Danger, Deceivers Ahead

OCTOBER 14, 2020 STUDY NOTES I JOHN 2:26-27 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON DANGER, DECEIVERS AHEAD INTRODUCTION John puts out the “danger” sign for us, warning us of what we are going to face “Deceivers” are out there, we will come-in contact with them, we must know what to do John reminds us that Christians constantly face the conflict between truth and falsehood We daily face the demonic forces of Satan, the spirit of antichrists is rapidly spreading John has already told us that there are many antichrists present, 1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. John has also already told us that God has equipped us and prepared us for facing such danger, 1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. John is now going to expound up the truth of our anointing, showing us the results of it John reminded us of a promise that Jesus made us, 1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. John now motivates us to live daily according to that promise and the promise of Christ’s return Living according to the promises of God will result in a life of righteousness A life of righteousness will stand against the dangers of life that deceivers put before us THE DECEIVER’S ATTEMPT 1Jn 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. “These things,” John could be referring to the entire letter, but probably it is the previous verses His present concern is those attempting to deceive us and lead us astray His warning of the danger of antichrists began in verse 18 He warns us of those trying to deceive us by denying that Jesus is the Christ Satan does not always deny the person of Jesus, he often downplays the importance of Jesus He doesn’t care if you admit that Jesus is really a person, but don’t believe He is the Christ If you are a Christian, he seeks to turn you from your commitment to Christ If you believe in Jesus, Satan tells you, you don’t have to live like a Christian is taught to live Satan is using many-different ways to tell the same lie today and coronavirus is one of them He is challenging our freedom to worship and attempting to destroy our commitment to Christ Christians cannot stay strong spiritually apart from Christian fellowship Christians cannot maintain a sincere commitment to Christ apart from joint worship, Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. We can see the “day approaching” through the days of the coronavirus pandemic I appreciate our church family who is helping those who cannot attend church at this time I appreciate our church members who are doing their best for now to be a part of our church I thank God for those who are reading the notes, listening to the CD’S or website But there are church members who are not connecting with our church or other churches Satan will weaken them spiritually, Satan seeks to “seduce” them We must do our best to use every resource we can to accomplish the purpose of worship, Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: To consider “one another” means, to fix your mind on others in-order to minister to them Our ministry is to excite love and good works among one another We stimulate and excite love in one another by loving one another 1 The evidence of God’s love is “good works” that others will benefit from Satan is also trying to prevent the church from doing “good works” during coronavirus The church is limited today, but we must continue to minister to one another every way we can Continue to pray for one another and continue to contact one another every way we can Satan will use the coronavirus pandemic to weaken the Christian and defeat the church John is going to tell us how to defeat the devil in all-of his deceitful ways Look at what he says, These things have I written unto you John refers to the things he “has written,” write or written is found 11 times in chapter two John wants us to understand how important it was for him to write We must understand how important it is for us to pay attention to his writing How important is Bible study to our Christian life? John is telling us Satan seeks to deceive the Christian by turning their attention away from the Bible Satan will tell you that reading a verse a day from your daily Bible reading chart is all you need Then he will make sure that you are hearing from the false teachers and antichrists John tells us that false teachers and antichrists are seeking to deceive us He writes concerning them that seduce you. John is concerned, his concern is that Christians learn of the danger of being deceived “That seduce you” means there are those attempting to mislead you, leading you astray There are many today attempting to deceive the Christian and cause them to go astray Satan was working in John’s day, he is working in our day, but “his day” is yet to come Throughout scripture we are warned of Satan’s deceiving works and ways Paul warned Timothy, it will continue to get worse, 2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. Paul then told Timothy to do the same thing John is going to tell us to do, 2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; “Continue” is the same word translated “abide” in 1 John, John uses it 23 times in 1 John Peter gave us the same warning concerning the deceivers, 2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. Peter said they “bring in damnable heresies,” they will secretly introduce their false doctrines They slip in their false teaching alongside the truth of God’s Word Their heresy is, they deny the Lord, they contradict the truths of Christ They reject and turn others away from the Person and Work of Jesus Christ They refuse to recognize Jesus Christ as who He is, Peter said, they “deny the Lord” Peter said many are going to follow them, 2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. Today we can give a witness to the words of Paul and Peter, deceivers are getting worse Jesus warns us that the worst days of Satan’s deception is yet to come, Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Listen to Mark’s account, Luk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. The warning of Jesus is plain, do not go after them, take heed they will deceive you, Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. The fact that “many” will be deceived tells