Someone inquired how can one know the difference between “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” Doubtless, the question arises from 1 John 4:6, which reads, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (NKJV).
The first part of 1 John 4:6 defines the difference between references to “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” in the latter portion of that verse. There are two opposing personalities and sources respecting “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” – God and not God or respecting the initiator of opposition to God – Satan. Likewise, spokesmen for God derive their message from God and thereby represent “the spirit of truth.” Doctrines put forth, teaching and preaching contrary to God and His revealed Word are proclaimed by spokesmen for Satan, thereby representing “the spirit of error.”
Several New Testament passages serve as divine commentary on the thoughts and principles that are embedded in 1 John 4:6.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)
When the apostle John wrote in 1 John 4:6, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us,” he referred to the other apostles and himself. His statement and line of reasoning was such that could not have been said by any uninspired teacher or preacher. As an inspired apostle, though, and backed up with miraculous validation (Mark 16:20), John’s words and argument were forceful. No contemporary preacher or teacher could make the same argument and with the same force legitimately. Present-day preachers and teachers have neither personal, divine inspiration nor miraculous powers.
From the inception of the Lord’s church, it “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:42). Decades after the birthday of the church on the first Pentecost following Jesus’ Ascension, Christians were still directed to “…be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior” (2 Peter 3:2). The same basic directive was sounded by various inspired writers of the New Testament. “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 17-19). Especially this passage contrasts godly children of God with unrighteous folks – in its own way distinguishing between “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
Similarly, the apostle Paul called for Christians to discern the God-authored, Spirit-given Gospel from everything else (Galatians 1:6-9). He, too, called upon Christian brethren to acknowledge “the apostles’ doctrine” when he wrote, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:37). The apostle John forever charged each child of God to identify the distinctive Word of God in the mouths of God’s preachers in contrast to anything else heralded by “false teachers.” “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
Although references to “the spirit of truth” appear in New Testament passages besides 1 John 4:6 (John 14:17-18; 15:26; 16:13), the phrase “the spirit of error” does not occur anywhere else in Scripture. The closest resemblance to “the spirit of error” would be “deceiving spirits” (NKJV), “seducing spirits” (KJV) in 1 Timothy 4:1, which reads, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” Notice the “deceiving spirits” offer “doctrines of demons” in opposition to “the faith” – the Word of God or Gospel of Jesus Christ. Lamentably, some Christians, the verse informs us, will turn from Christianity to essentially “the spirit of error.” They and others do not “…receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:10).
In conclusion, a couple of standard commentaries make some useful observations regarding 1 John 4:6. “They who do not receive the plain doctrines laid down in the word of God, whatever pretensions they may make to piety, or whatever zeal they may evince in the cause which they have espoused, can have no well-founded claims to the name Christian. One of the clearest evidences of true piety is a readiness to receive all that God has taught” (Barnes’ Notes). “Spirit of truth – the Spirit coming from God and teaching truth. Spirit of error – the spirit coming from Satan, and seducing into error” (Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary).
