Abide Steadfastly - 1 John 2:18-27

INTRO

- Sigh - The antichrist let’s get into it.

- If you’re new maybe you’re thinking uh-oh I came on this Sunday.

- When I hear anti-christ this picture comes to mind

PICTURE

I grew up terrified of any discussion on end-times.

Trumpet sound - it’s happening.

Anti-Christ is a word that only appears in John’s letters.

It’s a concept that is no where near as neat as many of us have heard.

Some have talked about a geo-political leader of a one world government.

With the eclipse that just happened, Israel in conflict and it being an election year this kinda stuff is every where.

The idea of anti-christ again is no where near as neat as many of us think it is.

It shows up here in John’s letter and really he is speaking about an anti-christ spirit of the age.

It is in Revelation when we see the beast.

In 2 Thessalonians it is the man of lawlessness

In Daniel it’s the little horn.

But here is my issue this morning.

I spent entirely too much time on the antichrist this week.

Truthfully I just have to say this.

I find a lot of the evangelical discussion on this topic embarrassing and frustrating.

Do you know why?

Because if we look at this passage and our take away is solely on the anti-christ and not on abiding in Jesus Christ we have missed it.

Too often we care more about conspiracy theories than we do dwelling in the presence of Jesus.

Too often we care more about sensationalism than we do loving our neighbor.

So Mission Church hear me.

Don’t let the word anti-christ stir your left behind trauma up.

Our next Equip Night is going to be on End Times.

We can get into it then.

For now let’s listen to John.

Cool?

Ok.

Big Idea.

Big Idea: True followers of Christ steadfastly abide in Him.

John is writing that we would know that we belong to Jesus.

John is now explicitly going to look at the deception from this antichrist spirit that has seeped into the church.

So let’s walk through this passage together and see first the call to

1. Refute False Teaching

Look back at the passage with me

1 John 2:18 (ESV)

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.

When John speaks of the last hour, he is referring to the time between Jesus first coming and his second coming.

We are at the last hour in redemptive history.

John is warning these believers that there are false teachers in the church.

Sometimes it’s easy to separate ourselves from what we read in scripture.

But friends the same is true today.

John is saying that these false teachers are pulling our eyes off of Jesus.

They are literally against-christ or anti-christ.

Three things about these antichrists.

They deceive, they deny and they depart

Deceive, deny, and depart.

In 1 John 2:26, John warns us about those trying to lead us astray with twisted teachings.

These deceivers challenge the very core of what we believe: that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God.

John's message is clear: knowing the truth isn't just about facts; it's about fidelity to those facts.

1 John 2:22 (ESV)

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.

This denial is no small thing;

it's a direct hit on the heart of Christianity.

John is saying you can't claim to know God if you reject His Son.

Just like you can’t split a body down the middle and expect it to function, you can’t separate Jesus from His Father.

They’re a package deal.

These were people in the church who claimed to follow God but didn’t live like Jesus at all.

John called them "antichrists" because they were living in a way that was completely against what Jesus taught.

They said they knew God, but they didn’t follow His commandments, and they denied that Jesus was the Messiah.

This kind of behavior could easily lead others astray.

Have you ever been around people who said they knew God, but their actions didn’t match up?

That’s what was happening here.

And these guys were leading people away from Jesus in droves.

John’s not shy about calling out these false teachings.

He’s straightforward and very blunt.

Now listen are e’re supposed to that exude the love of Christ, yes.

But John tells us that doesn't mean we put up with everything.

Love doesn't stretch to accepting harmful doctrines.

For John, these deceivers are not just wrong; they’re dangerous.

They're antichrists.

Here’s the thing about the term "antichrist":

it sounds like something out of a blockbuster movie, but John uses it just a handful of times—again far less than we might think given how much airtime it gets today.

And yet, the rarity of the term doesn't diminish the threat.

These antichrists, from the early heretic to the more contemporary figures who distort Jesus’ identity, they are not comic book villains.

They’re real, they’re subtle, and they're already among us, challenging the essence of our faith.

Think of those who deny the divinity of Jesus,

Mormons, Jehovah’s Witness, Muslims.

But there is a more subtle kind of false teaching that finds it’s way to us.

Listen I don’t think many of us are watching a bunch of televangelists propping up a false gospel.

But I do think we have voices popping up in our social feeds that talk about living in your purpose.

Voices that make us feel comfortable but never push us to the feet of Jesus.

Voices that help us excuse sinful tendencies rather than owning them and repenting.

Voices that push a political ideology over and above the kingdom.

John is going to tell us later in this letter:

1 John 4:1 (ESV)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

We have to be like Bereans (test everything by the word of God.)

There’s a Russian parable.

A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear.

When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft, soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let us negotiate the matter.”

Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied,

“I want a fur coat.”

“Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable question.

I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.”

They sat down to negotiate, and after a time the bear walked away alone.

The negotiations had been successful.

The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat. [But not in the way he expected it!]

Never compromise with the enemy.

You will lose every time.

Listen There may be some who seem like they are of us, but ultimately they are not of us.

