So far we have taken:
I. THE ATTITUDE TEST
II. THE ACTION TEST
III. THE AFFECTION TEST
IV. THE ACTUALITY TEST
V. THE ADULTERERS TEST
But today we want to look at the SIXTH test which is
VI. THE ANTICHRIST TEST
These will be men who will claim to know God and some of them even claim to be God, but John said those who claim these things are liars.
Let me show you four things about the Antichrist test that we need to consider.
A. THE PERIOD
Look at verse 18. We read, “Little children, it is THE LAST TIME: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even NOW ARE THERE MANY ANTICHRISTS; whereby we know that it is the last time.”
Again, notice that John affectionately refered to the saints of God as little children. He more than likely did this for two reasons:
(1) Because he was the elder statesman and he could talk to them as a spiritual father, giving them advice about things he cared about.
(2) Also, because he saw them as spiritual little children living in a very DANGEROUS PERIOD for he knew that little children can be so easily deceived.
Illus: Did you know that you can tell a child almost anything and he will believe it?
Also, John knew that a spiritual infant can see a man walk out in front of a congregation with a Bible in his hand and he will believe everything he says.
It is astounding to Bible preachers across this land to have people walk into their churches that believe everything they hear from some of these television preachers. For example.
Illus: You can listen to some of these “hucksters” and in one week you will hear them claim to have had more miracles that they were involved in than the apostle Paul had in his whole lifetime. Without any documentation, they spill this stuff out on the airwaves and these spiritual infants, who are so vulnerable, swallow it hook, line and sinker.
John was concerned about this kind of problem - a child will believe anything!
And, in the last days the church is going to be bombarded with these antichrists. He refers to THIS PERIOD of time as the “...last time...”
The words “last time” are the two Greek words, “eschate hora,” which mean: “The last hour.”
From the day of Pentecost until the coming of Christ is considered to be “the last days.”
John said THIS PERIOD of time will be marked by the fact that the church will be threatened with
• FALSE TEACHINGS
• FALSE TEACHERS
• FALSE MESSIAHS
This is so evident today.
Look again at the word “antichrists.’ It is not singular, but plural.
John is saying that in THIS PERIOD of time the church is going to be bombarded with false teachers and preachers as it has never been bombarded before.
Illus: “There have been over 1,100 religious leaders in different parts of the world in the last fifty years who have claimed to be Christ, and the Savior of the world. Most of these “false Christs” have risen in Africa, in India, or in the Orient and have spread into the West.” Paul Lee Tan, “Signs of the Times pages 407-408
That is, one reason we know that we are living in the last days is because of the many false teachers that will be around.
Look again at verse 18. We read, “...even now are there MANY ANTICHRISTS; whereby we know that it is the last time.”
Look at the words, “...many antichrists....” That simply means that the charlatans will be everywhere.
Illus: Once we consider what the Bible teaches about the last days, we should not be shocked when we turn our television sets on and hear the false teachers, lined up like ducks one behind the other, preaching their damnable teachings.
Illus: We all have fire alarms to warn us in the event of a fire.
We need, in churches across America, to sound out a spiritual alarm to warn the people of God of the dangers of this PERIOD of time in which we live. All over this nation we have...
• Some denying the deity of Christ - denying that He is literally the Son of God.
• Some denying the sinlessness of the Son of God.
• Some denying His death, burial, resurrection and ascension.
• Denying that He is literally going to return again to execute judgment upon everyone who has ever lived.
• Television preachers preaching that the Jews were saved by the sacrifices they offered in the Old Testament.
• Television preachers preaching complete sermons that it is God’s will for everyone to be rich.
• Churches exalting entertainment over the preaching of God’s Word.
Churches across this nation should be sounding out the ALARM for this dangerous PERIOD in which we live. Not only are the air waves filled with false teachings, many people in “churches” around the world are being taught false teachings.
We have looked at THIS PERIOD of time in which we live, but let us see how antichrists are going to carry out their evil task. Look at...
