Antichrists and Saints
GIST: Time is short and many antichrists have and will come, but you can know the truth and have eternal life.
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 2:18-29
Time is short.
"18 Children, it is the last hour, "
Though we do not know exactly when Jesus will return, we know it could be anytime now because we're in the final stage. In all of redemptive history, we live the "last hour". Jesus has completed His work of salvation. All that is left is His return... and ETERNITY!
Antichrists have and will come.
"18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us...22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
We could camp out here for a long time. However, I don't want to spend too much time talking about things we don't know, so let's not muddy the water too much. The word "antichrist" makes people think of Revelation and the Antichrist who will come. Do we know who this will be? No. Should we speculate? No. It's senseless. Can we know what "Antichrist" means and why this is the issue that it is? Yes! And this should be our focus.
The spirit of the antichrist is exactly what the English word suggest. It is anti(against/opposed to) Christ (Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the World). John is warning us that there will be many (this is by no means an isolated occurrence) people in this world who are oppose to Christ. Thus, as Christians, we will be attacked by them. This is a "sign of the times". It is one way we know it is the last hour.
How do we know they are antichrists? He makes it pretty clear: "22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." No Jesus=No Salvation. Denying this is antichrist. It is the lie we, as sinners, want to embrace. It is the pride that is foundational to sin and leads to Hell.
Furthermore, John tells us not to expect this to just be some "outside threat". In fact, the antichrists he addresses here were at one point involved in the church, but left. Now, this brings up the subject of "eternal security". I want to make sure and address this in both this point and the following. First, can someone be in the church, active even, and leave, and go to Hell? Yes. Did they lose their salvation? No. They were never saved. There are several examples in Scripture, not least of which being Judas, and countless in modern times, of people leaving the Faith. However, John makes it very clear that these who left were never saved in the first place. "If it fizzles before it finishes, it was false from the start.” (I’m not sure who actually said that first, but it’s a good quote.) Can we tell before they leave? Often no. It is the leaving that shows their true colors.
So how do we know if we're one of these? We can know this about ourselves, which is why John doesn't stop here. He anticipates that response.
You can know the truth.
20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ... 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
If you know the truth, like his original readers, and have accepted Jesus, the Son of God, you do not need to fear losing your salvation, nor would you abandon the faith—because Jesus keeps those He saves.
Abide and have eternal life.
24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie--just as it has taught you, abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Give Christ control; let His truth remain in you, and you will remain in the Truth (Jesus)…and you will have eternal life. This is a warning, but if the truth abides in you, you have no reason to doubt. Again, it is not the will of man that ultimately outlasts and saves itself. It is the grace of God that works in that man, and wills, and transforms, and keeps until that day. It's Jesus and knowing Him personally that saves. Period. Thinking you can save yourself is the spirit of anitchrist.
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