Those Antichrists

"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. 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. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things."

I John 2:18-20

 We know that John indeed ministered directly to his intended readers, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them for many years, thus he loved them as a father loves his children. Yet, John knew that he was the last apostle still living on this planet and that the apostolic era was coming to a close. His congregation and the church as a whole had long been fighting against heresy but he reminds them that there are those who hate Christ and will use any tactic, even those which seem pleasant and true, to confuse the work of the church and try to destroy the name of Jesus Christ. 

These verses are not standalone verses that can just be ripped from their context for us to completely understand all that is being said. Prior to this warning about the antichrists, John had reminded them why he had written to them and instructed the church to not love the world nor the things in it. Contextually speaking, John is warning them that these antichrists are those who were allied with the Church, who for a while worked among the believers but discontinued. It is important to note also that these antichrists did not necessarily abandon religion and become the "scum" of society. Rather, they quite simply denied the full attributes of Christ by denying either his full deity, full humanity, resurrection, atoning work, etc. Praise God, though, that His people have an unction from the Holy One to know all things pertaining to salvation.

Where does this leave us who are nearly two thousand years removed from John's original audience? Obviously the world still turns in the hand of Almighty God and nothing is greater than He, so please don't let your eschatological view, whatever it may be, ruin the meat in these verses. There are those among us who seek to destroy the name of Christ, who preach a different gospel other than the true one given in the Holy Scriptures.  They sometimes seem to be a part of the church but their works reveal them for who they really belong to. Many buy their books, watch their TV broadcasts, listen to their speeches on the radio, and even flock to their assemblies because of their charm or their appeal to the flesh. They subtly deny Christ and unfortunately many Christians bring these false gospels into their homes by either being ignorant of the heresies or relaxed in the fight against them.  Are you loving the things of this world to which many of these false gospels appeal? Have you let yourself get caught up in craze of the newest idea even though it does not match scripture? God provides His children with an unction to know the truth apart from heresy. I pray you do not ignore it nor rebel against it.

Consider also: Acts 15:1-29; Galatians 1:6-9

Love Not The World

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

I John 2:15-17

The apostle here tells his beloved readers not to love the world nor the things that are in it. Why? The world itself is a creation of God and we are commanded to love our neighbors who also inhabit the world. But John clarifies so that we cannot deny the truth that is laid out here; do not love the things that are not from God. Sin has run its course on this world since Adam, bringing about all manner of lusts, and because of this the world will one day perish. Things corrupt and fade away now as a shadow of that final corruption and dissolving that this world will do in the end. The works of sin will fade away and perish also. 

God's children are not of this world. We were born in this world and we live here for now but we are a called out people who are just passing through this world because through Jesus Christ our home is glorious Heaven. Only the works done for Christ will last forever. Why would we Christians love things that will some day dissolve away when those things are against our holy Father? 

Do you often find yourself considering things that are not yours wishing you had them? Do you often find yourself wanting to gain glory and praise for yourself and not for God? Pray, repent, and diligently seek Christ that you may love and obey Him for whoever does, as the Word of God says, he will abide forever. And even this is not of yourselves, so that you cannot boast. Even this is a precious gift from God almighty to whom all glory is ascribed!

Consider also: Ephesians 2:1-10; Romans 12;1-5

Infants, Young Men, & Fathers

"I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. "

I John 2:13,14

 In verse 12 of this chapter, John wrote that everything we do or have as Christians is because of Jesus Christ. Now he proceeds to specify why he is writing to the readers. While there are meaty truths in these verses as to why he lists these particular reasons there is another unmistakable truth that should not be overlooked. John, while being specific, has with a broad stroke also told all Christians that the love of Jesus extends to His own regardless of age, either physical or spiritual.

Whether you are aged in the faith as those fathers were, strong and zealous for the Lord as those young men were, or infants by the grace of God who now know the Father of light, the love of God and His commands extend to you because of Jesus. It is often our nature to want to exclude, handicap, or to some degree even despise those who are not on the same level in love, faith, or work for the Lord. John tells us this is not to be. The Word of God is written to all of us and we who are saved are part of the body of Christ, each with a different function. God places us where He pleases and where He has placed our brothers in this body we must seek to edify, encourage, and always point them to the Head, who is Jesus Christ the righteous.

Consider also: Romans 12; Colossians 1:18-24

Because of Jesus

"I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake."

I John 2:12

 This is one of but several verses the apostle writes with the endearing phrase, "little children." No doubt John loved his readers with perfected love. Surely John, who refers to himself as the "apostle whom Jesus loved," understood greatly how to obey his Lord, that he loved God supremely, and his neighbors as himself. John loved his readers so much that he gave them these truths as a gracious father would. It is no wonder why John referred to himself as the apostle whom Jesus loved. It's not to say that Jesus loved John above all the others, but that John knew the God of the universe, who holds even the stars at bay, loved him.

