Either Antichrist or Abide in Christ - 1 John 2:18-27
Introduction
A great habit in understanding the Bible is to read the passage like the original recipients would have read it. For example, reading Proverbs as an instruction manual for adulthood helps you see why Solomon says what he does and doesn’t say other things. Today’s passage is no different. John wrote to Christians in the early church who lived under Jewish persecution. For about 40 years after Jesus’ ascension, the New Covenant people lived alongside the Old Covenant people. Paul began his evangelistic efforts in synagogues (Acts 17:2) and the gospel first came to the Jews. But once Gentiles began worshipping God, divisions arose over which covenant was superior. Both felt God was on their side. New Covenant Christians believed they were the temple of God and were a kingdom of priests to the nations (1 Peter 2:4-5). Old Covenant Jews believed their newly finished temple pleased God and would usher in a new Davidic kingdom. The author of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus ushered in a better covenant than the older one (Hebrews 8:6), a covenant that brings eternal life (Hebrews 9:15). So, only the New Covenant believers were right because Jesus promised the end of the Old Covenant with the destruction of the beautiful temple (Mark 13). I believe that is the last hour of verse 18.
Passage
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him. 1 John 2:18–27
Summary of Passage
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are the three gospels that record Jesus’ prophecy that the temple would be destroyed. John is the only gospel writer not to write about it in his gospel account. I believe, John refers to it here, in this letter and in the book of Revelation. Let me briefly prove my case before I move on the main points of the sermon.
First, in verse 18, John says it is the last hour. Now, we should ask “the last hour of what?” Is it the last hour of the world? If so, John is 2000 years off. If that’s what this means, then for all of church history this passage would not be applicable to anyone until the last generation of Christians. Instead, by last hour, John means the last hour of the Old Covenant temple. At this time, Rome and Jerusalem were preparing for war just like Jesus prophesied. John who believed Jesus prophecy was preparing his fellow Christians for what Jesus said. Because John explains an event in our past, we can apply this passage like any other. But if John prophesied about something still in our future, then there’s only so much we can do with this passage.
Second, antichrist does not mean the last ruler before Armageddon. According to the few times the term is used, it’s more of a synonym for an apostate, a former Christian. They do not acknowledge Jesus came in the flesh (2 John 7), nor that He came from God (1 John 4:3). They also deny the Father and the Son (1 John 2:22). There can be many antichrists, not just one (1 John 2:18). Finally, what separates an antichrist from an atheist or pagan is an antichrist starts out in the New Covenant community, but eventually reject the faith and work to subvert it (1 John 2:19). If we hold to the popular opinion that antichrist refers to the world dictator 7 years before the end of the world, I don’t see how we can apply this passage today.
So, with this out of the way, let me move on with the main point of this passage. Lean into the body of Christ, the faith of Christ and the Spirit of Christ. Don’t be like the antichrists who walk away from Jesus, His people, and His word.
Don’t follow an Antichrist.
Christians should avoid heretics and false teachers. A heretic is anyone who refuses to believe the Biblical gospel. Most heresies center around the nature of God and Christ. It’s one thing to be mistaken on what the Bible says. God doesn’t save people who get a certain grade on their doctrine tests. He saves those who repent of their sins and trust in Him. A heretic refuses to repent and therefore proves he doesn’t really believe.
A false teacher takes that up a level and actively teach heresy. Again, this needs to be explained. Most preachers and teachers who have taught for more than a year would take back some of the things they previously said (I would). For example, in the book of Acts, Apollos was a gifted preacher who accurately preached the gospel, but he was ignorant on the subject of baptism. So, Aquilla and Priscilla corrected him and he became an even better preacher (Acts 18:25-26). A true preacher of the gospel repents after teaching falsely, while a false teacher doesn’t. They keep on preaching the falsehood.
A false teacher usually claims to have a special and secret knowledge on God’s will that no one else has. He sets up a system where his followers need him to explain what God said. That’s why in verse 27, John says you have no need for anyone to teach you. He’s obviously not saying Christians don’t need teaching and preaching because he is teaching them throughout this letter. What he means in verse 27 is you have no need for a special teacher like the false teachers pretend to be.
False teachers have Satan as their father because they peddle lies (v.22) like he does (John 7:44). Remember, God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan claimed to have secret knowledge. He told Eve God is holding out on you. “God knows if you eat that fruit, you will be just like him.” False teachers add and subtract from God’s word like Satan does.
