Do we know what kind of spirit we belong to?

Are we living in the spirit of truth or in the spirit of error? 1 John 4:6

Are we spiritual babies in knowledge and lifestyle? 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Or are we maturing, spiritual adults with spiritual fruit that lasts? Philippians 1:11; John 15:7-8

Some Bible versions or their notes have this --

And they did not receive Him [Jesus], because His face was as though He would go to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did? But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, You know not what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy people's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. Luke 9:53-55

James and John didn't know what kind of spirit they belonged to.

They wanted to destroy but Jesus came to save.

Jesus said to His disciples, "All of you will be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered abroad." Matthew 26:31

But Peter and the rest of the apostles said that they were willing to die with Jesus, to show their unwavering support for Him. Matthew 26:35

And Peter said that even though others would be offended, he would not, neither would he deny Jesus. Matthew 26:33

They thought they knew what kind of spirit they belonged to, that they knew their own hearts.

As Jesus said, all of them forsook Him and fled. Mark 14:50

As Jesus predicted, Peter denied the Lord 3 times. Matthew 26:34, 69-75

Jesus told His followers that He would suffer many things, be killed, and raised again the third day. Matthew 16:21

Peter rebuked Jesus and said that this should be far from Him. Matthew 16:22

Jesus said to Peter, "Go away from Me, Satan! You are not helping Me! You don’t care about the things of God, but only about the things people think are important." Matthew 16:23

Peter didn't know what kind of spirit he belonged to.

John told Jesus that someone was casting out demons in His name but that this person wasn't one of the group that followed Jesus, so he and another disciple told the person to stop. Mark 9:38

In other words, this person did NOT have the right to remove demons by using Jesus' name.

John and the other disciple may have been proud because they could cast out demons. Jesus gave them the power and authority to do it. Luke 9:1

They didn't know what kind of spirit they belonged to.

The Lord replied that they shouldn't tell someone to stop that ministry because the one who does a miracle in His name will not quickly afterward speak evil of Him. Mark 9:39

The mother of James and John, along with her sons, came to Jesus to ask that her sons be allowed to sit on the right and left hand of Jesus in His kingdom. Matthew 20:20-21

Apparently, she wanted them to be in positions of honor instead of to take the lowest jobs as servants as Jesus would teach and show. Matthew 20:25-28; John 13:2-5, 12-17

She didn't know what kind of spirit she belonged to.

The original disciples discussed among themselves, which of them would be the greatest. Luke 9:46

They didn't know what kind of spirit they belonged to, at least not fully.

This is because Jesus knew what they said but when He questioned them about it, they were silent. Mark 9:34

Did they understand that it was wrong to think about being the greatest?

John referred to a fellow Christian, Diotrephes, who loved to be first among others in a church and had other wrong actions. 1 John vs.9-10

Diotrephes didn't know what kind of spirit he belonged to.

At any time, couldn't the Lord say to any of us, "You don't know what kind of spirit you belong to" because our attitudes, actions, and words don't line up with His?

We think that we're living right until it's pointed out by some Scripture, the Holy Spirit, or another person that we missed His standard. We're not walking as He walked. 1 John 2:6

Solution?

He [the Lord] has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Come to Me [Jesus], all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest to your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

Your thoughts?

R. Jason