There is a universal theme that runs through the book of 1 John, abiding in Christ. This is the key to “living in the world but not of the world. When we refuse to live in the world, we fail to serve Christ. Joe McKeever wrote the following.
In the 1987 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, the report of the Foreign Mission Board contained a telephone hook-up with Frances Fuller, missionary to Lebanon. A few days earlier, President Reagan had ordered Americans out of that war-torn country, warning any who remained they would lose their passports. Our missionaries had been evacuated to Cyprus, from where Mrs. Fuller was placing her call.
“You have failed your missionaries by your prayers,” Mrs. Fuller told the thousands of messengers at the convention. She had our undivided attention.
“My friends back in the States say, ‘We’re praying for your safety,’ or ‘We’re praying for you to get out of that country.'”
She continued, “You should have prayed that God would keep us safely in this country in order that we might bear fruit for Him. Consequently, we have been exiled from a country of great need where we should not have left.” She concluded, “Give us back to Lebanon in your prayers.” No one who sat in the huge auditorium that night will ever forget her plea.
There has been much speculation about the “Antichrist”; however, the Bible does not give us a name. Here are some of the popular considerations for the antichrist:
• The Pope…
• Nicolae Jetty Carpathia—antagonist in the Left Behind series (Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins)
• Nero Caesar—some believe the 666 reference in Rev. 13:18 is a reference to him.
• Napoleon—liberation of the Jewish people, his rise to power, anti-Catholic policies, hunger for conquest.
• The American Presidents. Perhaps Gerald Ford is the exception of this trend, though he was a world leader at the time of the 70s “End Times” craze.
These examples suggest we try to put the face of the Antichrist on the person/system to which we are opposed.
The interesting fact is that the term is only found a very few times in the Bible; found only in 1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3 and 2nd John 7. Other terms (e.g., the wicked one, man of earth, the enemy, the violent man, the spoiler, etc.) used in the Bible are often interpreted as the Antichrist; however, we must remember interpretations are just that—what someone is suggesting that this is the truth.
To illustrate, there is a video on the gospel according to YouTube where a person attempts to use verses like Luke 10:18, “I saw Satan as lightning falling from the heavens.” He takes the word “lightning” translated “baraq” and from another word he gets “bamah” and attaches an “o” to it and comes up with Barak Obama—in his argument President is/was the Antichrist. My opinion, the guy is a bored minister that spends God’s precious time with much speculation and proclaims such as the “Gospel”. Pictorial images are just as intriguing, from horrible satanic images to individuals like our presidents, and the Pope.
My best answer is this: I don’t know.” I can know the truth and gain the skills to discern what is anti-Christ. The dangerous teaching of others is not the critical issue; the critical issue is how well you are grounded in the truth. I have often said, “We are not called to be attackers of the dark, we are called to be proclaimers of the light.” People will never be able to discern teachings that are anti-Christ if they have never heard and believed in the real Christ.
Imagine attempting to teach your children to fear wolves; however, they have never seen one. You do not want to bring one home and put it in the yard. Maybe this analogy will illustrate. It would be crazy for you to infect your children with the influenza virus for them to say, “Oh, that is the flu!” Hopefully, you help them take care of themselves and enjoy the benefits of good health. That way they will be able to recognize symptoms that something is not right.
Let us see what we learn about the subject by looking at our text.
Warnings Against Denying the Son
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.
26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.
God’s Children and Sin
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears, we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 1 John 2:18ff
When attempting to understand this passage we must revisit the context. The believers did not have a consolidated New Testament, as we hold in our hands. Many of them were young Christians--Becomers. John is writing to them because of a serious problem within the church–we discussed this earlier.
DOCETIC GNOSTICS: Jesus did not really possess a real body; therefore, he only appeared to have a body and was not really a man.
QUESTIONS FOR CHRISTIANS: Was Jesus a real human being?
CERINTHIANS: Denied the divinity of Jesus. They said divinity came on Jesus at His baptism and left him just before crucifixion.
QUESTION: Did Jesus possess divinity only part of the time?
After John affirms the true nature of Jesus, he addresses the issue of finding joy by abiding in Jesus, letting the Word abide in them and enjoying the maturing process that is characteristic of a healthy church. Now, he returns to the problem.
Apparently, those that had allowed gnostic beliefs to confuse them were leaders in the church. According to this passage, some of them apparently had left the church. I can only imagine how the believers in the church must have felt–they had been betrayed by those who had shared Christ with them. They are now very confused, and John was probably concerned they, too, would walk away from their faith.
In the movie, “Shoot to Kill” (1988) starring Sidney Poitier and Tom Berringer, they were searching for a jewel thief who killed his victims. One of the scenes is a group of backpackers hiking in the wilderness, on a fly—fishing trip. The viewer knows that one of the fishermen is the jewel thief. They are along a narrow ridge above the river which is about 100 yards below. Suddenly–while sitting in front of the screen while trying to identify the killer–one of the hikers starts pushing the others over the cliff. The look of betrayal in the eyes of one of the back bitters, as he stares in disbelief at the person he had trusted, grips the viewer.
