We live in an age when the church is very permissive. There is a popular saying, "love unite, doctrine divides." 1 John 4:1-6, a passage on discernment, is inserted in the passage on the doctrine of Christian love for one other. True biblical love is a discerning love.

False prophets (1 John 4:1) are not only unique to New Testament time or today, they were also present in Old Testament time (Deut 13:1-3). Thus, John very clearly put forth to all readers not to be naive, but to try every spirit whether they are of God. The word “try” refers to purifying a metal to check if it is genuine or not. Thus, we must be very careful to put everything to the test in whether they are truly of God or of the devil.

There are two perfect guides that will help us to judge and discern the spirit if it is of God or not. They are the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

To be able to use God’s Word as our guide, we must first study God’s Word. We must know God’s Word very well. We cannot neglect God’s Word because when we start to slacken, the devil will attack us. So, let us be very careful and diligent in studying of God’s Word. God’s Word is not like any other book. It is a spiritual book and requires us to spiritually discern it. Thus, we need the Holy Spirit to understand God’s Word.

It is the Holy Spirit that can lead us to God’s truth. If we are truly born again, we will be able to discern (1 John 4:5-6). The word “know” (1 John 4:6) refers to the experiential knowledge of Christ. In other words, it is to say that Christ Jesus is truly our Shepherd, and we will follow and obey Him. When a person is not able to discern spiritual things, it is a sign that he is not born again. To know and experience the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error, we must separate from compromising.

If we are truly Christians, let us exercise discernment, as it is a test of how much we love God. Let us therefore go to the two perfect guides so that we can discern and act according to the Word of God. Do we love God and love our brethren? Let us be discerning.