Because I Said So

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

1 John 4:1-3 (NIV)

I guess I have always been one of those people who questioned authority. Saying, "Because I said so!" didn't really work for me. Shorty after giving my life to Christ I started to attend a Calvary Chapel church. One of the things that impressed me was that the pastors would say, "Don't believe me just because I say something. Compare it with the Bible and if what I say doesn't agree with what the Bible says tell me." The deal is that you have to read the Bible and study it to know what it says. In the same way you have to spend time with Christ to know him. If you don't acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh, that he is real, you don't know Jesus. 

A lot of people say a lot of things about Jesus. The Jehovah's Witnesses say that Jesus was Michael the Archangel before he became Christ and was "a" god, not "the" God, Jehovah. Some say Jesus was a good teacher, a great man, or maybe just a myth. The Apostle John flat out says that if you don't acknowledge that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, you are not from God. 

Just because someone calls themselves a teacher, a prophet, an evangelist, does not make it true. People say all kinds of things. John tells us not to believe everyone, and to check if they believe that Jesus has come in the flesh. If they are wrong about who Jesus is, that won't be all they will be wrong about, because no matter what else they say they won't be talking about the Jesus of the Bible, the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only way to Father (John 14:6).

Father, help us to know you, to know Jesus and to remain in him. Praise be to you in us today!