1 John 4:1

1 John 4:1 says, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  John tells us that there are many false spirits in the world and people who would lead us to believe in them.  Anytime we are led to do something that opposes what God's word teaches us, we are led by a false spirit.  I believe that this can be either a spirit of desire that lives in us or a false spirit found in the world and proclaimed by some individual under the leadership of a false spirit.  

Verse two adds, Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  John then tells us how to know that we are led by the Holy Spirit and not a false spirit.  He said that we can know this if we confess that Jesus came in the flesh and was sent by God to be the Redeemer of all.  Of course, we must confess that Jesus Christ is not only a Man sent from God but is Himself God.  Also, even though He died for everyone, we must personally accept Him as our Savior and Lord.  

Verse three continues, And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  The opposite is also true.  If anyone doesn't acknowledge Jesus Christ came in the flesh as their personal Savior and Lord, they are not of God, but of the antichrist.  He added that people had heard that the antichrist was to come and that he was already in the world.  As long as we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we don't have to worry about the antichrist.

Verse four states, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  John then referred to those he was writing to as little children and said they had overcome the world because the Holy Spirit that lived in them is greater than anything in the world.  As followers of Christ, we aren't secure spiritually because of anything we have done, but we are spiritually secure because of what Jesus did.  He paid the penalty for our sins, once and forever.  

Verse five adds, They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  John said that those who were of the world and not of God spoke of things of the world and the unsaved people of the world heard them and believed them.  We as Christians may hear unsaved people talk, but we should never believe them if what they are saying opposes the word of God.  

Verse six continues, We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.  John added that if we are of God that those who are also of God will hear us.  He then said that those who were not of God would not hear us.  I believe this means hearing and understanding what we speak about God.  He concluded by saying this is the way we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error.     

1 John 3:18

1 John 3:18 says, My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  John again referred to those he was writing to as little children, and sometimes we need to have a childlike faith.  He said they should show their love by their actions and the truth of God and not just by what they said.  Empty words, those not spoken with the love of God behind them, mean nothing to those we speak to nor to the person speaking them.  

Verse nineteen adds, And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.   John said if we live our lives by doing what we know God would have us do and not just speaking empty words that have no effect on those around us or on us, then we can know that we live by the truth of God.  When we do, our hearts can be assured before God.  

Verse twenty continues, For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  John said if our heart condemns us that God is greater than our heart. He added that God knows all things.  We may fool the world with a false faith, but we will never fool God.  

Verse twenty-one concludes, Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  John then stated if our heart, or our thoughts, do not condemn us, then then we can have confidence before God.  If we are a follower of Christ, I believe we will always know when  we are not living in accordance with His will.  

Verse twenty-two states, And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  John said that whatever we ask from God we will receive because we keep God's commandments.  I believe this means anything we need to in accordance with our calling from God and not just anything we desire in the world; though many people profess that God will give us anything we desire.  

Verse twenty-three adds, And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  John then states that the commandment we should believe is that we believe on the name of Jesus Christ and love one another.  I believe this means that we are to have a Godlike love for everyone, even people that we do not like.  

Verse twenty-four continues, And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.  John said when we keep God's commandments and dwell in His love that we can know that God lives in us as well.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we need to live by His direction.  If we do, we can know that we are saved.

1 John 3:14

1 John 3:14 says, We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.  John tells us if we can know that we have passed from death to life by loving our brother, which means all other people I believe.  He adds if we don't love our brother, that death still abides in us.  We cannot proclaim to have the life of Christ in us and still have hatred toward other people.  

Verse fifteen adds, Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.  John then tells us that hating our brother is the same as murdering him.  He then adds that no murderer can have eternal life living in him.  I believe this means that anyone who is led by the Holy Spirit can never be guilty of murdering someone, and if they are a follower of Christ, they should be led by the Holy Spirit.  He did not say killing someone, but murdering, or choosing to kill someone deliberately.   

Verse sixteen continues, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.  John said we can know that we love God if we are willing to lay down our life for our brothers, just as Jesus laid down His life for all people.  Jesus did not just die for some people, but for all people, even those who were crucifying Him.  This is the same type of love that we should have for everyone.  

Verse seventeen concludes, But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?  John expands this thought of not murdering our brother to leaving someone in need if we have the ability to help them.  We should never put material things above showing the love of God to the world.