August 12, 2007

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 Scripture KJV

1 John

Reverend David S. Huffer

Westwood Baptist Church - 2124 Davis Road
 Waynesboro, VA

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.
2:19    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
2:20    But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
2:21    I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
2:22    Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
2:23    Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
 

God Is Light: The Guiding Of The Light

1 John 2:18-23

 

Purpose Statement: Put Into Practice The Light

 

Previously in our study of 1 John, we have seen within the vision statement of “God is Light – The Joy, Fellowship, Knowledge and Truth of the Light.”

·         Today – we see the “Guidance” the Light gives us to live in a world that is in all ways against God and His Son Jesus Christ.

·         John 15:18-19 – “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of this world, therefore, the world hates you.”

 

FRIENDS – More and more Christians are being lulled into a love affair with the world through the belief of “let’s just get along with one another.”

·         We need to understand that not only is this world passing away (V.17), but in this world there is a spirit that strives against Christ and promotes itself against all that God is about.

IT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE ANTICHRIST!

·         And if Christians are going to walk against the prevailing winds of the day we are going to have to rely upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead and direct in the Light of God and His Word

In our Scripture verses this morning, John clearly warns of the spirit of the antichrist at work in the world and passionately declares the Spirit of Anointing at work in the lives of those who have confessed and believed God’s Son – Jesus Christ.

 

THE GUIDING OF THE LIGHT ABOUT THE ANTICHRIST

Walking in the Light will bear witness to the fact there is a spirit of the antichrist that now resides in the world.

·         It is nothing to be taken lightly and it is definitely something that you and I need guidance about.

God as Light manifests the work of the antichrist … for you and I as believers to see.

A. Time Of The Antichrist … The Last Hour – V.18

John speaks of it being “the last hour.”

·         Though there is a continual conflict between good and evil – here John is saying we need to pay attention because something is happening about us.

·         There is an eternal relevance to what he is saying.

·         It speaks both of the chronological hour of the events leading up to the Second Coming of Christ.

·         But also to the hour we now hold as being “critical” to our thoughts and actions in this day.

William Barclay – “Every hour is the last hour.”

Curtis Vaughan – “The time is running out.” (v.17)

Mary Meye Thompson says, “The very hour we live within … demands the vigilance and faithfulness of all believers.”

 

I ASK YOU THIS MORNING CHURCH - WHY IS THAT?

John reminds us the Antichrist is coming and already antichrists are around us and among us.

·         The Scriptures speak that in the last days there will be a dominate figure rise to the ranks of being against God who will promote himself to be above God.

ANTICHRIST = against or in place of God

·         Written in small “a” = can be a person or belief system

·         Written in capital “A” = speaking of the Antichrist of the end times

·         2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

FRIENDS – John seeing this literal figure yet to come – but reminds us that antichrists are at work now.

·         The spirit of antichrist now resides in the world.

·         Matthew 24:24 – “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even to elect.”

·         William Barclay – “The Antichrist will be an open opposition; the other subtle infiltration.”

B. Turning Of The Antichrist … Went Out from Us – V.19

·         Take note – friends – that the antichrists were among them

·         They had infiltrated the ranks of the church

·         They claimed to know Christ outwardly … in formality … but inwardly they were not real.

·         They mimicked the Gospel – but with ever so slight perversions

·         In time the Light bears witness of their souls intent – they leave but not without damage being done.

FRIENDS – We need to pick up on the note of assurance here.

·         For a person to say they are a Christian – a born again believer states that there is something that has taken place in their life to make a remarkable difference that allows them to persevere.

 

“To leave” or “fall away” from following Christ – is not to suggest these or others lost their salvation – but to state as a matter of truth they never were saved.

·         Salvation - when true – will always bear itself out in the tenses of life – past tense, present tense, and future tense.

·         It is the preserving of the saints.

 

On that note - I believe some of the saddest words found in the Bible are those of Christ speaking to those He does not know in the way of Salvation.

