“They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” 1 John 4:5 NIV
“They, the false teachers, are from the world; therefore, speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.” As we have seen in 1 John 2:15, the world is that evil system under Satan’s dominion that is opposed to God and His kingdom. The world system is built around the principle of taking glory from God and transferring it to proud, self-willed humanity. That was Satan’s original temptation to Eve in the garden. He challenged God’s Word and suggested to Eve that if she ate the forbidden fruit, she would become like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:1-5). Any teaching that detracts from God’s glory and sovereignty and exalts a person by feeding their pride is evil at the core. Today’s verse may imply that these false teachers were drawing a big crowd. The world was listening to them. When we tell the world what it wants to hear, we will not lack an audience. When a false teacher sets aside the unpopular notion that all have sinned and tells people that they are wonderful and that God exists to help them fulfil their desires, they will gain a following. But the problem is that message is not from God; it is from the world and the god of this world. The practical application for us is: don’t judge the success of a ministry by its size; judge it by its faithfulness to the truth of the gospel as revealed in the Bible.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, help us to discern what is from the world.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord Jesus, through Your indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives, help us discern what is of You and what is of the world. AMEN
I.B.R.A. Readings
Philippians 1:12-30
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