Urgent Words for the Children of God May 19, 2024

TEXT: I John 2:18-29

                   Continuing with First John, today we will look at what he has to say about the last days.  First John 2:18-29 is our text, which says:  "(18)Little children, it is the last time; and as you have heard the antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  (19)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.  (20)But you have an unction [another word for anointing]  from the Holy One, and you know all things.  (21)I have not written unto you because you know not the Truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the Truth.  (22)Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.  (23)Whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father; but he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  (24)Let that therefore abide in you, which you have  heard from the beginning.  If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.  (25)And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life.  (26)These things have I written unto you concerning them who seduce you.  (27)But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is Truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in Him.  (28) And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.  (29) If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness is born of Him."

                   John's reference to the 'last time' is period of time we call the last days, which actually began with Jesus' ascension back to Heaven and will end with His second coming.  Those living at the time John wrote this letter, as well as all of us living today, have been born into the last days.  He is warning us that in the last days there will be antichrists, which are false teachers.  Many will come from the Church and pretend to be Christians while working to lure the weak Christians away from Jesus with their lies and twisting of the Scriptures.  Then at the start of the Great Tribulation, the final and most powerful Antichrist will come into power as we learned in our study of  Revelation.  But John is telling us that we don't have to fear anyone who opposes Jesus because we have been anointed [unction] by the Holy Spirit who instills in us the knowledge that allows us not to be deceived by the false teachers. 

                   We also have a responsibility to study and share God's Word to others clearly and carefully in order to prevent weak, uninformed people from being captured by the false teachers who are those in 'sheep's clothing' but are actually ferocious and deadly wolves that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:15.

                   How many people do you know that don't feel they need to accept Jesus as their personal Savior in order to get to Heaven?  I have spoken with many who believe this and think they can teach their children that as long as they live a good life and are kind to others, they will get to Heaven.  They believe in God, but they deny the divinity of Jesus believing He was a good role model but was a mortal man.   Sadly, these people have been blinded by false teachers, or antichrists unleashed by Satan.  John tells us in verse 22 that anyone who denies Jesus and what He has done to redeem humanity is a liar and ignorant of the truth.  The Father and the Son are a package deal.  Accept Jesus and you will have the Father because Jesus is our way back to God after being separated from Him by sin.  Denying Jesus takes away the path back to the God.  At conversion, the Holy Spirit comes alive in us teaching and guiding how we are to live a godly life and helping us to know and understand about  Jesus and God's love for us.   This is the Holy Trinity at work.

                   The antichrists John teaches about are not strangers to the Church and Jesus.  In fact, they may have once been part of a church but never completely belonged.  John doesn't say why they left but indicates they had likely joined for the wrong reasons.  Going to church may have been a family tradition or they attend in order to develop social networking and business contacts.  Or maybe it's just a long standing habit that they never thought to ask themselves why they attend.  And some may call themselves Christians for halfhearted or wrong reasons.  Everyone has reasons for attending church but unless that reason is Christ-centered with a deep desire to learn more about Him and God's plan for us, they are in danger of being influenced by false teachers. 

                   The Christians who first received this letter from John along with many Christians today, know that Jesus is God's Son, that He died for our sins, was raised to give us new life, and will one day return to establish His kingdom so that all His children can live with Him for eternity.  This will happen only when God says the time has come.  But many, then and now, are being infected by false teachers who deny the basic doctrines of true Christian faith.  John is urging Christians to reject the false arguments and hold tight to the truth taught by Jesus and the Apostles that we today in the Bible.  It's the Bible that gives true believers all they need to live and grow in the correct knowledge of the Lord.  Careful and constant study of God's Word deepens our knowledge and understanding and allows us to share God's truth to others.  We must never abandon the basic truths found in His Word.  Jesus is God's Son and our path to salvation.  The benefits of His sacrifice for our sins will never change.  We can never accept any doctrine that contradicts any of this.

                   John is urging us in verses 26 and 27 to reject what the false teachers are peddling.  The Holy Spirit that lives within us reminds us of what is true and keeps us from straying from the truth.  Staying true to Christ, requires that we must follows His teachings and His example.  The Holy Spirit will help us understand the differences between lies and the truth.  When you hear something that causes you concern, the Bible is your fact checker!

                   Jesus lives within us through the Holy Spirit, and we also live in Jesus.  This means that when we join with Him, we place our total trust in Him, rely on Him for guidance and strength, and live as He wants us to live.  Accepting Him becomes a personal, life-giving relationship.  John recorded this message in chapter 15:5 of his Gospel where Jesus speaks of Himself as the vine and His followers as the branches.  Just as branches get their life from the vine, we get our life from Jesus.

                   Our godly actions are outward proof that we're Christians.  Many people do good things but don't accept Jesus.  Others claim faith but rarely do anything good or helpful.  A shortfall in either faith or godly behavior will cause many so called 'good people' to be left behind when Jesus returns.  Because true faith always produces good deeds, those who have true faith will consistently live out their faith through good deeds.  Good deeds will not produce salvation as Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9, which says:  " (8) For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not of yourselves, it is a gift from God (9) not by works, so that on one can boast."  But good works are another proof that true faith is actually present as we are told in James 2:14-17.  John and all the Apostles witnessed Jesus helping and serving others and understood Jesus' priority of helping, serving, and encouraging those around Him. 

                   Don't ever believe that you can make a final choice for God after you have passed from this life or fall for the tired line that if a loving God won't send anyone to Hell.  God sends no one to Hell. That's a choice rests every individual makes.  Every person alone decides where they will spend eternity.  Don't throw away the gift that has been given to you. 

                   Until we meet again, may God bless and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.