Day 2734– A Discerning Life – Distinguishing Truth from Error – 1 John 4:1-6

Welcome to Day 2731 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2731– A Discerning Life – Distinguishing Truth from Error – 1 John 4:1-6 Putnam Church Message – 10/12/2025 Sermon Series: 1, 2, & 3 John “Distinguishing Truth from Error " Last week, we continued through the letter of 1 John and explored how to have “A Discerning Life: Not Like Cain, But Like Christ!" This week, we continue through the letter of 1 John, and we will explore how to have “Distinguishing Truth from Error” from 1 John 4:1-6 from the NIV, which is found on page 1902 of your Pew Bibles. Discerning False Prophets 4 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ>has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood. Opening Prayer Some statements of Scripture haunt us. If we were to dwell on them too long, meditate on them too deeply, or obsess over them too frequently, they would keep us awake at night. It is much like most news sources and social media posts. We must determine truth from error. They warn of impending trouble for believers and alarming developments for the church. The following passages together paint a pretty bleak picture of the deteriorating world around us:

• “You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.” ( 24:9)
• “And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.” ( 24:11)
• “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.” ( 24:12)
• “For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.” ( 24:24)
• “The time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God.” (John 16:2)
• “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John...