Opening illustration: When Secret Service agents train bank tellers to identify counterfeit bills, they show them both fake money and real money, and they study both. To detect a counterfeit problem, they must look for the differences in the genuine bill compared to the counterfeit—and not the similarities.
In 1 John 2, the apostle John helps to protect believers from heresy by showing them examples of counterfeit Christians and teachers. One of the signs of the last days is the coming of antichrists (1 John 2: 18). Antichrists are those who claim to have His power and authority but don’t, or those who reject and oppose Him and His teachings.
Are we looking for some common grounds in all faiths and denominations or the dividing crevasse that determines and establishes our foundation in Christ and only in Christ alone? What is it that separates us from the majority and aligns us to the one and only Triune God and His Word?
Let us turn to 1 John 2 and see how we can identify the spirit of antichrist …
Introduction: John gave three marks of false teachers who are controlled by the spirit of the antichrists: They depart from the fellowship (v. 19), they deny Jesus as the Messiah (v. 22), and they draw the faithful away from Jesus (v. 26). He encouraged believers to protect themselves against the spirit of the antichrists by depending on the indwelling presence of the Spirit, knowing the truth, and remaining in fellowship with Jesus.
There are possibly four subsections within this passage. In the first of these (2: 18-19) the author mentions the coming of Antichrist and connects it with the departure of the opponents. In the second (2: 20-23) he contrasts his readers – who have received an “anointing” of the Spirit – with the Liar, the Antichrist, and the opponents. In the third section (2: 24-26), he exhorts the readers to hold fast to the apostolic teaching they have heard “from the beginning” and to resist the opponents who are trying to deceive them. In the fourth (2: 27) the author concludes the section 2:18-27 with a final appeal to the readers to continue in the apostolic teaching they have heard from the beginning and not to be persuaded by the opponents. Thus in this section there is a lot of stress on the concept of “residing” (“remaining”), with the key verb (dwell) used no less than seven times (2: 19, 24 [3 times], 27 [twice], 28). This is also the section which spells out explicitly the departure of the opponents (2: 18-19), an event which is central to that is discussed in the letter.
Apparently we can protect ourselves from error and deception by knowing the false but relying on the Truth - Jesus Christ. He can only set us free!
How to identify/discern the ‘spirit of anti-Christmas?’
1. Depart from Godly fellowship (body of Christ) v. 19
They had once been professors of the religion of the Savior, though their apostasy showed that they never had any true piety. John refers to the fact that they had once been in the church, perhaps to remind those to whom he wrote that they knew them well, and could readily appreciate their character. It was a humiliating statement that those who showed themselves to be so utterly opposed to religion had once been members of the Christian church; but this is a statement which we are often compelled to make. They did not really belong to us, or were not true Christians. This passage proves that these persons, whatever their pretensions and professions may have been, were never sincere Christians. The same remark may be made of all who apostatize from the faith, and become teachers of error. They never were truly converted; never belonged really to the spiritual church of Christ.
It was suffered or permitted in the providence of God that this should occur, “in order” that it might be seen and known that they were not true Christians, or in order that their real character might be developed. It was desirable that this should be done:
(a) in order that the church might be purified from their influence
(b) in order that it might not be responsible for their conduct, or reproached on account of it;
(c) in order that their real character might be developed, and they might themselves see that they were not true Christians;
(d) in order that, being seen and known as apostates, their opinions and conduct might have less influence than if they were connected with the church;
(e) in order that they might themselves understand their own true character, and no longer live under the delusive opinion that they were Christians and were safe, but that, seeing themselves in their true light, they might be brought to repentance.
For there is only a most slender prospect that any who are deceived in the church will ever be brought to true repentance there; and slight as is the hope that one who apostatizes will be, such an event is much more probable than it would be if he remained in the church. People are more likely to be converted when their character is known and understood, than they are when playing a game of deception, or are themselves deceived. What is here affirmed of these persons often occurs now; and those who have no true religion are often suffered to apostatize from their profession for the same purposes. It is better that they should cease to have any connection with the church than that they should remain in it; and God often suffers them to fall away even from the profession of faith, in order that they may not do injury as professing Christians. This very important passage, then, teaches the following things:
(i) That when people apostatize from the profession of faith in Christ, and embrace fatal error, or live in sin, it proves that they never had any true piety.
(ii) The fact that such persons fall away cannot be adduced to prove that Christians ever fall from grace, for it demonstrates nothing on that point, but proves only that these persons never had any real piety. They may have had much that seemed to be a spirit of religion …
(iii) The passage before us proves that if any are true Christians they will remain in the church, or will certainly persevere and be saved. They may indeed backslide grievously; they may wander far away, and pain the hearts of their brethren, and give occasion to the enemies of religion to speak reproachfully; but the apostle says, “If they had been of us, they would have continued with us.”
(iv) One of the best evidences of true piety is found in the fact of continuing with the church. I do not mean nominally and formally, but really and spiritually, having the heart with the church; loving its peace and promoting its welfare; identifying ourselves with real Christians, and showing that we are ready to cooperate with those who love the Lord Jesus and its cause.
(v) The main reason why professing Christians are suffered to apostatize is to show that they had no true faith in Christ. It is desirable that they should see it themselves; desirable that others should see it also. By being allowed thus to separate themselves from the church, they may be brought to remember their violated vows, and the church will be free from the reproach of having those in its bosom who are a dishonor to the name of Christ. We are not to wonder, then, if persons apostatize who have been professors of true faith; and we are not to suppose that the greatest injury is done to the cause when they do it. A greater injury by far is done when such persons remain in the church.
