Antichrist to Come, Antichrists Within

(1 John 2:18-25) A. John warns believers about present antichrists and a future antichrist. 1. The prefix, “anti” means: opposite, against, in exchange, instead, representing, rivalling, simulating. 2. The future antichrist will simulate and rival the true Christ. c/w 2TH 2:1-12 3. The future antichrist is called the man of sin, the son of perdition, and that Wicked. a. Judas Iscariot is called the son of perdition. JOH 17:12 b. Like Judas Iscariot, the antichrist is led by the devil. LUK 22:3-6 c. Like Judas Iscariot, the antichrist conspires against Jesus Christ. d. Do not be surprised if he, like Judas Iscariot, appears to be a humanitarian. JOH 12:4-6 e. Do not be surprised if he, like Judas Iscariot, cuts deals with political powers. 4. He exalts himself above ALL that is called God, thus claiming total sovereignty. 5. He poses as God yet opposes God. “ANTI” 6. He sits as God in the temple of God: a christ on earth in the temple of God. a. Some say this may refer to a future false Christ in a rebuilt Jewish temple. b. Mind that the gospel church is God’s temple (1CO 3:16-17), Judas Iscariot was among the disciples but went out from them, and John is here speaking of antichrists within the church. c. The future antichrist might well arise from within a N.T. church. B. Observe that antichrists come out from among true believers. ACT 20:29-30 1. Not all of those who are among the saints are OF the saints. GAL 2:4; JUD 1:3-4 2. False brethren enter into the church and provoke defections from the truth. 2PE 2:1-2 3. Had these apostates been of the saints, they would NO DOUBT have continued with the saints. Their exit proved they were never OF the saints. 4. Their defection manifested their true character. JUD 1:18-19 5. We can only be sure that we are of the truth if we continue with those who are of the truth! C. In contrast to these apostates are those to whom John wrote who had an unction from the Holy One and knew all things. v. 20 1. unction: The action of anointing with oil. (The word translated “unction” is translated “anointing” in v. 27) 2. The unction is the Spirit of God. ACT 10:38; ROM 8:9 3. These apostates did not have the Spirit. JUD 1:19 4. It is by means of the Holy Spirit, the unction, that we know all things. 1CO 2:11, 14 D. John wrote to these believers because they knew the truth and they knew that NO LIE IS OF THE TRUTH. v. 21 1. It is by means of knowing the truth that we can discern a lie. 2. A lie is a lie no matter how sincere or religious one is who tells it. ACT 26:9 3. Truth must be the gauge whereby we judge what is genuine and what is false! Sincerity, intention, humanitarianism, philosophy, etc. are defective gauges. 4. They who deny Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, are liars. v. 22 5. They who deny the Son of God do not have the Father; they are without the true God. v. 23 a. This is true no matter how monotheistic they may profess to be. b. Therefore, the Jew and the Muslim do NOT worship the same God as the Christian! c. Devils are monotheistic. JAM 2:19 6. By contrast, they who acknowledge the Son also have the Father. 1JO 4:15 a. acknowledge: To own the knowledge of; to confess; to recognize or admit as true. b. Acknowledging is the opposite of denying. E. Antichrist denies that Jesus is the Christ and he denies the Father/Son relationship between God and His Christ. v. 22 1. Look beyond just the bare mention of the names Jesus Christ, Father, and Son. a. Satan will use these names in putting forth a counterfeit. 2CO 11:4 b. See if the doctrine connected with those names substantiates the names. 2. He that denies the deity of Jesus denies that He is the Christ because Christ is “...the Mighty God...” (ISA 9:6-7) 3. He that denies that Jesus is truly flesh and blood denies that He is the Christ. 1JO 4:3 4. He that denies the virgin birth denies the Fatherhood of God and the Sonship of Christ. LUK 1:34-35 5. He that teaches the eternal generation of the Son denies the true Father/Son relationship of God and Christ. LUK 1:35 6. He that denies the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. a. The resurrection declares Jesus to be God’s Son. ROM 1:3 b. If Jesus did not rise, He is not the Christ. 1CO 15:13-14 7. He that denies that Jesus accomplished what He was sent to do denies that He is the Christ. JOH 5:36; 10:37-38 a. Christ came to fulfill the law and the prophets. MAT 5:17 b. Christ came to save His people from their sins. MAT 1:21; JOH 6:38-39 8. Those who receive the mark of the beast are those who worship the beast. REV 13:15-17; 14:9-10; 15:2; 19:20; 20:4 a. Thus, in warning of the antichrist, John presses the knowledge of the Father and the Son. b. We must know Who the true God and Jesus Christ are if we are to worship them and not worship their rivals. c. God MUST be worshipped in spirit AND IN TRUTH. JOH 4:24 d. For lack of correct information and application, men are “...without the true God...” 2CH 15:3 e. All of this argues for a preserved, consistent revelation. MAT 24:35 9. In contrast to apostasy, John urges these believers to let that abide in them which they had heard from the beginning. v. 24 10. The words “abide,” “remain,” and “continue” all translate the same Greek word “meno” (SRN G3306) which means to remain, abide, stay, dwell. 11. We will be abiding in the Father and the Son if that which we have heard from the beginning remains in us, assuming we heard the truth about the Christ of Scripture! 12. We must continue in Christ’s doctrine if we are to continue in Him. GAL 1:6 13. This explains what it means to abide in Christ (JOH 15:1-11): If Christ’s doctrine abides in us, we are abiding in Christ. 14. (HEB 3:14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end. F. God promises eternal life to those who abide in the truth. v. 25 1. These have their names in the Lamb’s book of life. REV 3:5 2. They will NOT worship the beast and his image. REV 13:8 G. In summation, to avoid apostasy we need to continue with three things: the Lord, the truth, and the Lord’s people.