Test of Sound Doctrine: 1 John 2:18-27

As we’ve seen over the past month working thru the Epistle of 1 John verse by verse, the purpose is that we the church may know that we have eternal life. John has presented us with three major tests to provide us with assurance of salvation. The first test was theological. The second test was the moral. The third test is the social test. These three tests can be summarized by the following: 1) True believers must believe that Jesus truly is the Christ come in the flesh, and this belief must work itself out in 2) righteousness and 3) love. First a Christian will live a godly life. Second, a Christian loves others. Third, which we’re looking at today is that a Christian believes Jesus has come in flesh. In other words, Christians believe in the sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

If you have your Bible and I hope you do, please join me for the Reading of God’s Word:

1 John 2:18–27 “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. 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. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 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. 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 one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 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. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 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.”

This is the Word of God. Let us Pray.

The main point of today’s sermon is to encourage believers and to warn them of the false teachings of those who denies the sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

1. The Deterrent for the Faithful

1 John 2:18 “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.”

A. The Importance of Sound Doctrine

The importance of sound doctrine in the last hour should be the ultimate priority of the church.

John is writing to the church in Ephesus who had allowed false teaching to infiltrate their ranks. Church, this should rattle us to our core this morning, because these Gnostics not only were part of the visible church but they received the approval of the congregation to become their teachers. These wolves in sheep’s clothing had been chosen, had been nominated to lead their congregations because they tickled their ears with the message they wanted to hear, rather than a God-ordained message for their souls.

The message of the Gnostics claimed that it did not matter what a person did, but what a person experienced thru divine enlightenment. Which is why up to this point, John has been focusing on how Christians behave. The question is:

What shapes and directs the daily lives of God’s people? John’s teaching is clear in that:

- God’s people are shaped by His Word.

- God’s people are shaped by His Love.

- God’s people are shaped by growing in Christ.

- God’s people are shaped by their separation from this ungodly world.

John now switches gears from how Christians behave to what Christians believe. Right behavior always starts with right beliefs!

Church, we are living in the last days, the last hour is here, for it is evident by the perilous times that we live in.

Matthew 24:5–8 “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.”

Church, I’m here to inform you this morning that one day the Antichrist will reveal himself but as of now John says, many “antichrists” his forerunners who are enemies of God, who hate Christ, hate His Church, hate His Kingdom, hate His Gospel, and hates His People are already here. Unfortunately, many of these antichrists are already positioned within the ranks of God’s church because we (Christians) have allowed them to.

John is not implying here in this verse nor am I that we know the day and time of Jesus’ return but we do know one day that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will return to rule in glory and power because He said would.

So in light of knowing that we’re living in the last hour: Has this moved you to be prepared? Are you ready to appear before Christ’s judgement seat? Have you been convicted of your sins and unrighteousness and now by faith are in union with Christ? Does this move you share the gospel with lost and dying world before its too late? Do this move you to lay your life on the line to protect God’s church from heretical teachings or do you simply enjoy the tickling ear messages because that is what we’re used to. Its not about how long you’ve attended church, or how long you’ve been a member of church, or even how many generations of your family has been part of the church, its about whether or not you belong to Christ by faith.

Now being warned of the presence of the antichrists, how are they identified by the church?

2. The Description of the Antichrist

A. How Antichrists Fail to Maintain Sound Doctrine

a. Antichrists Depart from the Faithful

1 John 2:19 “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.”

b. Antichrists Deny Sound Doctrine

1 John 2:22–23 “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 one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”

c. Antichrists Deceive the Faithful

1 John 2:26 “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.”

3. The Description of the Faithful

A. The Cultivation of Sound Doctrine by Spirit-Anointed Faith

a. The Faithful are Anointed by the Holy Spirit

1 John 2:20–21 “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 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.”

b. The Faithful Abide in the Anointed One by means of their of their Anointing

1 John 2:24 “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.”

1 John 2:27 “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.”

c. The Faithful Believe the Anointed One’s Promise

1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.”