With the fourth chapter of John's First Epistle we enter upon what can fairly be described as the third "book" or treatise into which this Epistle is divided. The first, chapters 1 and 2, could be entitled the "walk by faith"; the second, chapter 3, the "walk by love"; and the third, chapters 4 and 5, the "walk by knowledge". The theme of these two chapters is doctrine, and whereas John in the previous portion of his epistle is dwelling upon and warning his readers against moral shortcomings, he now turns around and begins to talk about doctrinal errors. It is a very necessary aspect of Christian instruction. These believers of the Early Church were very prone, as are we ourselves, to belittle the importance of doctrinal teaching and to over-stress the place of the devotional and contemplative aspects of the Christian life. It was in consequence of that mistake that so many of the early Christians quickly lapsed into the grossest of sins under the mistaken impression that if the heart was pure it mattered little what was done in or by the body. John does not depart from his central theme, Jesus Christ the centre and circle of our faith and life, but he does speak of Him and His way from the doctrinal rather than the moral position.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (v.1). These "spirits" of course are the opinions, beliefs, influences, teachings, which, emanating either from the Father or from the Arch-enemy of mankind, according to their nature, whether good or bad influences, determine the course in life taken by the one receiving them. This verse has no reference to unseen angelic beings, 'spirits', whether good or evil, and there is no mandate here for investigations into spiritualistic phenomena as some have thought. We are not to accept at its face value any apparently attractive looking teaching that may be presented to us just because at first sight it looks reasonable or God-like.

We are to test the teaching to determine whether it be of God, because there are many false prophets and false prophecies, teachings, in the world and we need to be on our guard. The words of Paul to the Ephesians are appropriate here. In exhorting them to see that they are not deceived by the vain words of unregenerate men he bids them walk as children of light, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord (Eph.5.8-10). The believers in the Greek city of Berea were especially commended because they searched the Scriptures continually to assure themselves of the truth of the things which they had heard. In like manner also the Thessalonians were exhorted to "despise not prophesyings (teachings); prove all things; hold fast that which is good". (1 Thess.5.21).

This is one of the Scriptural supports for that right of private judgment which is the privilege of every consecrated Christian. No matter what the 'official' teaching of one's fellowship on the subject under discussion or the weight of tradition behind the generally accepted belief, it is always the privilege, and right, and even the duty, of each individual to judge for himself and arrive at his own conclusion. None can take away that right, for it was conferred by the teachings of the Lord and the Apostles and sealed by the authority of the Holy Spirit. None may question it or deny it, for the same reason.

But this implies a corresponding responsibility. This right of private judgment is not a licence to spiritual anarchy. The Apostles' insistence on individual "searching" and "discerning" of the doctrines does not ignore or disparage the communal sharing in matters of belief that is necessary to the order and harmony of a Christian fellowship. The same liberty that accords each one the right of private judgment demands also that the expressed belief of the majority composing a group or community be respected. There are so many who have discovered ‑ or think they have discovered ‑ some startling new variation from a doctrinal truth formerly held, and immediately conceive it their duty to bludgeon their fellows into acceptance of the new view, stigmatising as "sectarian", "followers of a man" "spiritually blind"; etc., those who do not accept the new finding. We sometimes come across men and women who claim to have been entrusted with some marvellous understanding of new light on the Divine Word. Their actions make it perfectly obvious to the most casual observer that they are far from fit to be entrusted with a Divine commission at all. So the Apostle, writing to the Corinthians, appeals to their maturity of understanding. "I speak as to wise men: judge ye what I say" (1 Cor. 10.15). In soberness and gravity, fully aware of the issues involved, both for ourselves and our fellows, let us use our God-given powers of judgment for our own establishment in the Truth, and also for that of others.

John's assertion that "many false prophets are gone out into the world" was not news to the more reflective of his readers. The infant church was still less than seventy years old The first generation had to all intents and purposes passed away but the second generation still lived and there may have been a few left, like John himself, advanced in old age who remembered the Day of Pentecost with its thrilling happenings. If so they had been very young ‑ mere youths and girls ‑ at the time. Those who were the leaders and teachers in the Church, men who had sat at the feet of the Apostles, learned of them, laboured with them, served them, men like Timothy, Titus and Silvanus, - knew full well that already all was not well with the life of the Church.

Some had left or were leaving their first love; some were introducing fragments of paganism and Eastern philosophies under the pretext that these were the true teachings of the Lord and represented the inner meaning of His sayings. The world, the flesh and the devil were continually seeking to break in upon the fellowship. The early expectation of an almost immediate return of the Lord and the imminent establishment of His Kingdom was fading in the light of clearer understanding of Apostolic teaching. No one had any conception of the time that was truly to elapse until the end of the Age. The time was sufficiently far away to induce a lessening of love and zeal on the part of those whose faith rested more upon the desire for immediate glory than the devotion of life, and all life holds, to the Lord, for however long that life may last. So the false prophets found ground in which their teachings could take root and begin to flourish. Jesus had forewarned them of this. Long before the End Time, He told His disciples (Matt. 24), there would many come in His name, saying "I am Christ", and would deceive many. "Take heed" He said "that no man deceive you . . . Many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many." Here in John's epistle, written less than seventy years later, is the melancholy record of the fulfilment of that prediction. The writings of the Early Fathers, the works of the Church historians, the records of the many ecclesiastical conferences and synods and councils, throughout the first four centuries of Christianity, all show how amply justified were those warnings of the Master and of His Apostles. Not only in the last days did perilous times come, they were there almost from the beginning.

AOH