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Test The Spirits

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Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

~ 1 John 4:1

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on this passage:

4:1-6 Christians who are well acquainted with the Scriptures, may, in humble dependence on Divine teaching, discern those who set forth doctrines according to the apostles, and those who contradict them. The sum of revealed religion is in the doctrine concerning Christ, his person and office. The false teachers spake of the world according to its maxims and tastes, so as not to offend carnal men. The world approved them, they made rapid progress, and had many followers such as themselves; the world will love its own, and its own will love it. The true doctrine as to the Saviour’s person, as leading men from the world to God, is a mark of the spirit of truth in opposition to the spirit of error. The more pure and holy any doctrine is, the more likely to be of God; nor can we by any other rules try the spirits whether they are of God or not. And what wonder is it, that people of a worldly spirit should cleave to those who are like themselves, and suit their schemes and discourses to their corrupt taste? (emphasis mine)

This page is dedicated to discernment of popular “Christian” teachers, movements, and organizations that, based on what we have just learned about the passage of 1 John 4:1, should be examined more closely. 2 Peter 2:1 says that these people will also “secretly bring in destructive heresies.” Beloved, the enemy is crafty and cunning and will do whatever it takes to beguile us. The following list is one that I have compiled based on my own “testing of the spirits” and also through the help of research done by Christian discernment ministries from the web. The goal of this website is this:

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. ~ 2 Colossians 2:8

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Ann Voskamp:

Ann Voskamp is most widely known for her website/blog, A Holy Experience. A few years ago she spoke at the local Christian Parenting Day (put on by Thumb Christian Outreach Ministries) event at Laker High School in Pigeon, Michigan and attracted quite a following of local Christian women. But please beware, just because a local Christian parenting organization supports Voskamp’s theology does not mean that it is Biblically correct. Digging deeper, it’s clear Voskamp’s “Christianity” is full of pantheism, romanticism, and new age mysticism. Recently, her book, ‘One Thousand Gifts’ (full of these -sims.) was on the New York Times Bestseller’s list and is sadly being powerfully embraced by Christian women everywhere. Below are links further exploring the problems with Voskamp’s theology:

http://apprising.org/2011/05/10/reviewing-one-thousand-gifts-by-ann-voskamp/

http://www.bygracealone.net/2011/05/romantic-panentheism.html

http://solasisters.blogspot.com/2011/06/reprinted-in-its-entirety-from.html

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=6604