·         Matthew 7:23 – “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

FRIENDS – I am not suggesting that everyone who joins the church and then stops coming or leaves to never come back – is an antichrist.

·         But I will say that they have been deceived in some measure – for that is the very scheme of those opposing God.

 

C. Teaching Of The Antichrist … Denies The Father And The Son - V.22-23

Though every so slight and subtle the aim of the antichrists is to deny the deity of Christ.

·         Deceiving others through false teaching about the person and nature of Christ

To deny Christ as Devine – denies the sinfulness of man and his need of Salvation

FRIENDS – The purpose of the antichrists was and continues to be to seduce people of God from the truth.

·         To deny Christ - is to not have the Father

·         Christ is the One who reveals the Father and who is our access to the Father

·         To deny Christ – is to say there is no need for the Father

·         To deny Christ is to lie – for anyone who claims to have knowledge of God apart from the revelation of Jesus Christ is a liar!

HERE ME THIS MORNING CHURCH – You cannot have the Father without the Son and you cannot have the Son without the Father!

 

John refuses to give into the prevailing false teachings of “anything and everything” is tolerated and accepted.

 

Where are we this morning church?

·         Are we standing with God’s Word or being deceived by the spirit of the antichrist?

1 John 4:1-3 – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in this world.”

 

THE GUIDING OF THE LIGHT ABOUT ANNOINTING

God as Light is always seeking to shine into the hearts He has created in His image.

·         He desires to shine the Light into our hearts and minds that we may stand for the truth and against any and every form of antichrist.

FRIENDS – Only through the Holy Spirit can we take such a stand for the truth.

A. Indwelling Of The Anointing … The Anointing You Have Received From Him – v.20

The false teachers (antichrists) of John’s day declared themselves to have been anointed with a special knowledge of God that others

did not have.

·         In refuting their claims, John states that the Christian has the true anointing of God – the Holy Spirit.

1.       Indwelling of the Holy Spirit – at conversion – salvation

·         John 14:16 – “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.”

·         1 John 2:27 – “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.”

2.       Filling of the Holy Spirit – throughout the Christian life

·         Ephesians 5:18 – “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”

 

In the O.T.  – Priests, kings, and prophets were among the few who were anointed with oil for special service.

·         John is declaring that all born-again believers are anointed with god’s Holy Spirit for service as he states – “But you have an anointing from the Holy One.”

FRIENDS – I believe today there is a subtle teaching in the Christian ranks that to be of greater service to God one must receive a special anointing to have a better or clearer knowledge of God.

·         We must be on guard for any or all teachings that would lead us from the foundational truth that the Spirit of God indwells ALL BELIEVERS and that if through seeking to be filled with the Spirit we will be taught the things of God, as well as empowered by God to live the Word of God.

 

B. Instruction Of The Anointing – Because You Know It – v.21

John declares that we do not need to be taught some other truth by way of special knowledge.

·         For the anointing we have received the Holy Spirit

·         The Holy Spirit will teach us concerning the truth.

·         John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

John 16:13 – 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.”

FRIENDS – The Spirit of truth guides believers to discern the truth from falsehoods.

·         The Spirit of Truth remains in (never leaves) the believer.

·         The Spirit of Truth testifies of Jesus.

 

Jesus states that we know the Truth.

·         The object was not to receive some fresh or new knowledge or truth – but to bring into “active and decisive use of the knowledge” the believer already possesses.

·         We are to put into practice that which we do know to be active and effective in the light.

 

CLOSE

As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I need to discern that the very hour we live is critical and therefore we must be mindful of the subtle and deceptive work of the “spirit of the antichrist” to lead us and others to deny Christ and the truth about Him as the Son of God.

 

As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I need to practice what we preach and allow the Holy Spirit of God to work in and through us - teaching and leading us to greater service.

 

Little children, it is the last hour – therefore let the Light guide you today!

 

AMEN!

 

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