1 John 2:18-27 How to Guard Against Deception

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1 1 1 John 2:18-27 How to Guard Against Deception Brothers and Sisters, we live in a world of deception. Whether it is a magician using allusion to fool our eyes, or a political power such as Hitler in WWII using propaganda, a young boy or girl using deceptive markers to hide their base in Minecraft, or even a false-teaching Christian preacher in our own day (who may not even know the depths of his errors) Deception is everywhere. We cannot even imagine the depths of deception in our world. And we would be naïve to think we weren t deceived in some things. But, one area we must NOT be deceived is when it comes to truth, to the knowledge of God, to the Gospel. And this is what John says in v. 26: I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. Well, from this passage I would like to share 3 truths that will help us guard against deception. 1. Remember the times in which we live. Look at v. 18. Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. Two times in this verse John reminds his listeners that they are in the last hour. Obviously, this word cannot be taken literally. Many hours have passed since John wrote these words. This is why the KJV translates this phrase as last time. John is speaking about a period of time, an age. And this cannot refer to the VERY last hour or period of time right before Jesus comes back. Otherwise, it would not have been relevant to those in that day. I believe John is speaking about the period of time between Jesus s ascension and his return. We could call this the last days, or these last days. The context of this passage proves this truth. In this context THESE ARE the last times in which all Christians have been living since Jesus ascended to the Father until He returns. So, let me ask, What is it about the times in which we live that we must remember? We must remember that in these last days many will be opposed to Christ. In this verse John says, you ve heard the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. And because of THIS, we know it is the last hour. Now, I do believe there will be an antichrist who will appear near the end right before Christ returns. 2 Thess. 2:3-4 says there will be a man of lawlessness, a false Christ who will come. But, this isn t what John is talking about. The word antichrist here is broader than false Christ and refers to anyone who denies Jesus is the Christ. Look at v. 22: Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. Also, 1 John 4:3: and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. This is what was happening in John s congregation. And this is what is happening today. So, we must remember the times in which we live are marked by a world in which people deny Jesus is the Son of God. Every April, May, June, what happens when the trees start to bloom? It s allergy season. This time is marked by sneezing, watery eyes, and itching. And some of you must prepare for this season by starting to take medicine in advance. You mustn t be caught off guard. In the same way, this last hour, these last days, are filled with those who deny Jesus is the Son of God. And by denying his full deity OR his full humanity, or denying what He came to do, is to be an antichrist. ( anti means against) JW come down my street all the time, denying the divinity of

2 2 Jesus. Muslim s deny the deity of Jesus. They deny his resurrection. They deny why he came. Friends and co-workers often deny certain truths about the gospel. And, in these last times (days) there will even be those who claim to be the Christ or claim to be inspired teachers of the gospel, but yet deny certain truth about him. Jesus warned of these last times, He said, For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they will lead many astray... For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand (Matt. 24:5,24-25). I know this very elementary. But, I must ask, Why is this time filled with such an anti Christ, anti gospel, anti Christian spirit? Who is the ruler of this world? In the providence of God, this sinful world is under the power and rule of Satan. He is a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8). He is a liar. And, he is a deceiver. He will do whatever it takes to deceive, just as he had done in that congregation to whom John wrote. Do not be deceived. Remember these are the times in which we live. Let me give 3 quick applications. i. Persecution is normal! Satan is the ruler of this world. This should not surprise us. When we hear of our brothers and sisters being killed for their faith in Christ, we should not be surprised. When school systems can have groups meet in the name of Buddah,or Mohammed or whatever name, there is often little or no outrage. But, when a group meets in the name of Christ, or when Christ is mentioned, there is outrage and often persecution. We should not be surprised when persecution comes. Jesus said, Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20). Also, Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt. 5:11-12). ii. You will not endure persecution without Christ and his armor (Eph. 6:10-20) Why do you think Paul spends so much time teaching on this subject. All the more reason to take up the armor of God. (Appeal to non-believers in the congregation.) ii. Time is short. We must be about the business of gospel work. In Rom. 13:12 Paul says, The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 2. Remember the truth of the Gospel. We guard from deception by remembering the Gospel. Look at vv : Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us-- eternal life. Remember John s context. There were false teachers in the church and John is pointing them out. Apparently, some did not remember and were deceived. Look at v.19: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. These folks had moved away from the truth of the Gospel. And this is the message they heard in the beginning; the message of truth about Christ. This is the Gospel.

