I have recently started another round of a bible study that reviews the very least every believer ought to know. It is shaping up to be an interesting study. So far, we have about 7 or 8 people in the class and every one of them appear to be well read scholars of scripture. These scholars all come from unique backgrounds. From lifelong Lutherans to born again Baptist, from seasoned soldiers to little ladies. For example, there is a gentleman studying with us who leads a group of Chinese Christians who gather in his living room to study the bible in Mandarin. The gentleman’s name is Bob, though I suspect that is the name he uses out of kindness to those whose tongues might struggle to pronounce the name given to him at birth.
The group Bob leads has grown so large, I think there are about 17 families meeting, that they are no longer able to comfortably fit in his living room. Which is what brought Bob to me. A few weeks before Easter I met Bob on my way into church, I mean literally I was all gowned up and headed in to lead a worship service. Bob said he wanted to talk to me about using our facility for his group. I told Bob I was about to go “do a thing” and he was welcome to join us, but we could maybe talk later.
The next day Bob followed up with me and we sat down to discuss his request. I told Bob, for us doctrine, that is biblical teaching, is everything and we would only be willing to support a ministry that was in complete agreement with us concerning the teachings found in Scripture. Typically, when I say something like that people look at me like I am a religious relic from a time before relative truth and personal beliefs ruled the land. Bob, on the other hand, remained interested, so I quickly continued. I told Bob I thought the best way we could determine whether or not we were in complete agreement concerning scripture was if he attended a study that I lead concerning the very least every believer ought to know.
For those of you who think that was just a clever way for me to get more people in Bible study, well you would be right, but also, I explained to Bob though the class was designed to teach biblical truths to those who wished to join our congregation, it was also an opportunity for Bob to do what 1 John 4:1 tells all of us to do. “Dear friends”, John writes. “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.” I told Bob as long as his group was worshiping in our facility they would be associated with our beliefs, and it was in Bob’s best interest to test me; test me and determine whether I am a preacher or a pretender.
You should probably do the same; you should probably do what I invited Bob to do, you should test me to see whether I am a preacher or pretender. In 1 John 4:1-6 saint John tells us it is in our best interest to be able to know the difference between the two.
In 1 John 4:5 John tells us that the pretenders are a product of the world. John writes, “5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” John acknowledges (and we can observe by looking at the mega churches that surround us) that pretenders have no trouble gathering large crowds of people who are willing to hear what they have to say. This is due, in large part, to the pretenders’ willingness to say what people want them to say. Now the pretender is able to say it in a way that sounds spiritual, but for the most part the pretender honestly doesn’t have much to say. I mean they may have thoughts as to how one might win friends and influence people, they might wax eloquent on purpose driven lives and social injustice, but as far as eternity is concerned, as far as being able to stand before the pearly gates with complete confidence you are going to be admitted into the kingdom of God, the pretender doesn’t have much to say. A pretender speaking from the viewpoint of the world makes you think of what wise king Solomon wrote in Proverbs 14:12, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”
Further, back in 1 John 4:1 John tells us the pretenders are not to be trusted. There John called them “false prophets”. The pretender is not content with the content of Scripture. To some pretenders Scripture is too restrictive, to others it is not restrictive enough. Therefore, the pretender feels compelled to either add to or subtract from what God has written. They supplement justification by grace alone with pious pilgrimages and acts of penance. They seek to sooth the guilty conscience by recasting the one who sits on the judgement seat of heaven as an indulgent hippie. The pretender has no problem proclaiming papal bulls or personal opinions as the word of God. A pretender doesn’t need a bible passage to support their teaching. They are happy to simply speak their truth. A pretender spewing falsehood makes you think of what the prophet Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 23:31, “Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The LORD declares.’”
Finally, in 1 John 4:3 John tells us who the pretenders work for. John writes, “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.” The pretender of course does not see themselves as anti-Christ. The pretender sees themselves as theologically evolved from what they believe to be the myths and fairytales of the past. The pretender sees themselves as a guide on one of many paths to whatever version of the happily ever after you believe in. The problem is Jesus believed in creation and the flood and the other things the pretenders call myths and fairytales. The problem is Jesus didn’t believe there were many paths to paradise; Jesus believed He was the way the truth and the life, Jesus believed that no one could come to the Father except through Him, Jesus believed that salvation was found in no one else. If a pretender does not believe what Jesus believed they are not pro-Christ, but they are by definition anti-Christ. A pretender’s antichristian spirit makes you think of what the prophet Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 43:11, “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.”
