“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” 1 John 4:1-3 ESV
Make SURE that the Jesus you follow is the True Jesus!
The Bible tells us Jesus is the Only God, for all eternity:
Jesus speaking:
“Fear not, I Am The First and The Last, and The Living One. I died, and behold I Am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:17-18 ESVJesus:
“He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.”
Revelation 19:13 ESV”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it….And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth….No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
John 1:1-4; 14; 18 ESV
“Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”
John 20:28-29 ESV
1 John 4:1-3 tells us to test the spirits and make certain they acknowledge Jesus is from God. It is CRITICAL that we check that the Jesus being preached is the TRUE Jesus! It is not enough to simply name Jesus, it must be the SAME Jesus being named. Many false Christs have gone out into the World, including:
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Muslim Jesus – a great prophet but not the One True God
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Jehovah’s Witness Jesus – not God
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Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Jesus – an exalted man, one of countless men who have attained godhood
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And of course there are always false teachers hidden in every church, wolves in sheep’s clothing, trying to deceive if possible even the elect, motivated by selfish gain.
Test their fruits, study the Bible yourself and continually soak in the truth of the Word so you will easily recognize false teaching when you see it.
The Bible gives many names for Jesus: Son of God, Son of Man, The Word of God, The Word Made Flesh, Redeemer, Messiah, Savior, Lord, God, The One Who Made All That Was Made, The One Who Holds The Keys Of Death And Hades, I AM The Living One, King Of Kings And Lord Of Lords, and Emmanuel which means God With Us!
The God of the Universe died the most brutal death in our place on the cross, to forever pay for our sins and redeem us as His own. May We know Him and may we know when we are not being led toward Him!
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