2. Deny the ‘Triune’ God (The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit) vs. 22-23
He is antichrist that denies the Father and the Son: that denies the Father of Christ to be the Creator of the world, but asserts that it was made by angels, as some ancient heretics did; or that the Father of Christ is not the God of the Old Testament, as Marci on; or that denies that God is the Father of Christ, and that Christ is the Son of God; who will not allow that there is any such relation in nature between them; who affirm that Christ is only the Son of God by adoption, or because of his love to him, or because of his incarnation and resurrection from the dead; or that he is not his true and proper Son, only in a figurative and metaphorical sense; that he is not the natural and eternally begotten Son of God, only by office, and as Mediator, and that God is only his Father, as having installed him into an office; or he that denies that these two are distinct from each other, but affirms that Father is the Son, and the Son is the Father, and so confounds them both, and, by confounding both, denies that there are either Father or Son; and all such persons are antichrists, or opposers of Christ. Not only does a person articulate his/her denial but lives it out even without articulating the denial. There those that are silent toward the denial and even sit on the fence when it comes to living it out. What would God think of it? Let us not forget the lukewarm church in Laodicea that is described in Revelation 3: 16.
He is an antichrist who denies the supernatural and miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, who denies Jesus to be the Son of God, and who denies God to be the Father of the Lord Jesus; thus he denies the Father and the Son. The Jews in general, and the Gnostics in particular, denied the miraculous conception of Jesus; with both he was accounted no more than a common man, the son of Joseph and Mary. But the Gnostics held that a Divine person, Aeon, or angelical being, dwelt in him; but all things else relative to his miraculous generation and Divinity they rejected. These were antichrists, who denied Jesus to be the Christ.
Every person is an antichrist, who denies the Person, or any of the offices of Christ; and in denying the Son, he denies the Father also, and has no part in his favor while he rejects his great salvation. Let this prophecy that seducers would rise in the Christian world, keep us from being seduced. The church knows not well who are its true members, and who are not, but thus true Christians were proved, and rendered more watchful and humble. True Christians are anointed ones; their names express this: they are anointed with grace, with gifts and spiritual privileges, by the Holy Spirit of grace. The great and most hurtful lies that the father of lies spreads in the world, usually are falsehoods and errors relating to the person of Christ. The unction from the Holy One, alone can keep us from delusions. While we judge favorably of all who trust in Christ as the Divine Savior, and obey his word, and seek to live in union with them, let us pity and pray for those who deny the Godhead of Christ, or his atonement, and the new-creating work of the Holy Ghost. Let us protest against such antichristian doctrine, and keep from them as much as we may.
3. Draw the faithful away from Christ (live in deception & deceive others) v. 26
The truth of Christ, abiding in us, is a means to sever from sin, and unites us to the Son of God. What value should we put upon gospel truth! Thereby the promise of eternal life is made sure. The promise God makes, is suitable to his own greatness, power, and goodness; it is eternal life. The Spirit of truth will not lie; and he teaches all things in the present dispensation, all things necessary to our knowledge of God in Christ, and their glory in the gospel. The apostle repeats the kind words, “little children;” which denotes his affection. He would persuade by love. Gospel privileges oblige to gospel duties; and those anointed by the Lord Jesus abide with him. The new spiritual nature is from the Lord Christ. He that is constant to the practice of religion in trying times shows that he is born from above, from the Lord Christ. Then, let us beware of holding the truth in unrighteousness, remembering that those only are born of God, who bear his holy image, and walk in his most righteous ways.
The Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions render it, "for them that seduce you"; not that they were actually seduced and carried away with the error of the wicked; for though God’s elect may be staggered and waver, and be tossed to and fro by false teachers, and their doctrines, yet they cannot be totally and finally deceived: but the sense is, these men endeavored to seduce them: they lay in wait to deceive, and attempted to deceive them, by walking in craftiness, and handling the word of God deceitfully; and therefore that they might be known, and so shunned and avoided, the apostle points them out, and shows who they are; that they are such who deny that Jesus is the Christ, and do not own neither the Father nor the Son; in doing which he acted the part of a tender Father, a faithful shepherd, and a careful monitor.
One of the author’s primary purposes in writing 1 John is to protect his faithful followers from the false Christological teaching of the opponents.
Application: Prior to the birth of Christ, His first coming was never preached in the synagogues or the temple. The priests knew the truth but did not understand it. Therefore many were never made privy to this mystery and missed the birthday of Christ. The amazing truth is that the pagan magi’s did not miss it at all. They explored the ancient scriptures and the truths which led them to find the King of kings and the Lord of lords born in Bethlehem. What are you trying to explore and find today?
Today the body of Christ practically knows and can identify with directions and teaching what the second coming of Christ will entail and the identity of the spirit of antichrist. Let us also beware of the spirit of anti-Christmas that prevails during this season and pursue to alienate ourselves from it. Just as the heavenly hosts, the shepherds in the fields of Judea and the magi’s from the East joined together to celebrate the birth of Christ, we must pursue to do the same with exuberance and by spreading His love to everyone around us in our community.
Beware: The devil may add a few grains of truth to what is false and make the false appear to be true.
