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and every spirit who doesn`t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already.
Verse Takeaways
1
The Antichrist's Litmus Test
Commentators agree that the primary test of a spirit is its confession about Jesus. Any teaching that denies Jesus Christ came in the flesh is identified as the "spirit of antichrist." Scholars like Albert Barnes explain this is because denying Jesus's true humanity negates his suffering and atoning sacrifice, which is the foundation of the Christian faith.
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1 John
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12
18th Century
Presbyterian
And every spirit that confesseth not, etc. That is, this doctrine is essential to the Christian system, and anyone who does not h…
Confesseth not (μη ομολογε). Indefinite relative clause with the subjective negative μη rather than the usual objective negative ο…
19th Century
Anglican
NOT ALL SPIRITS ARE THE RESULT OF THE SONSHIP: NECESSITY OF EXAMINING THEM (1 John 4:1–6).
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Baptist
And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, of which y…
Here a negative confession gives the counterpart of that in v.2, and the source of this denial is seen as “the spirit of the antichrist.” John remi…
16th Century
Protestant
And this is that spirit of Antichrist. The Apostle added this to make the deceptions that lead us away from Christ more detestable. We hav…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
And every spirit that confesseth not The proper deity and sonship of Christ, his true and real humanity, and his Messiahs…
Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures may, in humble dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrines accordin…