Just because something says “Christian” or seems inspirational be careful.

We have to go deeper than sound bites.

There were those John says who were in the church but ultimately left.

The false teachers left the church.

John makes it painfully clear when he talks about their departure from the community.

It’s not just a physical exit; it's a profound spiritual revelation.

They leave because they were never truly with us.

It might hurt to see them go, but it’s also a cleansing process.

It reveals who is genuinely for Christ and who isn’t.

So, what does this mean for us today?

It’s a call to vigilance and to commitment.

It's a reminder that our faith is not just about being cozy with comforting truths but about confronting uncomfortable errors with the solid truth of who Jesus is.

In this battle of beliefs, remember: true believers stick with Jesus, not just in easy times but especially when faith is tested.

In today's world, where opinions and ideologies clamor for attention like a crowded marketplace, it's essential to 'test the spirits' to see if they align with God's truth.

This isn't just about sniffing out blatant falsehoods—it's about discerning the subtle currents that can slowly drift us away from the gospel.

As followers of Christ, we need to filter everything we hear through the robust strainer of biblical principles.

This means not just passively consuming information but actively engaging with it.

Ask yourself: Does this reflect the character of Jesus?

Does it promote love, justice, and humility?

Is it rooted in the truth of Scripture?

We hang tight to what we know is true: that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

This leads us to what we see second a call to steadfastly abide.

2. Steadfastly Abide

In the midst of John’s challenge to these false teachers he give us this reminder.

1 John 2:20 (ESV)

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

What does it mean to be anointed by the Holy One?

To be anointed is to be sealed, set apart, and marked as chosen.

This concept isn’t new; it traces back to the Old Testament, where kings like Saul and David were anointed with oil by the prophet Samuel,

symbolizing the were chosen by God and they were dedicated for God’s specific purposes.

Today, being anointed takes on a deeper spiritual significance.

For those of us following Christ, it means being indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

We are distinctly marked by God’s Spirit and His word,

We are singled out from the world around us.

This anointing stems directly from the Holy One—we are set apart by Jesus Christ as belonging to him.

As those who are marked as belonging to God, we are gifted with profound insights.

Paul said the mystery of the gospel is what angels longed to look into

This is the Spirit’s testimony within us about who Jesus is and the redemption He accomplished through the cross,

This is the spirit workin in us giving us a deeper internal understanding of the gospel.

We are Consecrated and set apart by God and for God by the Holy Spirit,

we now have an internal and abiding Teacher who will guide us in all knowledge and truth. ‌

And, by abiding in Him, no lie will seduce us, deceive us, and lead us astray.

(v.27)The idea of you having no need that anyone should teach you doesnt mean you don’t listen to teaching like you are doing now.

It means you don’t need something beyond the gospel.

We don’t add to Jesus.

We don’t graduate from Jesus and add to him.

William Tyndale said this,

“Ye are not anointed with oil in your bodies, but with the Spirit of Christ in your souls; which Spirit teacheth you all truth in Christ, and maketh you to judge what is a lie, and what truth, and to know Christ from antichrist.” _William Tyndale

Throughout the New Testament, this theme of abiding—often referred to as perseverance or the perseverance of the saints—resonates deeply.

Jesus Himself emphasized this during His earthly ministry, saying, Mark 13:13

Mark 13:13 (ESV)

And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Even in His heavenly ministry, the exalted Christ echoes this call, urging us in Revelation 3:11

Revelation 3:11 (ESV)

I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

John echoes this insistence on endurance five times in his call for us to "abide" or "remain."

As John Stott aptly puts it, “Endurance is the hallmark of the saved.”

It's not sufficient to just believe once, to make a decision.

No we must continue to actively believe and live out this truth.

Abiding isn’t a passive state; it’s dynamic and continual.

To abide means to make your home.

We dwell in Christ.

Fight for this friend

Does the gospel abide in you?

Or does it come and go according to your circumstances, with compromise replacing conviction?

The reality of the gospel can be confirmed in your life when it propels you to remain consistent.

Keep abiding in the Word and in Christ.

Mission Church We abide…We live in Christ.

Martin Lloyd-Jones offers a vivid illustration of spiritual growth and transformation through the process of grafting, which beautifully mirrors our journey in Christ.

Imagine you want to cultivate a specific type of pear.

You start with a graft—a shoot from the pear variety you desire—and implant it into a common wild pear tree.

You make a cut in the tree, insert the shoot, and bind them together.

Over time, the life and sap from the wild tree flow into the graft, empowering it to bear fruit.

However, the wild tree will naturally try to sprout its own branches and bear its own fruit, so you must continually prune these wild offshoots.

By consistently removing these, you channel all the tree’s energy into supporting the grafted shoot, which eventually takes over, transforming the entire tree to produce only the desired fruit.

This process is an excellent metaphor for what happens when God saves us.

When we come to Christ, it's like inserting new life into our old selves.

At first, we might feel as if we have two natures battling within us: the new, cultivated nature and the old, wild one.

But as we actively "prune" the old habits and tendencies, giving more strength to the new life within us, the new nature gradually dominates.

