What does 1 John 4:1 mean?

Chapter 4 includes two major sections. The first briefly instructs believers to examine spiritual claims, since not every teacher is loyal to the truth. Verse 1 explains what we are to do: test. It also explains why: the presence of false teachers. Verses 2 through 6 address how we are to test, in order to determine whether the spirits are from God. The use of the term "spirit," in this case, is not a reference to ghosts, demons, or other creatures. Rather, this is a reference to the attitude and approach of a particular teacher. In reality, truth only comes from the Holy Spirit, everything else comes from evil. There is no such thing as a "friendly ghost," as pop culture often suggests.

The reason for John's warning is given next. Believers will face false prophets, because there are quite a few in the world. If this was a problem when John wrote his letter many centuries ago, it's even more of an issue today. Therefore, it is important to have a way to test which teachers and leaders are from God. Verses 2 through 6 give details related to the difference between true and false teachers.