3 3 This is one of the reasons John wrote this letter. In 1:1: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life... In 1:3: that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And don t forget John s main reason for writing. 1 John 5:13: I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. The Gospel message is to believe on the Son of God that we may have eternal life. And when we do this properly, we will not be deceived. Now, I don t think those false teachers ACTUALLY denied Christ. If you would have asked them I think they would have said, Of course we follow Christ. But, according to John they were deceived because they weren t believing in such a way that lead to true fellowship with the Son and with the Father, which was eternal life. In this way, they had departed from the gospel. So what did this look like? This week I learned of an Egyptian Jew named Cerinthus who lived at the end of the 1 st Century. Some say, this man and his teaching is the reason for John s letter. He believed in Jesus. But, he denied Jesus divinity. Among other things, he believed the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at his baptism but left him before he died. In the 2 nd Century another man named Marcion denied the full humanity of Christ. In the 3 rd Century, it was another man named Arius who also denied the deity of Christ (Modern day JW). Others have come denying the virgin birth. Others, the resurrection, the ascension, or the promise of Jesus return. They were deceived because they did not remember the true gospel they heard in the beginning. In short, to not remember the Gospel (according John) is to deny the biblical teaching that Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of man. On a worldwide scale, this is what we see. It is obvious that Muslims reject the deity of Christ. It is obvious that eastern religions deny Jesus is the One true God who came in the flesh. It is obvious JW and Mormons reject Jesus deity. But, in our Christian culture, there are many who would not deny the basic truths about Christianity. Instead, they simply believe there are many roads that lead to God. But, this passage implies there is only one way to have fellowship with God the Father. In v. 23 we read: No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. In another place John quotes Jesus who said, I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14:6). Now, let s remember our point. The false teachers were deceived because they moved away from what they heard in the beginning; that is the Gospel, the simple truths of who Jesus is. And because of this they ended up denying the very truths that were necessary for their eternal life and they became anti-christian. With this in mind, let me apply this for us. i. To be a Christian, you must understand who Christ is. He is the Son of God. He is the Son of man. If you will come to Christ, you must understand these truths. ii. As a Christian, remembering the simple truths of the Gospel keeps us from being deceived.

4 4 iii. As a church, we must preach and teach doctrinally. Stories are good. But, they are secondary to the simple truths of the Gospel. If you read the book of Acts, Apostolic preaching was pretty simple. And, it was always about the person of Christ and what he came to do. 3. Remember the power of God that works in you. Look at v. 20: But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. Then again in vv : I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie-- just as it has taught you, abide in him. In these verses John is teaching that those who are in Christ have been anointed, that is, something has happened to you in a powerful way that keeps you from ultimately being deceived. Three times he says, you have been anointed. There is a lot of confusion about this word anointing in the NT. This concept began way back in the OT when God chose Aaron and his family as the priestly family. In order to set them apart as priests, Moses and the people poured oil on them, an only on them. The pouring of this oil on Aaron and his sons was a picture that God had set them apart as priests. Oil was also poured on the altar before the sacrifice in order to set that place apart as holy to God. And there are other examples of anointing throughout the Bible. But, here, John says to those true believers that they had been anointed. And because of this anointing, they were not deceived. And because they were anointed, the teaching they received remained with them. This is interesting. So many times I have heard preachers say, I have been ANOINTED. Or, God s ANOINTING rests upon me, as if to say, I have something you don t. But, this is not what John is talking about. John is clearly speaking about the Holy Spirit who indwells ALL believers. And in this way, we are set apart by God from the rest of the world. We are anointed by the Spirit. And in this way, we are kept from deception. Three times in this passage John says this anointing teaches us. Think back to the OT and the prophecies about the New Covenant. Jeremiah said, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD (Jer. 31:33-34). Right before Jesus went to the cross, he told his disciples: 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 that I have said to you (John 14:26). In this letter, John is simply teaching this truth. Remember what he just said, They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge (1 John 2:19-20). Paul says exactly the same thing in 2 Cor. 1:21: And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us... Brothers and sisters, this is the power of God. And this power, by the Spirit, teaches the true Christian and keeps that person from deception and falling away. I look at my own life and sometimes ask, How am I still going? How do I still believe? When many of my friends have

5 5 fallen away into deception, why not me? It is the power of God by the Spirit. This power does not originate from us, but from the anointing oil of God. What a mystery! So today, Do not be deceived. 1) Remember the times in which we live. 2) Remember the truth of the Gospel. 3) Remember the power of God that works in you. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).