This isn't just about external changes; it's a deep, internal transformation.

Just as the grafted pear tree eventually bears only the fruit of the grafted shoot, so our lives, increasingly nourished by Christ's life within us, begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit.

This continual process requires us to remain in Christ, actively suppressing the old nature so that the new one can flourish.

Do you abide?

If we don't abide in Christ, it's a clear sign that we might never have truly been anointed.

Those truly anointed by the Spirit will persevere in Christ and hold fast to the truth.

We should celebrate someone coming from death to life and entering the Kingdom

But it’s equally vital to celebrate our perseverance under Christ’s lordship throughout our lives.

Who cheers for a runner who starts a marathon but doesn't finish?

We are called to "run with endurance the race set before us" , avoiding the dangers of false teachings and worldly temptations.

We are to steadfastly hold to our confession of Jesus as Christ and Son of God.

We all know someone who has drifted away from the church, someone whose faith seems shipwrecked.

Perhaps, you fear faltering at the end.

Let that fear serve you.

Listen it can be a healthy and necessary reminder of our need to not rely on our own strength but on God's enduring grace and power.

We stay in the race because God sustains us.

Our perseverance is rooted not in our own ability, but in the unchanging character of God—the author and perfecter of our faith.

The Holy One who anointed us is the same One who sustains and will ultimately save us.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and rest assured in His sovereign, unending love.

Because of God’s steadfast promises and mighty power, we can be confident that He will complete the good work He began in us.

Remember, those anointed abide in the Anointed.

Embrace this truth, believe it, live it, and rest secure in it.

So we refute false teaching, we steadfastly abide, and finally we

3. Believe The Promise

Look at verse 25

1 John 2:25 (ESV)

And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

Again we are in the last hour

In these "last days," we find ourselves in a challenging world, rife with temptation and opposition to Jesus's reign.

So how do we navigate such a world?

It starts with adopting an otherworldly perspective,

We have to look beyond the immediate to the eternal.

John is reminding us that we are in the final days.

Paul echoes this urgency in 1 Corinthians, urging us to live not as if we have all the time in the world, but as if every moment counts because "the time has been shortened"

What would you do differently if you knew Jesus was returning today?

How would that change your thoughts, your actions?

That’s how we're called to live—right now.

This eschatological vision is closely tied to "the promise he made to us—eternal life" (1 John 2:25).

Consider the reality of our world:

How many people do we know battling cancer, dealing with the aftermath of heart surgery, or battling with chronic pain and weakness?

Death is a constant, often ignored reality.

In the ancient world, its presence was unmistakable and universally feared.

Philosophers of John’s era, wrote about the pervasive dread of death and the futility of worldly pursuits in the face of mortality.

In the Gospels, we see this too.

The gospel accounts are filled with encounters of people in dire need—

demoniacs, the sick, and the dying—

each one a mirror reflecting our own fragility and the curse of death that hangs over humanity.

Each story, from the woman bleeding for twelve years to Jairus’s daughter, underscores a universal truth:

Everyone is subject to death’s reach.

Yet, the Gospel doesn't leave us in despair.

It offers a profound hope: the promise of victory over death through Jesus, "the resurrection and the life"

When Martha fears that death has had the final say, Jesus assures her, and us, of a different story—one where belief in Him conquers the ultimate enemy, death itself.

John 11:21–26 (ESV)

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

So, do you live with this hope?

ILLUSTRATION

A Pastor thinking of the fullness and duration of this wonderful life, a pastor, spoke from his own experience just before he died.

He said, "I remember a year ago when a doctor told me,

'You have an illness from which you won't recover.'

I walked out to where I live and I looked across at that mountain that I love.

I looked at the river in which I rejoice, and I looked at the stately trees that are always God's own poetry to my soul.

Then in the evening I looked up into the great sky where God was lighting His lamps in the night sky, and I said,

' I may not see you many more times, but Mountain, I shall be alive when you are gone; and River, I shall be alive when you cease running toward the sea;

and Stars, I shall be alive when you have fallen from your sockets in the great down pulling of the material universe!'

When Jesus asks, "Do you believe this?"—He's inviting us to trust not just in His ability to raise the dead then, but in His promise to give us eternal life now.

This belief isn't just for the here-after; it transforms how we live here-now.

In a world where deceivers abound and the truth of Christ’s identity and mission is under constant attack, our call is clear:

To steadfastly abide in Him

This isn't just about survival; it's about living with conviction and hope in the promise of eternal life,

anchored in the truth that Jesus, the Son of God, has indeed come into the world to turn the tide against death.

We are anointed to live out this truth, to stand firm against deception, and to embrace life in His name, every day until He returns.

How do I discern the spirit of antichrist in today’s culture? Are there popular teachings or societal norms that might be subtly leading me away from the truth of Jesus Christ?

What practical steps can I take daily to ensure that I am truly abiding in Christ and not just going through the motions?

How does the promise of eternal life influence my decisions and interactions today? Am I living in a way that reflects a firm belief in this promise?

What does it mean for me to live as if Jesus could return at any moment?