Antichrists


1 John 2:18-27
18Children, 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. 19They 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. 20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24Let 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. 25And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. 26I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27But 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.

John takes the time to warn us about the realities of living in the world; those who are against the Gospel of Christ will rise and try to steal our faith. He even tells us the rather shocking news that there are many antichrists! Current theological thought has stressed “The Antichrist”, who is Satan himself. But the reality is harsher for there are many. Satan would take our faith in a heartbeat and is willing to use numerous paths to achieve that goal. Awareness of his efforts may be one of our first lines of defense.

We are constantly offered a less than powerful Savior by those who would interpret the Scriptures loosely or in a watered-down fashion. The Bible teaches us of a strong and loving Savior who surrendered His life for the sins of the world. Anything less, anything that negates His status of Lord God of all Creation is a false offering. And of course, any teaching that removes Jesus entirely from the equation is completely false. Instead we are submitted to the descriptions and stories of Christ that we find in His inspired Word. There we learn the truth of who He is and why He came. We learn that He loves us, first and foremost, and that He died so that we might be with Him forever. Any message that weakens His status is to be disregarded and ignored.

Protection from false teaching requires that we know the Scriptures for ourselves. We each need to be students of the Word and willing to be shaped and transformed by the Holy Spirit and what He is teaching us. Then when false messages assault our ears, we are wise in the ways of God and can walk away.

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