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be careful little ears

1 John 4:1-6 (JDV)

1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every breath, but test the breaths to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:2 This is how you know the Breath of God: Every breath that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,
1 John 4:3 but every breath that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the breath of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.
1 John 4:4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:5 They are from the world. Therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them.
1 John 4:6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Breath of truth and the breath of deception.

be careful little ears

Jesus predicted that false prophets would predominate in this age. John said that they had already arrived and set up shop during his time. He encourages skepticism, and commands his readers to test the breaths (what came out of the prophets’ mouths) to see if what they are saying is from God (1). True prophets confess that Christ came from heaven and existed in the flesh (2:14-15). They agree with the teachings of the apostles (6).

LORD, help us to be discerning about whom we listen to — careful about whom we read, and what we watch.