us how good false prophets are at their deception Jesus tells us how powerful their deceiving attempts will be, Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. The power of Satan will be in them, the demonic forces will work through them 2 The term “elect” refers to those who are saved, they are Christians, they are God’s people The word “elect” is another name for the people of God, Paul identifies them in, Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; The “elect” are described as “holy,” which means set apart through Christ for God’s purpose They are also identified as “beloved,” they are those whom God loves through His Son The characteristics of mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering are of the Christian Satan attempts to turn Christians from the truth of Jesus Christ and from following Christ Trying to convince Christians that they are not really saved and not a child of God Teaching that since Jesus was not the Christ, they could not be a Christian Jesus could not save them and give them an eternal life because He was not the Christ But Jesus is the Christ, the Christian life is real and powerful, and we can defeat the deceiver God has equipped us with our defensive weapons to be used against Satan and his teaching We have received the Spirit of God to teach us the truths of God from the Word of God But we must give attention to what God has provided for us, he tells us to “abide in Him” John now shares with us our assurance of victory over Satan and his false teaching THE SPIRIT’S ASSURANCE 1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. This is the same “anointing” that John identified in, 1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. Which is the receiving of the Holy Spirit at the time we receive Jesus as our Savior Until we are saved, we do not know the Biblical Truth about Jesus Christ Without the Holy Spirit within us we would not have the assurance of the truth of Jesus Five times in verse 27 John says, “you,” which is important, we must individually do our part We must put into practice what God has provided us through Jesus our Savior John says, it is that which “abides” in us, referring to the Holy Spirit that we have received Which Jesus promised to all believers, Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; We receive the Holy Spirit at the time of our spiritual birth, our salvation experience Our assurance of salvation is the Holy Spirit dwelling within us Because of the Holy Spirit within us we know the truth of Jesus Christ John says, we have no need of anyone teaching us, don’t take his words out of context John does not mean that Christians do not need to study and be taught truths from God’s Word John is not dealing with the learning of scripture, but with the detection of falsehood Those who are saved have personally experienced the truth that Jesus is the Christ They have living proof, the evidence of the truth of Christ is living within the Christian We have the Spirit-given knowledge of the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior John is showing us the contrast between the Christian Spirit and the spirit of antichrist The Holy Spirit through the Word of God will distinguish between truth and lies Under the leadership of the Spirit we can identify that which is of man and that which is of God, 1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. There are two different Greek words translated “received” in this verse Looking at the two words together we learn how the Word of God must be received by man The Thessalonians had received the Word of God by hearing it from Paul and his co-workers The first word translated “received” means “external reception,” they gave their ear to listening They paid close attention to what Paul said because they were interested in what they heard 3 They brought the word they heard alongside of them and took what they heard unto themselves They desired to make a personal application of what they had heard They wanted to know more of the truth of the word they were hearing Here is a lesson of responsibility and accountability for us We are accountable for the opportunities of hearing God’s Word The second Greek word translated “received” in this verse means “to welcome” A welcome mat came from within their heart, the same thing happens when the heart desires God Meaning that you approve of what you have heard, and desire for it to be true of your own life You accept it by faith, you take hold of God’s Word and allow it to take hold of you Something supernatural was working within them when they “received” it There was something about this word that stirred their soul, this word had life in it It did what no word of man could do, it must have been from God The words “effectually worketh” means action taking place, something operating within you God gave the church gifted teachers for a reason, Eph 4:11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; When Christians learn the Word of God it fulfills its purpose in them, Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: The word translated “perfecting” is found only here in the NT The meaning of the word is “to equip for service,” to put in proper working order The “perfecting of the saints” is the preparation of saints for service or ministry Saints are to be strengthened so they can fulfill their intended purpose The work of the ministry is the work of every believer Our ministry is wherever we are, our ministry is to whoever we come-in contact with We must learn the Word of God in-order for the Word of God to work in us and to minister We must “abide” in God’s Word and God’s Word must “abide” in us John says, “you shall abide in Him,” which is possible because of who “abides” in us The word “abide” is found again in verse 28 and several more times in 1 John We will study the word “abide” in more detail in the next verse But for now, understand that it means to “be at home” God gave us a home in Jesus, our life is to be lived “in Jesus,” Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Paul and John are telling us where our home is, and we are not to move away from home Satan wants to deceive you and move you away from home Determine now that you will not be moved, you will not allow Satan to deceive you Listen to the song 4