1473. We Know by Our Hearing the Truth

We Know by Our Hearing the Truth

"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" (1Jn_4:6).

In John's Epistle, he tells us that many false teachers have gone forth into the world; he tells us of the coming of the Antichrist; he tells us of those who abide not in the teachings of Christ.

John tells us that there are two spirits manifest in the world–One is the Spirit of Truth, and the other is the spirit of error.

That which interests us is the fact that John clearly teaches that born-again ones hear God, and know the Spirit of Truth.

1. The saved know the Spirit of Truth, and they hear God because they are of the Truth. In his Second Epistle, the Holy Spirit speaks through John to the elect lady, and to her children.

Five things are said therein:

"Whom I love in the Truth."

"They that have known the Truth."

"For the Truth's sake, which dwelleth in us."

"The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in Truth."

"Thy children walking in Truth" (chap. 2Jn_1:1-4).

John's Third Epistle also mentions "Truth" five times:

"Gaius, whom I love in the Truth."

"Even as thou walkest in the Truth."

"That my children walk in the Truth."

"Fellow helpers to the Truth."

"Hath witness borne to him * * by the Truth" (chap. 2Jn_1:1, 2Jn_1:3-4,2Jn_1:8, 2Jn_1:12, \1911 Bible).

The children of God know the Truth; they love it, they walk in it; and in it they abide.

2. The saved repudiate the spirit of error, and a stranger they will not follow. When men are carried about by every wind of doctrine, and by the cunning craftiness of men, they may doubt, indeed, whether they have ever known real salvation.

On the other hand, when men hold to and love the faith, repudiating error, they have abundant proof that they are born-again ones.

The child of God abides in the teaching of Christ, and therefore he hath both the Father and the Son.

The child of God will not fellowship error.

"If any one come unto you," says John, "and bring not this teaching, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed; for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2Jn_1:10-11, \1911 Bible).

Thus we know we are children of God, when we are children of the Truth.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR