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DECEPTIONS IN THE LAST HOUR

1 John chapter 2:18 to 27

The word translated little children here isn't a term of affection for all born into God's family, but indicates those in the first degree of spiritual experience (verses 12-14): they haven't grown up yet.

The return of Christ for His church was always to be expected at any time, even when this letter was written (verse 28). The statement "it is the last hour" is therefore valid whenever it is read, and the teachings contained here are true for the present until His coming. We are living in the last hour here upon the earth, and it has been so for a long time. This is the age when God is calling out a people for His name, when we can say "Now is the acceptable time. Today if you will hear His voice"(Hebrews 4:8). The urgency about salvation is because we might not be here tomorrow.

Antichrist is made up of two words: the title Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) and the preposition anti. It is important to see that anti has two meanings:

1. It can mean against. If I am anti-something, that means I am against that thing. It applies to: a) those who deny the deity of Christ, common throughout the ages. The teaching in this letter refers particularly to those from the church who embrace this heresy. b) those opposed to the Christian faith who try to draw worship to themselves; such were the earlier Roman emperors.

2. Anti can also mean instead of, an imitation of. Therefore, a substitute is also an antichrist, such as: a) those who say they are the Messiah: the Jews have at times turned to false "Messiahs", even at the present time (Matthew 24:5). b) those who falsely claim to be Christ returned to earth: there have been a few lately, heading sects (Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:6, 22). c) those who declare themselves to be substitutes (vicars) of Christ on earth and to have His authority: the popes of the Roman Catholic institution, who have given rise to terrible heresies and have persecuted to death true believers who didn't submit to their authority (verse 18, 1 Timothy 4:1-3).

At the end of the Church age two persons will together fulfil this term antichrist:

1. a political ruler definitely against Christ, with various names, including the beast (Daniel 7:24,25; 8:23-25, 9:26,27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 1 John 2:18,22;4:3; 2 John 1:7, Revelation 13:1-10, etc.).

2. a religious ruler, a wolf in sheep's clothing taking the place of Christ, called the false prophet (Revelation 13:11-18).

The antichrists referred to in this letter went out from the Christian fellowship but never belonged to it in spirit and life: they proved this by not continuing in the fellowship, and in this way revealing themselves in their true colours. In other words, they had made a profession of being believers, they were baptised (immersed in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), they bore the Christian name and identified themselves with some local assembly/church, and there they took the bread and the cup at the Lord's table.

But after that they left the fellowship of believers and this was evidence that they were not children of God. Their new state is worse than if they had never known the gospel in the first place (Hebrews 10:26,27, 2 Peter 2:21). Many unbelievers call themselves Christians but they cannot bear to maintain fellowship with those who follow Christ.

The real test of whether we have been born again is our obedience to the Word of God. This ought to cause every Christian to ask himself the questions:

• Do I believe in the divinity of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God?

• Have I really faced up to my sins in the light of the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ?

• Have I come to God in repentance, owning my guilt and acknowledging my iniquity?

• Have I cast myself upon Him and Him only for my salvation?

• Have I evidence in my life of being a regenerate soul of God?

• Do I love the Word of God?

• Do I want the Word of God?

• Is it bread to me?

• Is it meat to me?

• Is it drink to me?

• Do I love the brethren?

• And do I love the Lord Jesus Christ?

These are the things which we need to consider, and the Word of God enjoins us to do so. It has been said My friend, I believe in the security of believers, but I also believe in the insecurity of make-believers. We need to examine ourselves to see what kind of believer we really are.

True believers are "anointed ones" (Psalm 105:15). Whereas antichrists may pose as the equals of or even superior to Christ himself, followers of Christ have the Holy Spirit. They receive this anointing of the Holy Spirit from the Anointed One, Jesus Christ (the Holy One). This anointing is given to all Christians, not just a select few, at the time they are born-again, once and for all (verse 27).

All the things that we should know as children of God are potentially ours to know, for by the Holy Spirit we can study the Word of God, and then through the experiences which God sends to us, we have the possibility of growing in these matters. It is up to us whether we are going to learn or not, so as to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ.

This letter is written to those who have the gospel, the truth, for a twofold purpose:

1. Encouragement
2. Warning: there is false teaching going about.

We have the truth, but lies are creeping in, and they do not proceed from the Word of God. How true, especially today!

The Lord Jesus proved He was the Messiah, the One whose name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God who is pictured in the Old Testament, and there appears as the LORD, the I AM. This is the basis of our Christian faith, and who denies it is a liar. He who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him (John 5:23), and is antichrist.

The deity of Christ is essential to our salvation because if He is not God, the man who died on the Cross cannot be our Saviour; in fact, He could not even be His own Saviour. None of us sinners can die for the other. It was necessary for God to become a man in order that we might have redemption.

Our only approach to the Father is by the Son (John 14:6). Confession of Christ before men is a prerequisite for confession by Christ before the Father (Matthew 10:32; Luke 12:8).

We must not be carried away by newfangled teaching, but keep to that which we heard from the beginning, the foundation laid by the apostles when they began to preach the gospel.

The gospel of John proves the divinity of the Lord Jesus very clearly. It is essential to have a living faith which rests in the One who came to this earth and dwelt among us (John 1:14), so that we can get to know God.

Communion with the Father and with the Son is stressed in this letter, the emphasis being not so much upon having life in Christ through faith in Him, but upon having communion and enjoying that fellowship with Him which is so essential.

The only kind of life that God offers is eternal life. If you lose it tomorrow or next week or next year, it isn't eternal life that you have. It is some other kind of life, but not eternal life. The gospel is eternal life through the grace of God, and this is what was taught since the beginning. It does not depend on observing rituals, doing penance, giving for charity, obtaining "merits" from saints through the pope, going to Rome for Jubilee 2000 or anything else which the antichrists have added on! We are reminded not to be deceived by them. The Holy Spirit teaches us, and we only need to abide in Him.

 

R David Jones

 

 

 

 

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 be plain that they all are not of us.

20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know.

21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth.

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.

23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.

24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.

25 And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.

26 I write this to you about those who would deceive you;

27 but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.