1 John 4

Chapter 4 starts off talking about- recognizing the spirit behind those who acknowledge Jesus Christ and those who don’t.

1 John 4 (NIV)

On Denying the Incarnation
1 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. 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, 3 but 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.

John uses the Greek word “pneuma” which we translate as spirit; in this use it means “a professed possessor of a spiritual communication.” In other words… what you believe in, what do you profess, either Jesus was from God or He wasn’t.
The false prophets John was referring to have been around since the beginning, they sound good and prophesy in Gods name and all, but they are off just enough to cause harm or damage. John warns us to test everything, to see if it lines up with the true Word of God. If it doesn’t , its not from or of God.
Christians who are acquainted with the Scriptures, should test all teachings and supposed “Words from God”, the more pure and holy the teachings are, the more likely it is from God; this is the only time we as believers are allowed to judge or test the spirits. The bible tells us to not judge people but to judge their actions. People of the world do worldly things , where as people of the spirit do spiritual things.

Matthew 7:16
By their fruit you will recognize them.

The use of the word “antichrist” is from the Greek word “antichristos” which simply means “an opposer of Christ” (plural).
Jeremiah 14:14
Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.

Matthew 7:15
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

4 You, 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. 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.

John again repeats himself, but this time he refers to us as dear children or little children. Here John wants to remind us that we are God’s children, not the devils children. The false prophets (children of the world aka of the devil), had many followers, they made rapid progress and the world approved them; the world will love its own, and its own will love it. But the Spirit of Truth will lead men from the world (spirit of falsehood) to God.
God’s Love and Ours
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Love. God is love and the law of God is love. God has shown Himself to be love, as to offer us eternal life through His son Jesus. The provision of the Gospel, for the forgiveness of sin, for the salvation of sinners, shows that God is love.
All we have to do is acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, that He is Lord, accept Him into our hearts, profess with your mouth and believe, you will be saved and share in God’s love. God’s Spirit of love now dwells in the hearts of those who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:9-10
9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

1 Corinthians 3:16
16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit dwell in your midst?

17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
There will be a day of universal judgment, it will come. But for those who have Jesus as their Lord and Savior, there is a confidence, a boldness , to approach the day of judgement , and it’s all due to the true love within us. True love or perfect love, drives out all fear and fear is from the devil. The devil knows of the punishment awaiting him at the day of judgement, and he doesn’t want to go there alone. That is why he is trying to deceive us so badly, he doesn’t want us to go to Heaven. His mission is to get us to deny Christ and God.
True love to God assures believers of God’s love to them. True love teaches us that we will be glorified with Jesus. We as believers must distinguish between the fear of God and being afraid of Him; the fear of God is, simply put, a “reverence” for God.
Obedience and good works, done through the principle of love, are done because you want to do it, you want to please God, not because your afraid of what might happen if you don’t serve. God tells us we can, where as the devil tells us we can’t, and that we are not worthy.
If we have God’s perfect love within us then we will love God’s children, our brothers and sisters. This commandment goes without question … anyone who loves God “must” love their brother and sister!
You can never have the evidence of being a true Christian if you cannot love your brothers and sisters! This is the great commandment from Jesus, on which hangs all the law and the prophets (Matt 22:37-39, Mark 12:29-31, Luke 10:27, John 13:34-35)

Leviticus 19:18
18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.