Antichrist Guard Part 2 Series

Anti-antichrist Armor Pt 2

Abide In Him

1 John 2:24-29

Review/Introduction

Warnings comprise a good portion of the communication with our children in the beginning years. We warn against threats to our physical well being. We warn against threats to our social well being. John warned his spiritual “children” against spiritual dangers. The danger was real and is still a danger to believers young and old today. He warned them against the emergence of the antichrist the spiritual boogie man. A group of devil-deceived people sprang up from the very inception of the developing church determined to undermine the facts concerning the true nature of Jesus. They had even managed to infiltrate the community of believers. John exposed their connection to the Antichrist prophesied to arise in the very last days also called the beast and the man of sin or lawlessness. These believers previously heard about this coming antichrist but John warned them that the cause of the Antichrist was already being championed by antichrists. The Antichrist group claimed to possess a special “anointing” which enabled them to know more and see more than the common person.

There are still those today that claim to have the inside track. Satan plays on our desire to be special, unique, and different. These people start new movements, cults, groups all claiming to have greater knowledge or insight than anyone else. Many end up teaching that they alone have the truth. The leaders of these groups claim a special anointing or inside knowledge through a “visitation” or special revelation. They draw people to themselves or the movement itself rather than point to Jesus. The Antichrist of the last days will deceive many. He will even display special powers and ability and demand absolute allegiance. John warned these precious followers of Christ and disclosed how they could avoid being deceived by them.

I caution you today. The spirit of the spirit of antichrist exists today and its influence only increases as we approach the final “final days.” The Scripture continually warns us against false teachers and doctrinal error. The Scripture continually encourages us to pursue and embrace the truth. Satan is the father of lies and his effectiveness depends on people embracing his lies as truth. What can protect us from the sometimes a very subtle deceptions of the spirit of antichrist?

8. Beware of the Antichrist 2:18-28

a) The prophesied antichrist has already appeared 2:18-19

John recognized the presence of the spirit of antichrist. John also exposed the real reason that those particular people broke fellowship. They broke fellowship because they were not really connected. They were not there to fellowship but to fracture.

b) Every believer has a special anointing 2:20-21

John appealed to an intuitive knowledge in the still at salvation by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

John acknowledged the reality of this intuitive recognition of truth. John clarified the reason for his writing was not to teach new truth but to affirm a truth they already knew.

What we need is not new truth, but that the truth which we already know become active and effective in our lives. —Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)

c) The antichrist opposes the true nature of Christ 2:22-23

Ultimately the antichrist and false teachers and prophets oppose Christ’s true nature and work.

(1) Denied the deity of Jesus

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?

(2) Denied the unity of Jesus and the Father

This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:23

We may say that there are three New Testament confessions of Jesus. There is the confession that he is the Son of God (Matt 16:16; Jn 9:35-38); there is the confession that he is Lord (Php 2:11); and there is the confession that he is Messiah (1Jn 2:22). The essence of every one of them is the affirmation that Jesus stands in a unique relationship to God; and to deny that relationship is to deny the certainty that everything Jesus said about God is true. The Christian faith depends on the unique relationship of Jesus to God. John is, therefore, right; the man who denies the Son has lost the Father, too. —Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)

(3) Denied the humanity of Jesus

we find this specific characteristic of antichrist in Chapter 4 and again in the 2 John.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 2 John 1:7

(4) Deceived the Saints

These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. 1 John 2:26