I John 4:1-6

Dear friends, 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. 2This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3but 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. 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

5“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6We 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.

“The people of our nation and the people of the whole world need to be gripped by the moral imperatives which grow out of the nature of God, by a sense of right, by principles of truth, and by ideals of decency. Nothing is more needed by this sinful world than a revival of simple goodness and genuine uprightness.” -Clifton J. Allen

NO. 1: THE DEVALUING OF HUMAN LIFE.

1. The spirit of truth .

2. The spirit of falsehood .

“The current epidemic of self-doubt has resulted from a totally unjust and unnecessary system of evaluating human worth non-relevant in our society.”
-James Dobson, Focus on the Family

NO. 2: FOCUSING ON THE NOW AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FUTURE.

Caution No. 1: There’s Always an “Imp” in Impulse .

Caution No. 2: It’s Easier to “Stay Out” Than to “Get Out” .

NO. 3: ACCUMULATING THINGS THAT WILL PERISH.

1. The meism mindset. Revelation 3:17

“You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”

2. The earthbound mindset. I Corinthians 3:10-15

“Deferred joys purchased by sacrifice are always sweetest and most enduring.” -Bishop Fulton Sheen

NO. 4: MENU-DRIVEN BELIEF SYSTEMS.

1. Lack of moral and spiritual absolutes . Acts 4:12

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

2. Acceptance of false teachers and spiritual gurus . Acts 17:11

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

NO. 5: SECULAR MEDIA SHAPING THE PUBLIC’S VIEW OF THE CHURCH.

1. They picture pastors as naive and wimpy .

2. They portray churches as indifferent and militaristic .

3. They picture people coming to church with doubts about God.