Devotion:
Read 1 John 4:1-12.
This reminder to “test the spirits to see if they are from God” is an important part of being the people of Christ. For the context in which John was writing, the focus for that testing was on whether someone would acknowledge that Jesus Christ was both human and divine. The additional lesson I draw from this reminder is that people can call themselves a Christian but do not really follow and live the way of Jesus. They seek to live by the ways and “spirits” of this world but claim to believe in Jesus. Sometimes the only way we can “test" that is by watching and listening to them for a while. How do they treat people? How faithful are they in doing their part as the body of Christ, the Church? If you pay attention and listen for the Holy Spirit to guide you, it will become evident which spirit they follow.
He follows up that focus with an emphasis on loving one another. That in itself reveals so much about whether someone is connected to God. Our writer puts it rather succinctly in verse 8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” As we grow in God’s love, it becomes easier and quicker for people to test and see which Spirit we follow.
Personal Worship Option:
When someone is just getting to know you, how long does it take for them to see that you follow the Holy Spirit who is love?
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