1 John 4:5-6

They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

(v5, NIV)

John is talking about those who are in the world. They are from the world. This means that they are not from God. We are called to test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Do not believe those spirits that are not from God. These who are in the world are from the world and not from God, so do not believe them. That which they speak of is from the viewpoint of the world. However, would you rather listen to the viewpoint of the world, or the viewpoint of God?

The world listens to these people. These people who are from the world and speak from the viewpoint of the world are listened to by the world. Can you be both from the world and from God? I don't think so. Since those listening to them are from the world, if you listen to them then you are from the world and not from God. Speaking to those who are from God, John encourages his readers to not listen to those who are from the world.

We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

(v6, NIV)

Different from those who are from the world are those who are from God. Those who know God listens to those who are from God. It's interesting that people listen to those who are similar to them. I guess it makes sense. Then, in a sense, if you listen to those who are from the world, you prove to be one who is from the world. I recall Paul Washer speaking about how people like Joel Osteen are judgment upon those who listen to him. If he preaches prosperity gospel, a different gospel from the true gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, then those who listen to him prove to be those who want their ears to be tickled by this kind of teaching. There are also those who will not listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ. However, their act of not listening to the truth proves them to be ones who do not know God.

From this we can gather another test. Those who listen to those who are from God are in fact those who know God. However, those who are not from God do not listen to those who are from God. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of truth.

The way John words the last test gives us an indication of this spirit. This spirit is from God and it is also the truth. This means that the spirit of the antichrist is false and is a lie. Discern and believe the Spirit of truth.