You see now why I said it was in your best interest for you to be able to tell the difference between a preacher and a pretender. A pretender leads his followers on a deadly path away from salvation and into damnation. I don’t believe any coherent Christian with a kernel of faith wants to knowingly follow a pretender. But how do you determine the difference between the two; how can you “test the spirits”, as John says, to see if the man standing before you in the pulpit is a preacher or pretender? It is tempting to be distracted by a white gown or fancy suit, it is common to equate popularity with piety, it is easy to mistake charisma for character, but these are not the proofs of a true preacher. In 1 John 4:2 saint john tells us how to tell the difference between preacher and pretender. John writes, “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”. A preacher acknowledges Jesus Christ, not simply as a guide or guru, not simply as an ideal or standard, but the preacher acknowledges who Jesus is and what Jesus came to do.
The preacher proclaims that Jesus is your sinless substitute. The preacher acknowledges that Jesus has come, as John wrote, “in the flesh”. Though it is not what people want to hear, though it will seldom permit him to win friends or influence people, the preacher knows that the flesh has been completely corrupted by sin, that because of sin there is no one who does good, not even one. The preacher knows that unless God sent a flesh and blood man Who would succeed where we have failed; Who was tempted in every way just as we are, yet was without sin, unless God sent Jesus in the flesh we would be lost. Which is why the preacher proclaims Jesus is your sinless substitute.
Further, the preacher proclaims that Jesus is your perfect sacrifice. The preacher acknowledges that Jesus is, as John wrote, “from God”. I think most rational people understand the punishment should fit the crime. It seems right to us that an infraction is punished differently than a misdemeanor and a misdemeanor is punished differently than a felony. Well then what punishment do you imagine would fit a crime committed against God’s holy law? The preacher understands that there is no amount of gold or silver that can pay for that sort of crime. The preacher understands there is no sacrifice we can make and no good that we can do that will rebalance the scales of justice in our favor. The preacher knows that the only punishment that fits our crimes against God’s holy law is an eternity in hell. Thankfully, the preacher knows, Jesus is “from God”. The preacher knows Jesus is holiness itself. The preacher knows that Jesus allowed His holy innocent blood to be shed so that the punishment for our sins would fit the crime. Which is why the preacher proclaims Jesus is your perfect sacrifice.
Finally, the preacher proclaims that Jesus is your living Savior. The preacher is able to make such a proclamation because when Jesus rose from the dead on easter morning it proved His sinless substitution and His perfect sacrifice were accepted. Which means you now are what John called you both in verse 1 and also in verse 4. Because of your living Savior Jesus you are now the dearly loved “friends” and “children” of the heavenly Father. Which is why the preacher proclaims Jesus as your living Savior.
The preacher proclaims Jesus to be your sinless substitute, your perfect sacrifice, and your living Savior. Once you find yourself a preacher saint John tells you what to do in 1 John 4:6. John writes, “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 of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” Listen to the preacher, dear friends. Manage your schedule, set aside the time, and prioritize the opportunities you have that you might hear as much as you can about who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for you. God sent the preacher to lead you down a path of righteousness that delivers you from this world of sin to eternal salvation. Therefore, dear friends, dear children of the heavenly father, test me and determine whether I am a preacher or pretender, listen to what I say and see if you recognize the Spirit of truth, compare my words with God’s Words and then find comfort in the knowledge that Jesus sent you a preacher.
I don’t know what will come of my conversations with Bob. I am happy to say, so far it looks as though we are in complete agreement concerning the teachings found in scripture. I am hopeful for a future where Sunday afternoons our church is full of Chinese Christians acknowledging in Mandarin that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and is from God, I ask for your prayers that it be so. But until then If you are looking for an interesting bible study to attend, I invite you to join us Wednesday night at 7pm and discover for yourself whether I am a preacher or pretender. But even if your schedule prevents you from attending the study, there are other ways you can test me. You can for instance come back next Sunday and listen to what I say concerning who Jesus is and what Jesus has done for you and then compare what I say with what God has written about Jesus. Now, you may have to come more than one Sunday to really put me to the test. Probably best if you hear what I have to say for an entire year before you come to any conclusions. And then even after a year you might want to keep coming to be sure I don’t suddenly turn into a pretender. For those of you who think this is a clever way for me to get more people in bible study and worship, well you would be right, but also the more time you spend in God’s Word, the more equipped you are to recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood and ensure you are listening to a preacher and not a pretender. Amen.