Walking With God part 3

Walking With God (pt. 3)

“Beware of Antichrists”

Scripture Reading Matthew 7:15-23

Introduction:

1. This morning we are going to continue our series entitled “Walking with God”
1. Under the heading; “Walking in the Light”
2. Last time I spoke we talked about “How can I know that I know God?”

                                                              i.      Is there integrity in my walk with Jesus?                Authenticity Test

                                                            ii.      Is there love in my heart for God’s family?            Paternity Test

                                                          iii.      Is there faithfulness in my behavior in the world? Purity Test

1. Today will be the “conclusion” of the “Walking in the Light” section.

                                                              i.      We will look at “Warning against Antichrists” or “Beware of Antichrists”

1. Lets turn to 1 John 2:18-27 Read
1. “Dear Children,” a term of endearment John uses this term or similar 12 times in this book alone.  ·         He cared for his readers deeply and he wanted them to remain pure.
2. Vs. 18 “Antichrist & Antichrists”

                                                              i.      The word “Antichrist” would simply hold the meaning of someone or something “anti-against” Christ.

                                                            ii.      John is the only writer of the New Testament who uses the term “antichrist”, and he uses the term just five times

a.       Twice here in 1 John 2:18 “antichrist is coming… many antichrists have come.”

b.      Again in 1 John 2:22 “antichrist denies Christ.”

c.       Also in 1 John 4:3 “spirit of the antichrist.”

d.      And in 2 John 7 “the deceiver and the antichrist.”

                                                          iii.      This term is commonly used today by many to refer to one individual “The Antichrist”, who will appear on the scene and set up an earthly kingdom backed by Satan.

·         A connection is usually made to the “man of sin” described by Paul in 2 Thess. 2:1-11.

1. Whether or not that is so, it is evident that John was more concerned about “antichrists” that were already there, and so we might ask…                                                               i.      Who were these “antichrists?”

                                                            ii.      How were the Christians to avoid being misled by them?

                                                          iii.      How can we avoid being misled by antichrists today (whether it is one or many)?

1. Let’s begin by… I         Identifying the “Antichrists”

A      They refuse to follow Apostolic Authority (19)

1        In John’s day…

a         They were individuals who had associated with the apostles and other Christians.

b        But they had gone out on their own, and were no longer in fellowship with the apostles.

c         This shows that they were not “Of Us”  (John uses the phrase “Belonged to us” or similar 5 times in this verse alone)

1)      These apostates had tried to go on their own and make something for themselves.

2)      They did not respect the authority of the apostles.

3)      They wanted their name lifted up not Jesus Christ’s!

2        In our day…

a         Many “antichrists” behave the same way

1)      They start out acting like they respect apostolic authority, and seek to be with Christians.

2)      But eventually their true nature comes out and they will not want to be with those who respect the apostles very long.

b         A sign of “antichrists” is their attitude toward the “apostles’ doctrine” (i.e. The Scriptures)

1)      Example:

a)      “I am making a bold declaration.  Jesus did not come to die.  Jesus was murdered… The crucifixion of Jesus was a result of human faithlessness.  If Jesus came to die on the cross, would he not need a man to deliver him up?  You know that Judas Iscariot is the disciple who betrayed Jesus.  If Jesus fulfilled God’s will with his death on the cross, then Judas should be glorified as the man who made the crucifixion possible.  But Jesus said the Judas, ‘The Son of man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed!”

b)      Excerpts from “Divine Principle” by Mr. Moon of the Unification Church.

2)      The part that strikes me as I read these out right lies and denials of historic Biblical Christianity is the ease at which these forms of beliefs are believed by millions of people.

3)      That was an obvious example but lets look at a more subtle Example:

a)      Book “Lies Women Believe” by Nancy DeMoss

i          “You’ll be just like you parents – it’s hereditary – you can’t help it.”

(a)    “My mother was never around; I never had a motherly example so how do you expect me to raise my kids the right way?  No one showed me how.”

(b)   “My father was an alcoholic, and my grandfather before him; I guess I am doomed!”

(c)    “My job is so stressful, I can’t help being irritable with my kids when I get home.”

