Thoughts from The Bible

Thoughts from the Bible

Monday, 04 March 2024 12:39

1 John 2:18-24

by Cody Anderson Corinth Missionary Church

Pray and ask for a fresh, unbiased mind as you read 1 John 2:18-24. Don’t bring any of your preconceived notions about words in the text. Let the words say what they say. Humble yourself to heed the words.
In verse 18, we come across three terms that we need to make sure we understand. When John speaks to them as children, he is using it as an expression of his relationship with the readers. They may be young in the faith, but he is pleading out of compassion and from a place of authority. John also uses the term last hour which indicates the time between the ascension of Christ and His return. John doesn’t try to determine a specific time, but he knows that the return of Christ is closer than before. The last term to discuss is antichrist. Not just antichrist, but the plural antichrists as well. In the context, the focus will be on the antichrists from inside the “church.”

Focus is not usually put on the term antichrists, but it is more relevant today than ever before. The antichrists have succeeded in part by distorting the truth. Now, the idea of truth is even debated. Antichrists can create millions of lies, yet there is only one truth. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the Church to be the pillar and buttress of truth. 

What struck me the hardest was that these antichrists originate from inside the “church.” We usually want to look at worldly influences and culture as the devil’s works, but John says these antichrists are from the Christian community itself. To think the church is immune to false teaching is a lie most bought into long ago. Most people think that if someone reads a passage from the Bible then speaks for 30 minutes about anything and everything under the sun, then they are preaching God’s Word. These antichrists will disguise their lies with a little bit of truth sprinkled in to get us to think they are from God.

Again, John offers a message of assurance amid the intense warning. We have a helper – the Holy Spirit in us. One role of the Holy Spirit is to provide clarity among the cacophony of voices that pull us in every direction. John proceeds by encouraging the readers that they know truth. We are to remain diligent in knowing God’s Word, and by the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to decipher the lies.  

John emphasizes the importance of abiding in what believers have heard from the beginning. This adherence to the original teachings of Christ and the apostles is crucial. I once read a prayer that I often repeat. It was something to the extent of, “Give me Jesus, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else.” Christ is enough. 
The antichrists, according to John, deny two core truths: the Father and the Son. This denial can manifest in various forms. It can be outright rejection to subtle distortions of the nature of God and Christ. People that deny the divinity or the humanity of Christ are sure to be considered antichrists. 

John concludes with a powerful promise. If you confess the Son of the Scriptures, you remain in the Father. Faith is about having a relationship with God which only comes through Jesus. This exclusive claim might seem offensive to some, but it remains the bedrock of Christian doctrine.

Looking back over these verses, I have seen it less of a warning and more of a call to remain in the faith. We are to hold on stronger to Christ as the
Father holds on to us. We also must make sure to remain true to the Word of God and proclaim what it says. We don’t decide what the Scriptures say or teach. They are authoritative and powerful. We must be diligent to understand what they are teaching and hold fast to their truth.