John’s heart swelled with compassion as he sensed the hurt and confusion the Gnostics had caused in the church. Some of the members of the church in Asia Minor had walked away from their faith. They had renounced Christ and were embracing false ideas about God. They had betrayed those in the church who believed they were close spiritual companions.
I want us to look at several key concepts John introduces and several things that will serve as tools for maintaining our joy when facing teachings that go counter to the truths you have been taught concerning Jesus Christ.
He says it is the “last hour”. The Bible pictures the entire church age, from the time Jesus came into the world to die on the cross until the end of the age as “the final hour.” Just as the first century Christians lived in the “last hour”, we too live in this final hour. Most translations have inserted an article, “the,” in front of “last hour.” The Greek does not have an article, literally translated: “Little children, last hour it is (present tense).”
A study of history reveals a series of a “constantly descending, spiraling, of repetitive events” in this “last hour”. Paul, writing to Timothy describes these cycles.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Timothy 3:1ff
John does not preclude the coming of “the Antichrist;” however, in this context he is speaking of those bearing the spirit of the Antichrist.
A study of church history reveals numerous cycles where we have witnessed struggles over Christian doctrine. Allow me to illustrate:
• 4th Century A period where the church struggled over the nature of God–settled by several great councils of the church. The Nicene Creed was the result of the Council of Nicaea.
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father [and the Son]; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
• 7th Century Another cycle of heretical ideas was seen in the rise of Mohammedanism with its claims that the Bishop of Rome had supremacy over all of Christendom.
• 9th Century The church dealt with the radical teachings about the return of Christ–almost paralyzing the economy of Europe for almost 100 years.
• 11th Century: The Crusades dominated the thought of Europe because of their heretical zeal, Crusades. The Crusades were military expeditions, organized by Western Christians in response to centuries of Muslim wars of expansion. Their objectives were to check the spread of Islam, to retake control of the Holy Land, to conquer pagan areas, and to recapture formerly Christian territories; they were seen by many of their participants as a means of redemption and expiation for sins.
• 13th Century: The Inquisition—a period of intensive questioning or investigation—led to great persecution by the church because the Papacy attempted to consolidate its power over the ecclesiastical world.
• 15th Century: The Reformation made the history books when Martin Luther and others challenged papal authority. Luther called the Pope the “papal antichrist.”
• 18th Century German rationalism: This movement created a great struggle that lives on today, because many viewed it as an attempt to undermine the supernatural characteristics of the gospel–reducing the Christian message to nothing but an appeal to the intellect.
• 19th Century: In this cycle there was an outbreak of numerous cults. Most of these were shaped in America–Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, Unity, etc.
• 20th Century Remembered by the “Death of God” theology, demythologizing of Scripture, ecumenical movement to establish one worldwide church, etc.
• 21st Century This story is still in progress. I believe the greatest challenge the church in our time may face is dealing with moral relativism—the concept that the importance of a particular cultural idea varies from one society or societal subgroup to another—and antinomianism—anti means against and nomos means law.
All these eras of Christian history fit in the “last hour.” All of these have occurred within the Christian family.
In addition to the concept of “last hour” John draws our attention to the “antichrist”.
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. (See Greek)
This is how we know it is the last hour.
We often think of the Antichrist as someone outside the church, an enemy of the church. John’s setting is within the church. Someone who comes in Christ’s name, perhaps starting with seemingly sincere faith and declares his/her teachings are the truth of Christianity. Yet, if their teaching is made clear it is contrary to what God, in Christ has said. John would say this is antichrist.
John says they use the language of faith; however, they substitute other meanings for the words. Personally, I believe they start out by being sincere but simply fail to develop accountability to the true theologians. In their pursuit of truth, they begin to pick up tidbits from others who have forgotten that they too are Becomers. Let me illustrate.
While at a Gideon’s Banquet I observed a minister approach another minister that I know very well. They apparently were conversing about a young man known by each. The first staffer wanted the second minister to meet with the high school student because he wanted to study Reformation theology. Though the second minister had not had anything close to a seminary class on theology or the study of Greek and Hebrew, he was going to “school” this young man in something neither understood.
Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science, uses perfectly normal Christian words...however, she publishes a glossary at the end of her book to explain her specialized meanings which depart from essential Christian beliefs.
I recall when Garner Ted Armstrong’s book, The Real Jesus, was given to me by our youth group (1979). They thought it was a good book, I assume because of the title.
Christian terms like resurrection, evangelism, prayer, and the purpose of the church are often used in ways the Bible never intended. We have a plethora of well-meaning people on the teaching/preaching circle that are pulling Christians into their teachings. Here is a good exercise, type in critique of Joel Osteen, Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, etc. A major problem I see with many evangelicals on the teaching circle, men and women, is their poor exegetical skills—they too often take verses out of context and suggest they mean things never intended by Scripture. We have these in many Christian churches today. I have met them.
