1. V. The Test of Truth (4:1-4:6)
Thematic Relation: Deception tries to appear like truth, but we are equipped to discern the lies of our own nature from the truth of God.

Some Key Words

Believe (pisteuo[4100]):
to believe, have a mental persuasion, be of opinion, have faith; place confidence in, trust in Jesus as able to aid, saving faith
Confess (homologeo[3670]):
to consent, promise, speak the same with the desire of another, to speak agreeable to fact and truth, celebrate with public praises, profess; to say the same thing as another, agree with, to declare openly, to profess oneself the worshiper of one; to covenant, acknowledge
Antichrist (antichristos[500]):
against Christ, or instead of Christ. (against the anointing)
Overcome (nikao[3528]):
to conquer, come off victorious; to prevail, subdue
Knows (ginosko[1097]):
to know experientially; intimate knowledge; to be sure, understand. From Vine's: Ginosko tends to indicate a coming to knowledge, a beginning to understand, whereas eido tends to indicate a fullness of knowledge and understanding
Listens (akouo[191]):
to hear and understand, to hear with the ear of the mind, so as to perform what is spoken; to learn by hearing, comprehend, to give ear to a teaching or teacher; give audience to
Truth (aletheia[225]):
the reality at the basis of and agreeing with the appearance, the essence of the matter; the truth as taught in faith, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ
Error (plane[4106]):
wandering, stirring about, a wrong opinion relative to morals or religion, wrong mode of acting, deceit or fraud; from Vine's: a forsaking of the right path of doctrine. 'errors in doctrine are not infrequently the effect of relaxed morality, and vice versa.'
 

Paraphrase

1 All that is spiritual is not necessarily true, but must be tested against truth. 2 Test number one is the confession of Christ as God and man, 3 the lack of which confession is a sign of antichristian spirit. 4 Through God, we overcome these anti-spirits 5 which are of the world and worldly. 6 We are of God and godly, listening and understanding. Those who don't listen and understand are ungodly.

Key Verse

4:6, oddly enough. It almost seems to answer the question itself. Those who know God listen to whom? To the founders, perhaps? Who is us? Truth itself recognizes truth. It is God who plants truth within us, or not by His good will.

Thematic Relevance:

 In our love for God, we must protect ourselves and each other from untruth, lest we be led astray from His command.

Doctrinal Relevance:

 1 Spirits come in good and bad. 2 We are able to discern, if we will. 4 God overcomes the world. 6 Godly recognizes Godly.

Moral Relevance:

 We must test and discern. The deceiver is greatly deceitful - counterfeiting every good thing. His deceptions will not be obvious, but require active surveillance on our part. All things must be tested against His revealed word. This implies that we must actually know His word. He can't call back to mind what we haven't put in there in the first place! OK, He can, but will He? Will He honor the sluggard against His own word? I don't think so. We are warned over and over again to be diligent, to abide in His word, to be of sound doctrine. These are the tools of our protection. God, help us to apply them.

Questions Raised:

 v6 seems like a verse that is easily abused to enhance the position of the deceiver. I.e. - you don't agree with me, therefor you're not God's child. How is this to be dealt with? What is our test when two opposing views claim the same ground by a verse such as this?

Some Parallel Verses

4:1
3Jn 11 - we are to imitate good, because those of God do good. Jer 29:8 - Israel warned against false prophets, and their dreamings. 2Co 12:10 - discernment of spirits is one of God's gifts for the common good of the body. 1Th 5:20-21 - we are not to despise [true] prophesy, but we are to examine it carefully. 2Th 2:2 - study and testing help us to not be disturbed by false teachings. Jer 14:14 - the false will claim God's name as authority, too, but speak only the deception of their own minds. 2Pe 2:1 - false teachers will be among us in secret, planting heresy and denying Christ.
4:2
1Co 12:3 - no one can declare Jesus as Lord, except the Holy Spirit give them utterance. Jn 1:14 - Jesus came and dwelt in the flesh.
4:3
2Jn 7 - many try to claim that Jesus was spirit only. 2Th 2:3-7 - the deception is described, and its limits discussed, which limits will remain until they are removed by God, that lawlessness become unrestrained for a time.
4:4
Ro 8:31 - God overcomes all opposition we may face! Jn 12:31 - for God is judge over all the earth, and shall cast out the deceitful ruler thereof.
4:5
Jn 15:19 - the world hates us as not being part of its system of thought. Jn 17:14 - even as it hates Christ for not being of that system, but convicting it, Jn 17:16 - and taking us out of it.
4:6
Jn 8:23 - Jesus is from above, not of this world. Jn 8:47 - the godly hear God's words, and understand. Jn 10:3-5 - recognizing their shepherd alone. Jn 18:37 - truth recognizes Jesus. 1Co 14:37 - those who think themselves spirit-led should test themselves against apostolic teaching. Jn 14:17 - which teaches the spirit of truth, which we know because Christ and the Holy Spirit abide in us. 1Ti 4:1 - Which spirit tells us that some will fall away to deceitful doctrines.
 

New Thoughts

Old thoughts, really. The more the warnings are looked at, the more concerned I become. I need to hold firm to the fact that Christ has overcome! I need to heed His warnings in my spirit, and to find some means of conveying those concerns to those dear to me. God, this head-of-household role is difficult. To whom much is entrusted, much is required; and You have entrusted much to me. Plant me firmly in Your word, Oh Lord. Keep me from error. Show me Your ways, that I may not stray from them ever. Grant me the gentle firmness to teach Your ways to those in my charge, staying ever faithful to Your revealed will. Help me, Oh God! Walk beside me and guide me. Amen.