Consider that the hand of God, which sustains all life, is justified if it were to remove from providing the sustenance we take for granted in our air, food, water, and shelter. Consider that should that hand remove from the sinner and his life perish he is condemned and the full wrath of God will bear down upon him in final judgement. John was aware of this, and how marvelous it is that the great God of life loved him. There was nothing John could do to earn this love, for his very existence rested in the mighty hand of God as does ours. John could not love God until his sins were forgiven through Jesus. 

This is why John called himself the apostle whom Jesus loved; not because John was special and deserving, but because he was wretched and deserving of eternal punishment because of his trespass against Holy God. Yet, Jesus died and arose from the grave. Jesus's blood was applied instead of John's and the Lord forgave the apostle's sins forever. No, it is not because John was great but because Jesus is great.

Don't you see? It is all of Jesus! We who have the blood of Jesus applied for our sins before the Judge can rest and praise His name, because it is all of Jesus. We can love God supremely because of Jesus. We can love those around us because of Jesus. Love is perfected in our obedience because of Jesus. It is because of Jesus that we even know love. Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus! Oh Christian, be joyful and thankful because of Jesus! Praise His holy name!

Consider also: Psalm 5:11,12; Romans 5:6-11

Brotherly Love

"He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."

I John 2:9-11

John reminded us in the preceding verses that God's law is summed up in loving God first and also loving those around us. Now don't be confused; the law is not simply reduced to our finite understanding of love, but is instead summed up in perfect love which we know comes when we are obedient. As with everything in Christianity, it all starts with God. He makes us able to love and we are to love Him first and foremost. Then we are to love our neighbors, not with the same love, but as we love ourselves.  

Love is perfected in us through obedience to Jesus. And as such that shows that we are in the light and belong to God. So that there is no confusion, John expressly tells us that the opposite is true as well. He that hates his brother is blinded by darkness and there is no light in him. He thinks only for himself and not of anyone else. Even if there were good deeds shown to others his intent is only for his own pleasure and these works will one day be shown that they are not of God. He who is in darkness is an enemy of light; he who lives in sin is an enemy of God.

But he that loves and prefers those around him as he would himself can be confident that he is in the light of God and that Jesus is his Lord. He can know without a doubt that his father is God and he then has no reason to faint in hard times, to worry about what the Father has ordained, or to dread His wrath. Others see this light and they know which he belongs to because the light that shines through him reveals whether they are in the light or darkness. 

Does this light shine through you to others, or does it shine from someone else upon you revealing your works of darkness? Are you wondering to whom you belong? God has provided this letter to reassure His own of how we can know we belong to Him and how we know those who are not. Everyone loves something, what does the object of your love say about you?

Consider also: Matthew 5:43-48; Colossians 1:9-17

 

Commandments And Light

"Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth."

I John 2:7,8 

John's words in this letter have thus far been applicable for all people of all time as well has the specific people he wrote the physical letter to. Yet in these two verses his words seem confusing if not contradictory to all of those not privy to how the first readers would have thought. This doesn't mean it doesn't apply to us today who are not Jews, it just means we have to dig further to understand how and why his readers thought and acted the way they did to understand why John worded things the way that he did. This letter is obviously an important part of church history, and good history is intellectual history. 

First John tells them that he isn't talking about a brand new commandment or tradition instituted by the pharisees. He's talking about the Word that came from God first which is pure, not any confusion added or conjured by man. The new commandment he is writing about is how Jesus clarified the commandments by summing them up in two. The first is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. The second is similar, that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves. This was a struggle for the Jews and is why John, as he has done to great extent thus far, cleared the confusion and set the distinction. 

Notice also that John does not tell them to ignore the old commandment. Many times today we hear, wrongly I might add, that Jesus did away with the Old Testament. They lie to us saying the law is abolished and we can discard those wonderful treasures of our history that God has so graciously preserved for us. We know from Jesus's ministry and His apostles that He did not destroy the old commands (the law) but fulfilled them! The old covenant wasn't wrong but it always pointed to the new covenant which is in Christ. We no long have to partake of the ceremonious sacrificial laws because Jesus became our High Priest when He died as our propitiation. The moral laws still remain in fact and as Jesus said they are summed up in love towards God and love towards our fellow man. How do we know this is true? Because the love of God is perfected in His children when we obey and that is how the true light shines forth.

Dearly beloved of God do not fret thinking that there are numerous laws we must keep perfectly. Jesus the righteous has died for your justification before God. The commands that we obey are for our sanctification to make us more like Christ so that His love will be perfected in us and His light shines through us in that obedience. Are you loving God with every fiber of your being throughout the day? Are you loving your neighbors also? Do you refuse sin to have any occasion in your life?  Desire the light of Christ to shine in your life through obedience and the world will see it unmistakably that you belong to Jesus Christ the only righteous!

Consider also: Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 5:14; Galatians 5:16-26