Picking Out Antichrists
Notes
Transcript
Intro; When John told us to mature in our faith by not loving the things of the world, it means more than just physical or material possessions. Maturing in our faith helps us be aware of the worlds system and those who are anti-God.
Tonight we are going to learn how to Pick Out or Identify Antichrist’s.
Text; 1 John 2:18-29
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which 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 they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Antichrist-The prefix “anti” can mean either one who is openly against Christ or one who tries to present himself a substitute for Christ.
There is coming a day when one man will come upon the world scene and he will be perceived as a savior for the world after the Tribulation, but his ways will actually be anti-Christ!
Antichrists’- a spirit of lies, error, deception and false teaching by people in the church/religion.
That’s what we are looking at tonight.
Paul even addresses these antichrists in his farewell to the Ephesian elders.
30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
We’re going to look at two characteristics John mentions about antichrists and two characteristics of true believers. And in between them we will look at the tool that helps us make that distinction.
1. Picking Out Antichrists; 18-19, 22-23
1. Picking Out Antichrists; 18-19, 22-23
Last hour- it refers to the time between Christs’ first and second comings [we are living in this time]
Matthew 24:23–24 (NKJV)
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
The two characteristics of antichrists is they depart and deny;
[v.19] Antichrists’ Depart from the church- departing from the church doesn’t mean that they went to another Bible believing church, it means they depart from truth and began to worship in a false religion.
Jehovah’s Witness- They believe Jesus was a son of God but not “the” Son of God who came and died for man’s sin. They believe Jehovah will reward them for their works and they will gain salvation and some will become gods.
Mormon- They believe the angel Moroni [moron] sent by God came to a man named Joseph Smith in 1820 and gave him a new revelation about the true church, The Latter Day Saints. And they believe their church is the only true church of which one can be saved. They also use Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon to be a guide for the Bible. [Similar is the Church of Christ].
Roman Catholic Church- the Pope is the final authority for Catholics. Even though they believe in Jesus, they spin deception about him in that Mary the mother of Jesus has great influence over Him in heaven and that’s why they pray to her. They also believe in “purgatory”, a holding place of temporary punishment, until the family pays and prays and the pope lets them know if their loved one has been released into heaven.
Presbyterian Church USA- they do not believe in the inerrancy of scripture, ordain homosexuals and women pastors, and do not teach the deity of Christ among other things. It was formed in 1983. [United Methodist Church, CBF Baptist Churches]
[v.22-23] Antichrists deny Jesus; it is not enough to acknowledge Jesus as a great teacher, moral example, or prophet. He must be accepted as the Christ, which means He is the promised Redeemer, or Messiah. He is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died on the cross for our sins. Anyone who denies these basic truths is not just a liar—he is antichrist for none who denies the Son has the Father.
Many people who say they are christians do not believe that Jesus is the only way of salvation, nor do they believe He is God come in the flesh! [Most of the denominations I mentioned don’t believe this]
John 10:30 (NKJV)
30 I and My Father are one.”
John 14:6 (NKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 17:5, 21 (NKJV)
5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was…
21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
It is not hard for a true believer to point out antichrists!
2. True Believers are Anointed; 20-21, 26-27
2. True Believers are Anointed; 20-21, 26-27
Anoint- to set apart, to authorize and equip for a spiritual task of importance
In the OT, kings, priests, and prophets were anointed outwardly with oil to symbolize God’s presence was with them and His favor was upon them.
In the NT, the anointing from God is His Holy Spirit present with us and in us!
John 14:16–17 (NKJV)
16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,
22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit is the believers built in lie detection system to pick out antichrists!
[20] Anointing- Latin [unction] spiritual assistance for spiritual effectiveness to know truth
[21] John writes to the believers to not be fooled by antichrists because believers know the truth.
John 16:13 (NKJV)
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
[26-27] The anointing is not just for us to know truth, but also that we would expose lies!
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit is like the receiver for Direct TV, that transmits the signal of truth from God to our heart and minds!
3. Identifying True Believers; 28-29
3. Identifying True Believers; 28-29
The two characteristics of a true believer is they abide and practice righteous;
Abide- to remain in, dwell, live
[28] Abide is used 6 times in these verses [24, 27, 28]
John says that the Word of God which we have heard that brought us to faith in Christ , needs to remain in us, dwell in us, and live in us!
Colossians 3:16 (NKJV)
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
[29] Practice Righteousness- morally right, socially fair, spiritually growing, doctrinally correct.
Morally right- saved and in line with God’s Word
Socially fair- do not discriminate against others
Spiritually growing- increasing in faith
Doctrinally correct- teaching and living the whole council of God’s Word
John 15:4–8 (NKJV)
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Only a person who truly abides in Christ can consistently practice righteousness.
And the ones practicing righteousness can easily pick out the antichrists.
And only the one who consistently practice righteousness is “Becoming A Contagious Christian”, producing much fruit!
