world jesus is only a phantom he is not divine there is no trinity in the godhead he is half god and half man he's only a good man he's only a good prophet this is the world's view about yeshua the messiah but the believer's view he is this eternal son of god who loved us so much and was willing to become human being a man and because

he was born to the virgin miriam through this power of the holy spirit there was not sin in him and in love for us he went all the way to the altar where he was judged the just one for the unjust so he will bring us to god this is the way the word of god is teaching us and therefore we as he says are of god and we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error so beloved brothers and sisters in conclusion may the lord help us to discern that somebody teaches us something that is not found in the word of god let us question that let us be careful to study

the word of god to rightly divide the word of truth and this is fundamental this is not something that we can play with this is serious business in concerning the truth that god had given us in his word concerning the person of his son and god is going to challenge man on that because when we're going to have to stand before him the question will be what think ye of the messiah and if we had wrong thoughts about him we will ultimately find ourselves separated from god eternally lost but if we have the right view that god had concerning his son we are eternally related related to him eternal salvation never to be separated from

this wonderful person namely our lord yeshua the messiah well may the lord bless his word and keep this warning in your mind so we can choose to be instructed by the sincere word of god