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We are from The God.1 The person knowing The God listens to us.2 Whoever is not from The God does not listen to us.3 From this we know the truthfully inspired-message and the erroneous inspired-message.4
| 1 | We are from The God: Or, NOR: we, on the other hand, are God’s people. (1 John 3:10) When John says “we” he means the Saints, those who have “the anointing” he mentions in 1 John 2:20 and particularly those who represent Christ as “apostles.” (3 John 9) |
| 2 | The person knowing The God listens to us: Or, BER: whoever has acquaintance with God listens to us. John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice.” Those who truly “know” God in intimate acquaintance will automatically listen to the “anointed” who have kept the word of those original teachings of the Nazarene Master |
| 3 | Whoever is not from The God does not listen to us: Or, NEB: refuses us a hearing. John 8:47, “The person who originates from The God listens to the Sayings of The God. This is the reason you never listen, because you do not originate from The God.” (John 14:17 [NCMM Paraphrase]) |
| 4 | From this we know the truthfully inspired-message and the erroneous inspired-message: Or, WEY: by this test we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of error; MOF: this is how we recognize. (1 John 4:1) John’s argument is simple: if you are from God you will listen to us; if you are not from God you will not listen to us. It is the same argument Jesus used. (John 8:47) This recognition of those teachings coming from the “anointed” is the simple test of what is truth and what is error – this in response to 4.1. The test of “inspired expressions” is three-fold: a) listen to righteous anointed persons; b) confess a flesh and blood Christ; c) a loving spirit. |
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose 1 John 4:6 as the theme verse of chapter four – Knowing Relationship. John warns Christians not to believe every “inspiration.” [1] Many pseudo prophets have made their appearance in that “last hour.” How can a Christian know the source of an “inspiration”? [2, 3] It must teach that Jesus “came in the flesh.” How can one know the Truth? [4-6] By listening, not to the world, but to God’s inspired messages. Also, love demonstrates that one has been born of God. [7-10] The person who is unloving does not know God who is love. We can know true love by remembering God’s own example in sending His Son. Christians are obligated to love one another. [11-16] God’s love is perfected in the Christian who continues to show the divine kind of love. [16-19] If Christians continue to love they will be free-spoken on the Day of Judgment. The person who is fearful because of not loving has not been perfected. Christians must continue to love God and others. [20, 21] The person who does not love those in the fellowship cannot possibly love God.
Abba our Father bless those who continue in love.
[10 September 2002]
