Writing in his first epistle to the Church of God, the apostle warns that “… many false prophets have ‘gone out into the world'” (4:1). He is not saying that the Body of Christ was to be wary of those ministers who were operating outside of God’s church–the “denominations” of that day. The people of John’s day knew that, just as those in God’s remnant church today know to steer clear of the hundreds of denominations, churches, faiths, etc. that dot the world’s religious landscape. John was warning the saints of his day that there were false prophets among them who were preaching worldly doctrines “in the name of the Lord.” Today, through that same epistle, John is warning God’s true servants to not only be wary of the false ministers who teach popular heathen doctrines, but to also beware of those who follow them, who make up the vast majority of what calls itself “the church.” These are the hundreds of millions who are “ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth” (2 Tim. 3:7), who operate in the spirit of Antichrist, who declare in word and deed that the Biblical God and His Son are inveterate liars Whose Words cannot be taken at face value–Whose Words must be vetted by the church hierarchy. Only those few that make the cut are fit for use. See What is Truth?

In verse six John warns that any church member who refuses to hear God’s Words as spoken by His appointed ministers is “NOT OF GOD.” He goes on to say that the only way to determine who is of God and who is of Satan is to compare every church member’s “fruit” (words and deeds) to God’s Word. Those of the Antichrist spirit reject god’s Word when presented to them. A prime example of such a Satan-led church leader in the early days was Diotrephes, a pastor who was putting God’s people out of the church because they would not follow his teachings (3 Jn. 9,10). And we must not forget Simon Magus (Acts 8), a Satanic miracle worker who amazed the people of Samaria to the point that they declared him to be “… the great power of god.” After coming to believe in Jesus Christ, being baptized and joining the local Body of Christ, he lost his miracle-working power. Because he attempted to purchase God’s Holy Spirit power he was put out of the church and told that he would burn along with his money. Today false church members and leaders try to “buy” God’s Spirit, salvation, name, acceptance, etc. through extreme churchiness. Unbeknownst to them, Satan is providing the “proof” of their right standing with God they believe they have. Spiritual ignorance and/or rejection renders them helpless in the hands of the god of the earth.

The ability to try/test the spirits of men is given to true saints through God’s Holy Spirit: “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given to us of His Holy Spirit.” To abide in Him one must stay clear of false prophets, their message and their followers, each of which the Spirit will identify for those who are truly “in Christ.” The masses of church people do not have God’s Spirit, making them low hanging spiritual fruit for the enemy of Christ. For this reason true believers must put them out of the church, or if outnumbered, leave the church, which is usually the case in that the vast majority of professing Christendom unwittingly worship and serve Satan. Those among God’s tiny remnant must overcome not only Satan but his ministers and laity–we must not follow their example or  embrace their words by which they have brought the world into their version of “the church.” THERE IS NO PLACE IN INSTITUTIONAL RELIGION FOR GOD’S PEOPLE.

By continuing to read in chapter four and beyond we will see where a popular heathen doctrine had it beginning. In the next posting we will see that a popular heresy–the Sunday Sabbath–raised its ugly head early on in church history.