1John4:1-3 is a very strong warning about us having a specific discernment that is probably the most important a follower of Christ must have. It says, ”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. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” As much as Hollywood, writers and other sources have used “the Antichrist” as subject matter for stories and a less than true representation of the Antichrist in the Bible, we don’t have the Biblical “respect” for who the Antichrist is, nor for the fact that the spirit of the Antichrist has been weaving his ultimate plan throughout history! Here is a description of the Antichrist that I found->”Most Bible prophecy/eschatology experts believe the Antichrist will be the ultimate embodiment of what it means to be against Christ. In the end times/last hour, a man will arise to oppose Christ and His followers more than anyone else in history. Likely claiming to be the true Messiah, the Antichrist will seek world domination and will attempt to destroy all followers of Jesus Christ and the nation of Israel.” Respecting this description of the Antichrist is why the above verses in 1John are meant to be so strong when it says, ”DO NOT....”! And the perspective of John saying “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” was fully understood when written to mean that Jesus is God, coming to be The Messiah that fulfills the Covenant God made with man->meaning that when sin entered the world and humankind broke their part of the Covenant by becoming terminally infected by sin, God Himself was the Only One that could take the penalty of breaking the Covenant in our stead so that we would not suffer the ultimate consequences of breaking the Covenant->Jesus Christ suffered those for us! These verses are saying that anyone that does not sincerely/earnestly/boldly confess in their own heart/mind/life that Jesus Christ IS this Messiah (Fully God in the flesh that fulfills the terms of Covenant for us!) is succumbing to the deceptions of the Antichrist! This means that there is no valid place for any other ideas about being made right with Almighty God...,none! In the world today there is a call for tolerance & broad mindedness, & even acceptance about ideologies &/or religions that do not acknowledge that Jesus is God, The Messiah from Almighty God. These verses emphatically leave no room for this tolerance & broadmindedness in our lives! The rest of 1John4 talks about the Sacrificial Love of Christ, & that His Love lives in those who Trust/Acknowledge Christ’s Sacrificial Love in their lives/through their lives. 1John4:19-21 says that if His Love is in us, then His Love for those around us will be in our hearts as we hurt for those that are being led astray by the spirit of the Antichrist! When Jesus walked the earth He hurt for those who were being led astray by all deception & sin. Because of His hurt for them He found ways to convey His Great Love&Mercy to them that would make every effort for their eyes&minds&hearts to be convinced that He is God & that He is the ONLY WAY to have a loving relationship with God as our Father in Heaven. The bottom line of 1John4 is that we must boldly protect our own mind/heart/life from all ideologies&/or religions that deny Jesus is God/The Messiah in the Bible, & that if His Love is in us then we will hurt for those that believe anything less. Dear Lord,I pray for the Help of Your Spirit and Your Word in shoring up my Faith in You Alone in all areas of my heart/mind/life,& for Your Love living in me to choke out all piety and spiritual arrogance in me so I may respond to the Hurt You feel for those around me that are being led away from You by the spirit of the Antichrist....so Your Love living through me may be a beacon of The Truths of Your Gospel for them.