(d)   “My mother and her mother were both manic – depressive – I guess it just runs in the family.”

b)      You see the problem with all of these statements is that they are not BIBLICAL.

i          You see every one of these examples is trying to blame someone else for your problems.

ii        They aren’t owning up to the fact that each and everyone of us has the choice to give into and believe these lies or look at them for what they really are, LIES!

iii      Adam and Eve were alone in the garden – they didn’t have any

(a)    Peer pressure

(b)   Parental influence

(c)    Work problems

(d)   Financial problems

(e)    No unpleasant neighbors

(f)    No weeds to pull

(g)   They didn’t even have in-law problems

(h)   They had nothing outside themselves to blame!!!

iv      And yet they still chose to sin.

v        The Bible teaches us that we are all Personally Responsible for the sins that we commit.

vi      Our world has brainwashed us into believing that all of our problems can be traced back to something in the past, namely our parents.

(a)    “I can’t help it, it must be hereditary!”

c)      This is just one of the tools that the devil uses as “antichrists” to try and bring us down.  To lead us away from God.

d)     What about this concept of “Moral Relativism”?

i          Says – whatever is right or wrong for you depends on what you think is right or wrong.  In other words everything is relative.

ii        You’ve heard something like this – “Dude, I know you think that getting high or drunk is wrong.  Hey, that’s cool.  Whatever works for you.  I happen to think that there is nothing wrong with it. 

(a)    Hang with us if you want, it is up to you!”

e)      The Bible teaches that there ARE rights and wrongs.

4)      Satan has got his foot in the door of so many of us today that it is scary, it is all around us and we hear it all the time that it is easy to fall into his trap.

c         The Bible is the authority so when someone says something that contradicts the Scriptures then they are wrong and you had better watch out. 

d        An antichrist denies the Word of God.

B       They Deny Jesus Is the Christ (22-23)

1        In John’s day…

a          They denied that Jesus is the Christ (22a)

1)      Many Gnostics alleged that Jesus and Christ were two different persons.

a)      Christ merely appeared to have flesh, but didn’t.

b)      Or that Christ descended upon Jesus at his baptism and left him at the time of his suffering.

2)      The denial that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is what John identifies as the spirit of the antichrist 1 Jn. 4:2-3

a)      “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”

b        They denied the Father and the Son (22b-23)

1)      By denying that Jesus is the Christ, they were denying the Son.       John 1:14

a)      “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

2)      By denying the Son they were also denying the Father  John 13:20

a)      “I and the Father are one.”

2        Today, an “antichrist” would be one…

a         Who denies Jesus to be the Messiah

b        Who denies the nature of Jesus (He was Fully God and Fully Man)

C       If someone doesn’t hold The Word of God as THE authority and or they don’t accept Jesus Christ as the messiah then watch out they are an “antichrist”.

II      Guarding against the “Antichrists”

A      John’s initial readers…

1        Were reminded of their “anointing” – (20-21, 27)

a         This anointing enabled them to “Know the truth”                 (20)

b        Also enabled them to “not need anyone to teach them”        (27)

c         I believe this to be a reference to the “gifts of the Spirit”

1)      In the early church these “Spiritual gifts” served to provide both REVELATION and CONFIRMATION of the truth.

2)      So that they would not need John’s help in identifying the “antichrists”

d        Despite having this “anointing”, they needed to be encouraged to continue in what they had learned (24-25)

1)      Having this “gifts of the spirit” did not keep them form sinning, or being misled.  (26)

2)      Only by continuing to listen and obeying what they have learned would keep them from being misled.

B       Christians Today…

1        We don’t have this same anointing that they had but we have something just as good…

a         We have the WORD of GOD

1)      An objective standard by which we can know the truth, and avoid being misled by subjective feelings.

2)      The Word of God gives us all that we need to know the will of the Father.  (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

a)      “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2        But like John’s readers, we need to be encouraged to continue in what we have learned from the Spirit – given Word…

a         Just like having the anointing didn’t keep them holy.  Just having the Word of God doesn’t keep us Holy!!!

1)      There are many people all across the nation and world that have a Bible in their house but obviously are not holy.

b        Unless we study and apply the Word, we are open to all sorts of deceptions and modern – day “antichrists”!

Conclusion:

1. “Antichrists” are a very real problem today
1. Anything that distracts us away from God and His Word is an “antichrist”
2. But what can we do about it?
1. God has given us his Word
2. Read it, study it, apply it, love it, live it!!!
3. This brings us back to the first verse in our passage (Vs. 18) Read
1. “The Last Hour”
2. Even in John’s day they believed that Christ’s return would be SOON!
3. It has been close to 2000 years since John wrote this book. 
4. But how true it is today. 
5. We all need to live our lives with our eyes fixed on the sky looking forward to Christ’s return. 
4. In light of this let’s look to the Lords table and participate in an ordinance that Christ gave to his disciples before he left them and commanded them to observe until his return.
5. While the men prepare let’s turn in our hymn book to # 185

 “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross”