Exposing False Teachers

Sermon Two Title: Exposing False Teachers

Text: 1 John 2:18-27

Focus: Teachers matter, especially those who teach about Jesus. What one teaches about Jesus has to be consistent with the New Testament. False teachers who get their Christology wrong can come even from within the church.

Introduction:

John addressed a problem with false teaching. These false teachers proved their lack of love for others by causing a schism in their own community. John ministered to those left behind in their trauma and grief over a broken fellowship. He consoled the remaining believers by framing their experience within the context of what he already had taught them about the last hour of eschatological expectation.

I. The Last Hour (2:18, “it is the last hour”)

A. A unique phrase in the Bible

1. The Old Testament “last days” background (See Expository Notes, p. 36)

2. Jewish messianic developments after 
exile (See Expository Notes, p. 36)

3. Christian eschatological developments after Jesus (See Expository Notes, pp. 
36-37)

B. A unique teaching from John (“you have heard”)

1. John’s own technical terminology (let John define)

2. John’s ecclesiastic application about the secessionists

II. Antichrist Is Coming (2:18)

A. John’s unique term

1. Occurs only in 1–2 John (only John can define)

2. What the term does not mean (not John’s explanation) (See Expository Notes, 
pp. 37-38)

B. John’s clear explanation

1. Taught fact, not a mystery (“is coming”)

2. Present now, not future (“even now”)

3. Corporate group, not an individual (“many antichrists”)

C. John’s pertinent application

1. They are here now (“many antichrists have come”).

2. Their presence proves arrival of “last hour”.

3. “Last hour” is crisis of preserving truth for future of church.

III. Exposing the Antichrists (2:19-26)

A. Antichrists are revealed.

1. “They” went out from us.

2. “They” did not belong to us.

3. Secessionists (v. 19) are the many antichrists (v. 18).

B. False Christology is the core issue.

1. Denying Jesus is the Messiah (see Cerinthus, Ignatius illustrations).

2. Denying the Son is denying the Father.

3. These denials contradict biblical truth.

4. These denials not only deceive, but demonstrate lack of eternal life.

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John A Life Like No Other: Jesus the Incarnate Word

John believes theology matters and so should we. Our joy—which is made complete in fellowship with the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and one another—is grounded in a shared theology. To enjoy this life we must believe the theology about this Word of life. There can be no cafeteria approach to Jesus Christ, where we pick what we like and leave what we don’t. John had no interest in a “Jesus minus theology” or a “Jesus plus theology.” Thabiti Anyabwile says it like this:

To receive the Word of life is to embrace Jesus as He offers Himself in the gospel. That phrase—“as He offers himself in the gospel”—is very important. We must receive Jesus—the Word of life, the eternal life, the Son of God—not as we imagine Him to be, or as we like to think of Him, or as someone else believes Him to be. We do not truly receive Jesus if we do not accept Him as He defines Himself.

We know that we are Christians and have received God’s salvation when we humbly accept the Word of life, which means to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who appeared in our flesh, was crucified to take our punishment for our sin, was raised from the grave three days later for our justification with God, and is coming again to bring the fullness of God’s kingdom. Is that the Jesus you have received? (unpublished sermon manuscript)

IV. An Anointing as Antichrist Antidote (2:27)

A. Holy Spirit anoints believers (as you were taught, so refrain).

1. This anointing provides solid grip on biblical truth.

2. This anointing provides antidote to doctrinal lies.

B. Holy Spirit holds believers (as you were taught, so remain).