B. THE PRETENDERS
Look at verse 19. We read, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
This tells us where these antichrists come from. Notice, they COME FROM THE CHURCH -- “They went out from us, but they were not of us...”
There are so many of these today that you would think there was a manufacturing plant producing them.
Illus: This reminds us of the story of the man, whose last name happened to be Smith, who visited a church. The pastor asked, “Are you related to all the other Smiths in this community?” This Mr. Smith replied, “I am sure I am related to at least some of them because there are certainly a lot of them around.” Then the man jokingly said to the pastor, “I used to wonder where all the Smiths came from until I drove out to the edge of town and I saw this large building and the sign painted on the side of it said, ‘Smith’s Manufacturing Company.’ I told my wife that was obviously where all the Smiths were coming from.”
Today we have so many false teachers around that it makes you wonder where all of them are coming from.
But many who are spreading false doctrines, at one time belonged to churches where the Bible was preached.
This was what John was stating in verse 19 when he stated, “They went out from us, but they were not of us...”
ONE OF THE REASONS THIS OCCURS IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY MANY CHURCHES TAKE MEMBERS IN. Usually it is the easiest thing in this world to join a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church.
A stranger can walk into most churches, and only attend a short time before becoming a member.
In some of the more liberal churches one can participate in the leadership and not even be a member of the church.
Illus: One lady recently went to a big church and in a few weeks, without even joining the church, she was singing in the choir. The people of that church did not know a thing about her. She could have been a serial killer for all they knew, yet they had her before the congregation singing in the choir.
Because many churches today base what they call success on how many members they have, they take in ANYONE and EVERYONE! But such churches pay a price later because, as John said, “They went out from us, but they were not of us...”
C. THE PROTECTION
Look at verses 20-21. We read, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.”
In the Old Testament, only the prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Only a few people had the anointing of God on their lives. But, after the death of Christ every believer has the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Look at 2 Cor. 1:21-22. We read, “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”
The Holy Spirit is the believer’s PROTECTION against FALSE TEACHINGS and FALSE TEACHERS.
Illus: Back in the 1950’s, the professional wrestler, Gorgeous George had long blonde hair. He wore pink tights with lace around them, sprayed the ring with perfume before he got in, and threw gold hair pins out at the ladies. That kind of thing is hard to handle these days, but during the 50’s it was enough to make one sick. George said that he dressed that way to draw the crowds. Not only did it draw crowds, it also drew many homosexuals. He got so he could tell one when no one else could.
One day he was at the Veteran’s hospital in Columbia, S. C., with a Christian friend and was introduced to a doctor. After that doctor left, Bro. George, who is now an evangelist, told the friend that the doctor was a homosexual. Later on it was revealed that the doctor had been a “closet” homosexual. No one who worked with him had known, but George knew.
When God saves us He gives us the Holy Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit protects us by showing us that all men who walk around with a Bible are not necessarily preachers of God’s Word.
God sent the Holy Spirit for that purpose. He reveals to us who are, and who are not, ministers of the gospel.
Illus: America alone has more than 350 sects and cults, and most of them claim to base their doctrines on the Word of God.
We need the Holy Spirit of God to show us how not to be fooled and deceived by the many false teachings that we are exposed to daily. He is THE PROTECTOR.
D. THE PROOF
Here is the proof that you can know that you know the Lord.
Look at verses 22-23. We read, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also..”
Some people today say they know the Lord, but they attack the deity of Christ. John says those who do this are liars. That is, there is not an ounce of truth in them when they say they know God, but deny that Jesus is the Messiah.
Conclusion: And so, the elements of the antichrist and how the Holy Spirit helps us are as follows:
I. THE ATTITUDE TEST
II. THE ACTION TEST
III. THE AFFECTION TEST
IV. THE ACTUALITY TEST
V. THE ADULTERY TEST
VI. THE ANTICHRIST TEST
A. THE PERIOD
B. THE PRETENDERS
C. THE PROTECTION
D. THE PROOF