An antichrist takes it up another level. They peddle lies like a false teacher does (v. 22). But they also direct their attacks against Jesus to set themselves up as the authentic messiah (v.22). One reason the Jews lost the battle for Jerusalem against Rome was because multiple leaders emerged claiming to be the real Messiah. Jesus prophesied this would happen (Mark 13:22). In our modern day, this happens more than we think. The Branch Davidians in the 90s believed their leader David Koresh was a messiah-like figure (Koresh taught he was the lamb referenced in Revelation 5:2). They do this because they do not have God. Where the believer has the anointing from the Spirt (2:20), the antichrist has his opinion. Where the believer has the atonement from the Son (2:1-2), the antichrist has his sin. Where the believer has God as his father (2:23), the antichrist has Satan as his father.
So, if you ever hear a teacher say something like if you really want to understand God’s will for your life follow me, turn the other way and run.
Beware of secret knowledge not found in the Bible. For example, I often hear Christians say “I feel God told me.” Brothers and sisters, if God spoke through emotional feelings and spiritual highs, we would have no need for the Bible. Why would God spend thousands of years inspiring men to write the Bible, then spend thousands of years preserving those texts for us today so we could abandon them for “I feel.” Christians do this because our culture worships the self. When a man feels like he’s a woman, our culture says we should call him “she.” And when a Christian says he feels like God wants him to leave his job, we don’t question him a bit. “God obviously told him that because he feels that way.” However, we do question the Christian who dares bring his bible in the conversation. I remember on seeing on social media a Christian bragging that she hasn’t been in a church for over two years and how she feels closer to God than she ever did at church. Most of the comments on her post praised her. But a few people commented reminding her what scripture says concerning church attendance. And like white blood cells, all this girl’s friends attacked these comments. When your emotions buck up against scripture, scripture is never wrong.
Abide in Christ.
Today’s passage reminds us that not all the church we can see with our eyes are part of the spiritual church God knows. God knows who His people are (2 Timothy 2:19). In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus gives the illustration of the kingdom growing like wheat and weeds. And only at the very end will the wheat be separated from the weeds (Matthew 13:30). John was telling the church the same thing. “Don’t be surprised that some of the people who once sat in the pews worshipping Christ now fell away and believe a false Christ.” The way you protect yourself from false teachers is to abide in Christ. The closer you lean into Jesus the clearer you will see what’s going on.
Abiding in Christ is persevering in Christ (v.19). True believers continue believing in Jesus. They continue trusting His promises. They continue loving His people. They continue growing in holiness. Christians preserver, not because we have a special ability no one else does, but because we have a special savior. Jesus said this about His followers:
I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. John 10:28
Jesus gives us eternal life (v.25) and all those who have eternal life persevere until the end.
Abiding in Christ also means we are anointed with the Holy Spirit and His word (vv. 27). Jesus wants us to run away from false teachers, but that doesn’t mean He wants us to ignore all teaching. True believers stick close to God’s word because we know they are the words of life (John 6:68).
At your conversion, the Holy Spirit gives you new life and new eyes to see His word. When John says you were anointed by the Holy Spirit, he means when you were saved by the Holy Spirit.
Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 1:21–22
Some believe all we need is the word and neglect the Holy Spirit while others think all we need is the Spirit while ignoring that the Holy Spirit wrote a book. We ignore both ditches by obeying God’s word in real time because it’s Holy Spirit’s word who lives in us. So, be a spiritual person and read your Bible.
Abiding in Christ Means Remaining with His Church. Notice how the antichrists leave the church in verse 19 and they likely led others astray with them. This isn’t talking about anyone who leaves the church. Some leave church for reasons that don’t make them an antichrist. But I think it’s worth noting that a characteristic of an antichrist is abandoning God’s people like Judas (John 13:30). This abandonment reveals their true heart (1 Corinthians 3:13; 4:5; Luke 12:2).
Conclusion
It’s either Christ or chaos. You may not think your spiritual life is a high priority, but Satan does. You may not think biblical faithfulness makes a difference in your life, but Satan does. The best lie Satan taught Christians is that if you profess Christ, get baptized, and coast as a Christian, you need not be concerned about anything else too spiritual. Satan is a wolf who likes his sheep comfortable and lazy. Satan is a military general who wants us thinking the terms of peace still apply. If you don’t abide in Christ, Christ’s people, and Christ’s word, then you are exactly the kind of person Satan would love to lead astray with one of his false teachers. It’s either Antichrist or Abide in Christ.