LETTER FOR DISCERNMENT

Introduction

JIM JONES STORY

This young man’s life was ruined because he lacked discernment. It is all too common today that people lack discernment. Just think of the financial mess we end up in because we lack discernment. Or, think of the relational trouble in which we find ourselves. All because we lack discernment.

It is all too common today that people lack discernment. Just think of the financial mess we end up in because we lack discernment. Or, think of the relational trouble in which we find ourselves. All because we lack discernment.

The Church is no different. Countless Christians read books by false teachers, listen to preaching by wolves in sheep’s clothing, and swallow all the pills of pretending pastors. That is, they lack discernment.

In the apostle John’s day, there were already false teachings stirring in the church. This letter was probably written around AD 90. So, about 60 years after the ascension of Jesus Christ, the church was beset by false teachers.

One of the false teachings John was attempting to combat was an earlier form of Gnosticism. Though this may seem unrelated to you, I want to offer a brief sketch of some of the beliefs of Gnostics, and I think you will see how this understanding will help inform our interpretation and application of 1 John.

Gnosticism

Gnosticism is a general term, and throughout church history has taken on many different views. John’s interaction with gnostic tendencies lies at the beginning stages of this false teaching. Several aspects stick out as to what the gnostics actually believed:

Gnostics believed that “God cannot be observed with our senses nor easily grasped with our understanding.”

Gnostics believed “the world was divided into the physical and spiritual realms” which tended to view the physical as morally evil.

Gnostics believed that “the true human self....is trapped and imprisoned by the material world.”

Gnostics believed that salvation “initially brought about by gnosis [special divine knowledge], but ultimately constitutes a return of the human soul to the divine realm which it belongs.”

Smith, Zachary G. “Gnosticism.” Edited by John D. Barry, David Bomar, Derek R. Brown, Rachel Klippenstein, Douglas Mangum, Carrie Sinclair Wolcott, Lazarus Wentz, Elliot Ritzema, and Wendy Widder. The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.

If you are familiar with this epistle, then several things stick out. Already in our exposition of 1 John we see the denial of the goodness of physical creation, particularly with the references to the physical body of Christ in chapter one. At the end of chapter one and the beginning of chapter two we can see the emphases on the salvation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Additionally, this morning we see that these false teachers are attempting to deceive Christ’s sheep by telling them about this special knowledge (see 2:20).

So, as with the people in Jim Jones’ day, and as with the people in the apostle John’s day, we need discernment. This Letter for Discernment will provide us with the understanding of the Characteristics of the Antichrists, the Blessings of the Believer, and the Results of Abiding.

I. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ANTICHRISTS-

I do not know about you, but when I hear the word antichrist, it makes me nervous. No doubt this is due to the development and sometimes radical discussions surrounding antichrist. The term antichrist is used in two ways in the New Testament. The most well know is associated with the individual Antichrist. This one is discussed in passages such as and much of the book of Revelation. This individual is singled out by Scripture as one who would be empowered by the devil himself. He will fight, with all his borrowed might, against the God of heaven. Thus, he is appropriately named antichrist.

But our passage before us is dealing with antichrist in a general sense. While we know there is a day coming in which the antichrist will be revealed, right now there are antichrists present. That is, many antichrists.

These are individuals who, as John describes, deny that Jesus is the Christ, or Messiah. They deny Jesus. But there are some characteristics that John provides us (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit). This helps us have discernment, because just as there were antichrists in John’s day, there are antichrists today. And as believers we must be aware of them. So, what are the discerning characteristics of the antichrists?

A. Antichrists come from solid teaching-

That is a key identifier of an antichrist. Notice John’s language here: they went out from us. They began with us. No doubt John recalls the example of Judas. Judas, chosen by the Lord himself, was an antichrist. He betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss for thirty pieces of silver. He went out from the apostles, but Judas was not of the apostles.

There are many examples of this. Most recently I think of Josh Harris. Well know pastor, preacher, and writer, this man was consistently teaching the truth of God. In an Instagram post, Harris recently denied his belief in God and the truths of Scripture. Many people will say, “How can this man preach for years and years, only to deny the faith he once held so dear?” John answers it, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us.” So, while solid, biblical teaching is a key mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, it is not an exclusive mark.

B. Antichrists will be separated-

There next truth John mentions concerning the characteristics of antichrists is that they will be separated. He says, “they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” God has a way of separating antichrists from the true sheep of His pasture. While we must be diligent to protect our church from false teaching (i.e., teaching that denies Christ and God), God will help provide avenues in which we can learn about them and separate from them.

Now, before we move on to the blessings of believers, I want to make a brief comment. This idea of separating from antichrists may seem harsh to seem. That is understandable. We reason that, if we could continue to proclaim the truth to them, then perhaps God will bring about repentance. However, the reason we are to separate from them is because false doctrine is like a deadly disease, only worse. Paul, realizing the dangers of a false gospel (i.e., false teaching), says “let [them] be accursed!” (, ) We would be foolish to attempt to justify keeping someone in our company who contracted a deadly virus. On a greater scale, we would be absolutely insane to maintain fellowship with antichrists.

II. THE BLESSINGS OF THE BELIEVER- -21

As we address this letter for discernment, we see next the blessings of the believers. There are two primary blessings believers enjoy: illumination through the Spirit of God and knowledge of the truth. When you join AAA, you get benefits. You can receive discounts on hotels and car rentals and you have benefits given for towing and gas. Now, this is not a commercial for AAA, however, I want to highlight that when you join that organization you receive the benefits. Well, when God saves you (rather than you paying membership dues He purchased your entrance), you receive the benefits of being an adopted child of God. These two blessings provide discernment to the believer to discover and avoid antichrists.

A. The Illumination of the Holy Spirit-

The word illuminate is “generally the concept of illumination relates to the ministry of the Holy Spirit helping the believer to understand the truth of the Bible.” -Charles Ryrie

generally the concept of illumination relates to the ministry of the Holy Spirit helping the believer to understand the truth of the Bible.

Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999.

Illumination, then, is how the Holy Spirit sheds light on the Scriptures that help us know God more and live for Him better. Now, the reason I say this applies to God helping us understand Scripture more is due to the context. We are addressing discernment, and John is discussing antichrists and true believers. Therefore, the Holy Spirit’s anointing separates the antichrists from the believers because the believers have all knowledge, that is, they have the anointing of the Holy Spirit and have all knowledge through the sacred Scriptures. It has connections to salvation (see, for example, ), but our primary focus here is on knowledge of the truth. I think this is made further clear when we consider 2:27.

The Holy Spirit helps the children of God to understand the Scriptures. Passages such as and shed light on how this occurs. I encourage you to read those passages later and learn how this works. But I want to offer a brief example of how this fleshes out. Like a formula in math, sometimes it helps to illustrate how it works in the real world. I have read several times in my life. However, during a particularly difficult and depressing time in my life, I read through this psalm and was overwhelmed with the truth contained in it, specifically verse 5. The psalmist says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.” During this time, the Holy Spirit showed me the depth of this verse, that in my current struggle with depression and the difficulties of life, I could cry out in complete honesty to God, and that I would realize that my hope, my joy, my very life came from Him. That is how illumination works. Believers, we have the illumination of the Holy Spirit to help teach us the truths of Scripture and how they apply to our daily lives! What a blessing, and what a tool for discernment!

B. T

Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation

my salvation