• There was a lady so deep into nit-picky legalism that not even I could meet her standard. Yet, she claimed to have arrived.
• Another in a church in Arizona who cloaked his beliefs about church life by using hyper ascetic spirituality; however, following a wonderful vision retreat he abruptly decided to leave the church.
• Another man was so immersed into John Calvin, though he really knew little about Calvin’s teachings.
5 Point Calvinism:
Total Depravity (also known as Total Inability and Original Sin). God predestined who will be chosen.
Unconditional Election. It is God who chooses and not man who choses God.
Limited Atonement (also known as Particular Atonement). The point is Christian died only for the elect.
Irresistible Grace. Says the person that is chosen cannot resist the call.
Perseverance of the Saints (also known as Once Saved Always Saved)
I finally got very direct in addressing this on a Sunday morning, to the confusion he was causing. It did not surprise me when he stopped by our house that afternoon, left some material, and left the church.
In these last hours, many will come along claiming to have fresh perspectives on how to interpret Scripture. A church planter’s wife wrote this,
Finally, as a church planter's wife, I have realized how much religious-speak peppers Beth Moore's speech. We spend much of our time with people who have no experience in the church and have limited exposure to the Bible. Beth Moore is hard to follow because of all of the religious language she uses and spiritual assumptions she makes.
http://thesecretlivesofpastorswives.blogspot.com/2012/12/breaking-up-with-beth-moore.html
Hear me carefully, I can see the good in those like Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, etc.; however, we need to be mature enough to discern the difference between motivation and exegetical teaching and preaching of the Gospel.
When I first entered the ministry, I never had someone to disciple me at this level prior to being thrust into the preaching arena. In my hometown there was a Christian bookstore owned by a Pentecostal family. I quickly learned that ministers would get books of sermons there and this formed their basics for “preaching”. Guess what I did? I had been asked to preach a youth revival where I was working with the youth at Castor Baptist Church. Nelda Owers, a special friend, supporter, and life-long prayer partner, came one night. The previous week an immensely popular “evangelist” had preached a revival at our home church, East Leesville Baptist Church. Nelda is a member of that church and had faithfully attended each service. As she was exiting the church after hearing me preach, she made a comment that penetrated my conscience, “Jack, that was a wonderful sermon, it is the exact sermon Brother ____ preached. God used that moment to motivate me to study. I had planned to go to New Orleans Seminary and get an associate degree and our home pastor was going to drive me to New Orleans; however, the night before I called him and said, “I am not going tomorrow. I believe if God wants me to get my education, He wants me to do it the right way.” That conviction led me to get a major in religious education and religion at Louisiana College, to become one of the first in the master’s degree of Correlated program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry. I have learned attempting to take short cuts hinders my ability to disciple the people of God.
John gives the believers an encouraging word.
I John 2: 24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is what he promised us-- even eternal life.
WHEN FACING TEACHINGS THAT DO INJUSTICE TO JESUS CHRIST, WE NEED TO REALIZE GOD HAS GIVEN US THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO AVOID IT AND TO KEEP FROM PULLING THEM INTO OUR BELIEF SYSTEM.
First, John says we are to abide in Christ.
5This is how we know we are in him:
Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
This is how we know we are in him:
6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.1 John 1:5bff
But you have an anointing (meant you were officially appointed for a task) from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist-- he denies the Father and the Son.
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is what he promised us-- even eternal life. 1 John 2:20ff
Second, we are to let the Word abide in us–permeate our entire being. John reminded the young believers they were strong because “the Word of God lives” in them (2:14). Newcomers need only the basic truths of God and the message of salvation communicated in the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and promise of eternal life that is offered. Becomers need to be taught by disciples that are sitting under the teaching and preaching of those who are well established in the study of Scripture. We must never attempt to teach and preach above our knowledge of Scripture. We should never instruct people above our ability to exegete Scripture.
What does it mean to deny Christ? To say he is not the real Messiah? To deny his existence?
To say he is just another prophet, like Muhamad, Joseph Smith, etc. Here are some things that I believe begins to place one under the antichrist umbrella:
• Teaching you must perform certain works to ensure and maintain salvation, demanding more than a person striving for righteous living.
• Denying the full efficacious nature of Jesus’ salvation, that which was declared by Jesus himself. Here is a way to see if one finds himself/herself accepting the heretical teaching that God’s mercy and grace are limited. Teaching that there are some sins that God cannot forgive—holding that there are not even death bed conversations. You see this when people use the term, “jail house religion”. Some may be okay for them to “squeak” into Heaven but deny them the grace they feel they deserve. The denial of grace runs deep in many Christian circles.
CONCLUSION
John expressed concern for his spiritual friends; he is afraid that those who have betrayed Jesus by making theological and exegetical errors will get them off track in their spiritual lives. With the plethora of spiritualties we have in our society, there is good reason for pastors today to bear the same kind of concern. “Lead astray” (:26) “literally means to cause someone to wander off the right path.” (Timothy Peck)
