To Whom Are You Listening? I. Introduction A. Importance of source work in life 1. When statements are made, people normally want to understand what authority under girds the statement 2. On what basis is the statement made? 3. Where did you get your facts? B. The validity of statements are often predicated on the source 1. Sometimes "mama" is a good source 2. Sometimes one would require a scholarly source 3. It is never good, however, to be called out for using an improper or misinformed source! C. This is also important in spiritual matters 1. What's the source of the spiritual belief? 2. What provides its foundation? D. There is also a deeper matter: what is the source that you turn to? 1. The sources that people seek for spiritual guidance are often quite telling 2. Where do you go for spiritual guidance? 3. In short, in spiritual terms, to whom are you listening? II. A Critical Question A. This is no inconsequential matter 1. To whom one listens is a matter of importance 2. It often dictates how one acts B. There are many sources to which people today turn and listen 1. Many trust in televangelists or people they hear on television 2. Others look to a pastor or representative of a denomination to guide them 3. Many look to other religions and their claims 4. Our society is obsessed with science, and not a few look to what science teaches to guide them 5. Many look to family members or friends for answers 6. In our postmodern society, a lot of people do not listen to anyone-- they trust their own conscience to guide them C. As can be expected, different advice leads to different actions 1. All kinds of people act quite differently on the basis of the differing advice they receive 2. Some may feel justified in their conduct because some "authority" approved it (cf. 2 Timothy 4:3-4) 3. Human beings seem supremely qualified in finding different ways to rationalize behavior they desire to perform D. What, then, are we do to in such an environment? 1. To whom shall we listen? 2. Should we accept the things said by any of the people we've mentioned? 3. Who should be the source of authority? III. 1 John 4:1-6 A. As Christians, we naturally turn to God as our authority 1. If we believe that He is our Creator, has a plan for us, loves us, and is the One True God (Genesis 1:26-27, Ephesians 3:11, Hebrews 12:4-13), then we naturally turn to Him for guidance 2. We can pray to Him for wisdom (James 1:4-5) 3. But how can we make sure that we are truly listening to God? B. John answers this question in 1 John 4:1-6 C. 1 John 4:1-3 1. John establishes that we cannot believe every spirit-- there are many false spirits about (v. 1) 2. There is an imperative for us, therefore, to "test the spirits" (v. 1) 3. In context, the matter of dispute is the nature of Jesus-- those who accept that He came in the flesh speak from God, those who deny it speak as of the world (vv. 2-3) 4. Those who deny that Jesus came in the flesh represent the spirit of the antichrist (v. 3)! D. 1 John 4:4-6 1. John continues by asserting the supremacy of God over the evil one (v. 4) 2. Verse 5 important: those who deny Jesus in the flesh are from the world, speak as the world, and the world hears them 3. Contrast: "we" are from God, and those who know God listen to "us" (v. 6) 4. Those who do not listen to "us" are not of God (v. 6) 5. Thus, John establishes, one is able to discern the spirit of truth from the spirit of error (v. 6) E. What does this all mean? IV. Application A. John provides a layout for understanding 1. John speaks, in context, regarding those who taught docetism 2. We should not limit application, however, only to that issue 3. Knowledge of God manifest in whether one observes the commandments (1 John 2:3-6) 4. If one believes that Jesus came in the flesh, but practices immorality or teaches another type of false doctrine, such persons do not really know God and 1 John 4:1-6 equally applies! B. John establishes the need to test everything according to God's standard 1. The need to "test the spirits" (1 John 4:1) 2. How can we know what is really from God? 3. That which is in accordance with that which has already been revealed-- the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17) C. Presence of Conforming Error 1. This "testing" is so necessary on account of the presence of the spirit of error in the world (1 John 4:1, 6) 2. The error at his time, as established-- docetism 3. 1 John 4:5 is illustrative: docetism flourished because it made "more sense" to the Greek world around the Christians 4. God "appearing" but not really being flesh was more appealing than understanding that Jesus was God in the flesh! 5. Error is often clear because those who teach it appeal somehow to worldly desires or expectations 6. As 1 John 4:5 says, those in the world (cf. 1 John 2:15-17) speak as the world and the world listens 7. The world listens because it is not uncomfortable and it suits its desires! D. Truth 1. Those who are "of God", however, speak the truth (1 John 4:1-6) 2. Even if the world is appealing, God is stronger (1 John 4:4)! 3. John speaks of "we"-- "we" speak, and those who listen to God hear (1 John 4:6)! 4. While "we" in grammatical context would refer to the Apostle and his audience... 5. ...we must make sure that we are really in the "we"! 6. Many read this passage and automatically assume that they are included 7. How can this be confirmed? E. We may know if we are party with the Apostle by understanding to whom we listen! 1. "We" are those who walk with Christ and do His commandments (1 John 1:5-2:6) 2. "We" are those who listen to God (1 John 4:6)! 3. If we are going to be a part of that "we", we must be the ones listening to God and listening to those who teach God's truths! 4. If we believe the truth, and preach the truth, we may know the spirit of God from the spirit of error-- those who teach the truth with us versus those who teach anything contrary (cf. Galatians 1:6-9) V. The Contrast A. The question, then, returns to us-- to whom are we listening? B. A spirit of error? 1. Do we follow after a spirit of error? 2. Do we listen to a source that is in the world, speaks as the world, and to which the world listens? 3. Do we uncritically just accept what is said or do we test the spirits as Bereans, searching the Scriptures to see what is so (Acts 17:11, 1 John 4:1)? C. A spirit of truth? 1. Do we listen to God? 2. Do we listen to those who accurately convey God's truth? 3. Are we willing to listen, even when the message is hard to swallow, and requires us to change to conform to Christ (Galatians 2:20)? 4. Are we willing to hear the message, even with its unpopular parts and hard expectations? D. There is no middle ground-- we must choose! E. Let us seek to listen to God and His Word today! F. Invitation/songbook