what think ye?

1 John ch 4
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world

What is it to deny That Jesus Christ came in the Flesh??

Specifically most scholars believe that John was dealing with an early form of gnosticism that taught in various forms that the material world was evil and the spiritual world was good; therefore, Christ could not have come in the flesh since flesh was apart of the material world. The general view of this teaching basically said that you're spirit was saved, but your flesh was hopelessly evil. Therefore it did not matter what you did in the flesh.

In a general sense if someone comes with a teaching that is in opposition to the testimony of God and that justifies sin that man is also in the spirit of antichrist.

Hi! ProudPapa
You asked: "What is it to deny That Jesus Christ came in the Flesh??"
How 'bout I turn the question around to ask: What is it to confess that Jesus came in the flesh?

The question touches the very heart of our gospel. John was making mention about the criteria for the discernment between antichrist and the Holy Spirit: "Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God", (1John 4:3).

At first glance, this verse is usually interpreted to address matters concerning the divinity of Jesus. Actually this is not the issue which John is writing about.

The crucial which John intends is:
Do God's people confess that in Jesus' humanity God has taken on life in the flesh? Do they confess that our Saviour's life and work are an exact expression of the nature and purposes of God? Do they believe that "He is the reflection of God's glory", "bearing the very stamp of God's nature", as Hebrews puts it so clearly?, (1:3).

Jesus' life was not an attempt to show that He was God, as many wrongly believe. No, His life was dedicated to showing who God was, and how He, the unchanging One, will always be.

I made the comment earlier in this Forum that one of the most important questions which every Christian must answer for themselves is: "Who is God and what is He like?".

Without a scriptural answer to this question, we remain unable to consistently confess that God is ONLY and perfectly good. So it was that Jesus declared, "He who has seen me has seen the Father".

What do I mean when saying that we must acknowledge that God is only and perfectly good?
Well, Proudpapa, there seems to be a lot of confusion about the idea that God is only good. I wish I could summarize it all in 2 'er 3 sentences and afford the confession it's due justice. But I'm not that good at crafting synoposis. :)
I guess it's at least ten years now since I had published an article related to the confession that God is only good. I would agree to reproduce it here if people should wish to read it.

I jus' luv yer Nick, by the way.

Proud papa,

You asked,
What is it to deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh ?

First of all,isn't our witness really what we are,..what shows up in our conversation,..how we live ? ...the Spirit of Christ or another spirit that comes forth from us.

I believe that ever spirit / Spirit that comes out of us / anyone,
It can be reckoned / judged Jesus Christ' Spirit or the antichrist spirit....
( against Christ )
* The things that be of His Spirit,...fruits of His Spirit,..love,joy,peace long suffering,gentleness,goodness,faith,meekness,self-control...
righteousness...etc,...and not to have these characteristic's,..is to deny that Jesus Christ has come in our / a prophet,/ flesh.

Because He has come to Live in us through His Spirit.

In saying all of this, I do not claim to have made the mark of the High calling of God in Christ Jesus, but that is our desire.

In His loving kindness,

elizabeth