357. Test the Spirits

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because 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 of God.” [Emphasis added].

Now we come to the great question regarding our faith: What kind of flesh did Jesus Christ take upon Himself??

“All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, another of birds.” 1 Cor. 15:39. Since Jesus Christ was a man, naturally He must have had the flesh of a human being. He even preferred to call himself the Son of Man.

It is written clearly, “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Heb. 2:14-15.

By faith in Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh, an individual is liberated from the tremendous fear that comes from bondage. We have seen this proven time and time again.

In Romans 1:3-4 it is written that Jesus was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Notice that it was by the resurrection of the dead that Jesus Christ was proven to be the Son of God.

In Rom. 8:3 it is written further about Jesus Christ manifest in the flesh: “God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.”

We have been accused of teaching that Jesus had “a flesh contaminated by sin.” This statement is a complete lie! The right thing for the author in question to do would be to amend this as quickly as possible and retract this statement. We have never, ever written or taught any such thing. We have, however, written a considerable amount about the fact that sin was condemned in Jesus’ flesh, and that Jesus suffered death according to the flesh, etc.; this is the complete opposite of pampering the flesh so that you become contaminated by sin. A person can write books and pronounce judgments with lies, but when the foundation is a lie, everything that is built on it is also a lie. That is why, for my part, I consider all such writings as trash.

We believe, therefore, we speak, and it is the word of faith that we preach. This faith has made me incredibly happy, and this same faith and same glory are spread daily to a group of people who choose to suffer with Christ in order to be glorified with Him.

It is written in Jude verse 10,

“But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.”

A human being is by nature a fallen creation, and when an individual uses this nature to interpret spiritual things, it only leads to corruption. Even when this fallen nature writes and speaks with pleasant and amiable words about Jesus, and on this foundation desires to defend Him just as Peter did, after his natural inclination, it is all still just plain nonsense.

No one can understand Jesus without the revelations of the Spirit. Jesus does not reveal Himself to anyone other than those who have and keep His commandments. John 14:22-23. We must have this Spirit that gives knowledge of the Lord and a fear of Him so that we can understand Him. Isa. 11:2. Only then can we accurately speak about Him. Everything else is assumptions and talk according to the flesh—without any basis in God’s Word. Even if a person is ever so concerned and sympathetic by nature, all their assumptions and talk according to the flesh will be as stubble before the fire.

It is true what is written, “And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” 1 Cor. 8:2-3. He is known by God even if he is unknown by men, to the degree that men believe they are pleasing God by rejecting his name as something evil.

It is written further, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls.” 1 Cor. 10:12.

It is only those who are called “My beloved,” 1 John 4:1, who can test spirits. Only those who thoroughly know the Spirit of the Lord can discern false prophets and false spirits. A person must have a very exhaustive knowledge of authentic money in order to recognize a counterfeit. Therefore we must have knowledge of Christ manifest in the flesh and His testimony in order to be able to recognize a false prophet by his testimony.

Jesus’ testimony is again a testimony about Jesus Christ manifest in the flesh.

“And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” 1 John 5:8.

This is God’s testimony of the Spirit’s total victory over sin in the flesh—water (outer purity) and blood (inner purity). This is something quite different from what we are accused of teaching, that Jesus had a flesh contaminated by sin. Jesus suffered death according to the flesh, so that even water and blood flowed. Blessed be His faithfulness in the days of His flesh. In the body of His flesh we will also be reconciled through death, so that the testimony of Jesus will be revealed in our mortal bodies. Col. 1:22.

Now when a false prophet is to be evaluated, and you are unsure as to whether he is a false or a true prophet, direct the conversation toward the water and the blood. Speak with him about being obedient to God for the rest of his life, about having crucified the flesh with its lusts and desires, about always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal body, etc. Read to him Philippians 3:10: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”

When you do this, the true prophet will rejoice and delight and contribute even more along these same lines, whereas the false prophet will become dark, cold, and nasty. If by this direct conversation you reduce the false prophet’s carnal greatness down to water and blood, down to nothing, then his true character will awaken in full fury. He will accuse you of having a hard spirit, being without love, being judgmental, etc.

Who is this in front of you? Certainly you are facing a false prophet who preaches another Jesus and who does not have the testimony of the Spirit, the water, and the blood.

There is another spirit in this man, a spirit that says, “Spare yourself.” This spirit hates both the judgment of the light and the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ. This spirit will desperately refuse to descend to the testimony of the water and of the blood.

A prophet like this preaches another gospel, a gospel where all the work has already been accomplished, so you can take it easy and relax. It is bondage for him to follow Jesus on the new and living way through the veil, His flesh. Jesus is dead and has perfected the work over 1900 years ago, and this is sufficient for him. Then he can lead a careless, indifferent, and sloppy existence, as long as it does not go too far. Being crucified with Christ is a nuisance for him. Gal. 5:24.

Such false prophets noticeably thrive in home meetings along with Diotrephes, “Who loves to have the preeminence among them,” (this is a long way from the testimony of Jesus). But this Diotrephes did not receive the apostle John. 3 John 10.

Therefore John kept himself in the midst of a flock of friends far away from Diotrephes. He was together with Demetrius who had a good testimony from all, including the truth itself. Demetrius also received a good testimony from John. And we know that John had the testimony of Christ: Spirit, water, and blood, in himself. Rev. 1:2.

Among these precious brothers we have our most intimate meetings and proclaim loud and clear together with John:

“We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6.