Knowing Sound Doctrine: 1 John 2:21-23

The main point of today’s sermon is that antichrists (those who deny that Jesus is the Christ) are in the world now. You have an anointing of the Holy Spirit and don’t need to listen to their lies. Just continue to listen to what you have heard from the very beginning, and you will be all right.

Proposition: Because false teachers are in the world, we must know the truth

1. Because false teachers are in the World, we must know sound doctrine to encourage believers. The Discerned (v. 21)

1 John 2:21 “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.”

The Discerned are Christians who know sound doctrine. They’re not easily ‘tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine’ as Eph. 4:14 says, because they’re grounded in God’s Holy Word.

They know sound doctrine because they possess the Holy Spirit.

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

After all, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit, and the Gospel of John teaches us that Jesus will send us the “Spirit of truth” (John 14:17) who “will teach you all things” (John 14:26).

They are in possession of the Holy Spirit because God by His mere grace and love chose them and predestinated them unto everlasting life.

The Westminister Confession of Faith reminds us of these beautiful truths:

All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time effectually to call, by His Word and Spirit, out of sin and misery into grace and salvation by Jesus Christ.

All those whom God effectually calleth, He also freely justifieth, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous for Christ’s sake alone.

All those who are effectually called and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them are further sanctified thru Christ’s death and resurrection by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them.

Josh Buice reminds us that, “The creeds and confessions serve as guardrails that point us back to the Bible when we are tempted to walk astray according to the winds of culture.”

Romans 8:30 “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

So here John says, I write to you Christian because you know sound doctrine, you have ears to hear, you who are able to discern truth from a lie, and biblical doctrine from heresy.

John Macarthur said, “Discernment is the understanding and appreciation of the real knowledge of God’s revelation that produces holy living.”

This gives us the church assurance in light of the problem of false doctrine that runs rampant in our world today.

By way of illustrating this problem of false doctrine: Here in the South, we deal with the problem of fire ants. By way of exterminating these pests, scientists have come to the conclusion that fire ants must be killed from within, and so they’ve developed these odorless pellets that they can’t resist. The workers carry these poisonous morsels of food back to their queen which kills her and eventually kills off the entire colony. Food that looked so good caused their starvation. That is how it is with false doctrine. Those who lack discernment import it into the heart of the church, thinking it is harmless and in fact quite good. Sometimes they even label it as “tradition” this is what we’ve always done. If any wise “ant” smells the poison and protests, he is ridiculed! And in the end the next generation starves to death spiritually.

Why is it important to know the Scriptures (sound doctrine)?

Titus 1:9 “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”

Because in context the Scriptures refute the false claim of Gnosticism that says only select people had access through mystical ways to this higher, special knowledge.

The encouragement I want the church to draw from this passage this morning is that all Christians have this special knowledge for he is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Church, you are equipped to discern sound doctrine, and are expected to chase away the ravenous wolves with their heretical teachings.

Not only but also

2. Because Antichrists are in the world, we must know sound doctrine to refute those who deny it. The Denier (v. 22)

1 John 2:22 “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.”

The Denier are the antichrists (false teachers) who deny sound doctrine.

Romans 16:17 “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.”

Titus 3:10 “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,”

3. Because The Deceived (v. 23)

1 John 2:23 “No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.”

The Deceived are the antichrists (false believers) who has not the Father due to their rejection of Jesus (the Son).

Jude 3–4 “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”