Letters from the Beloved – The Voice

Are you familiar with the international TV show called The Voice. Four music superstars, like Kelly Clarkson (who got her start on a competitor to The Voice: American Idol in 2002), Jennifer Hudson (who was a finalist on American Idol in 2004), country legend Blake Shelton and rock star Adam Levine, act as celebrity coaches to singers that they initially select based on voice alone.

Listening to “the Voice” – the right voice – is just as important to we believers.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Having just talked about people who are antichrist because they preach things that are not the truth, John speaks pretty emphatically about what the rest of the believers know = all things? Really? At this point there was nothing they didn’t know?

The Greek word used here can also mean “to see” or to perceive, notice, discern, discover. This seems like the more likely meaning John sought to portray. It seems as though he wanted the congregation to realize that they should be able to discern or perceive those people and their beliefs that were antichrist.

They ought to be able to discern a lie and differentiate it from what they knew to be true.

Sisters, we should be able to do the same. We ought to be knowledgeable about the truth of the Bible and of God that lies are easily seen. We ought not to be taken in by false teachings.

But both Matthew and Mark warn of the very real possibility of the elect of God being taken in by false “christs” and false prophets.  

Mark 13:22 [NKJV] "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

How can we be sure that we, even having the Holy Spirit and the discernment it gives us, won’t be taken in by the false ones?

For that we swing back to the Gospel record of John, the beloved. [Mar 13:22 NKJV] 22 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

John 10:27 [NKJV] "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

The word “hear” in this verse can man “harken” or “to attend to”, or to “understand” or “perceive the sense of what is said”.  In other words, the sheep to the voice of the Good Shepherd only. They pay attention to and perceive or understand what is coming from the voice of Jesus. It is His voice alone the they will heed and respond to.

We know that some are prevented from seeing in this age. [John 9:39; 12:40; Romans 11:8] But that is not true of the children of God, the sheep of the Good Shepherd.

1 John 2:20-21 [NKJV] 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Sisters, if we are listening only to the voice of our Shepherd, and working toward discerning or knowing His voice and His teachings, we will definitely know the difference between the true teachings of Christ and any teaching that is antichrist.

Through John, the beloved, Jesus may be asking us, “are you listening to Me?”. “Is it My voice that guides you?” This is the only way to discern the true teachings of God.

I welcome your comments and questions. You can write me in the comments section or at Nancy@DynamicChristianMinistries.org