The Epistle of first John

Lesson Number 3

PROVISION FOR PROTECTION

"¹⁵ Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. ¹⁸ Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ 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, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us. ²⁰ But you have an anointing (unction, KJV) from the Holy One, and you all know. ²¹ 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. ²² 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. ²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ 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. ²⁵ And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. ²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ And 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. ²⁸ And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. ²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:15-20, NASB)

INTRODUCTION

It is possible to imagine that the church was at its most ideal state in its beginning. In fact, there is an approach to theology that assumes this to be the case. This line of reasoning imagines that if we can get back to what occurred at the beginning, we will be more free from corruption. It all sounds plausible enough-at least on the surface. And, it is not to be denied that there is an element of truth to this view. When God created Adam and Eve, they were at their best state, to be sure. But that did not last for long. Sin entered almost immediately. Cain, although born first, was not the "pattern" son. The same was true of Ishmael and Esau. Too, when the Law was given, the people embraced corruption in an unprecedented manner at the very base of Sinai (Ex 32:1-7). The defiling effects of Aachan's sin occurred when the people were first entering Canaan (Josh 7:1-24). Israel's first king, Saul, did not prove to be their best one. The transgression of Ananias and Saphirra surfaced at the threshold of church history (Acts 5:1-10). Beginning periods, while significant, are not always characterized by purity.

During Paul's Ministry

During the ministry of the Apostle Paul, he spoke of deplorable conditions that existed on a significant scale. "For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's" (Phil 2:20-21). Another time he wrote, "At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me" (1 Tim 4:16). Once he lamented to the churches of Galatia, "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth," and I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain" (Gal 3:1; 4:11). Things were not ideal then.

The Churches In Asia

Who can forget the conditions of most of the seven churches of Asia, to whom the glorified Christ spoke with revealing frankness. " . . . thou hast left thy first love . . . thou art fallen . . . thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam . . . thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate . . . thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols . . . that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead . . . I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev 2:4,14,20; 3:1,16). These conditions occurred in the first century, when one of the chief Apostles was yet alive. That reality makes our text highly relevant.

We Are In A Warfare

All of this confirms that salvation is being accomplished in an intensely competitive arena. This has been the condition from the very first. In First John, the Spirit addresses the matter of corruption, both on a personal and collective level. He warns us of the environment itself-"the world" (2:15-17). He also tells us of the aggression of the devil-"the wicked one"-- and the flood of "false prophets" he has sent into the world (2:13-14; 5:18-19; 4:1). With great sobriety we are reminded, "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (5:19). At no point are we encouraged to think of spiritual beginnings as free from danger or corruption.

We will find that false doctrines must not be approached in the energy of human logic alone. There are powerful evil spiritual personalities behind false doctrines. Although, from the standpoint of appearance, men propagate them, they are actually "doctrines of demons" (1 Tim 4:1). For this reason, Divine assistance must be provided to us, for human abilities are not adequate for confronting "the power of darkness." Should men doubt this to be the case, the Spirit will tell us emphatically that our protection against delusion is provided through Divine resources. He will also confirm that God alone can enable us to continue to abide in Christ Jesus. At no point are we left to live in our own strength.

THE BELIEVER AND THE WORLD

"¹⁵Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever."

This is one of the strongest exhortations of Scripture, and has been a hallmark text among the godly throughout the centuries. The church was always been strengthened when it took hold of this word. It has always been weakened when it was ignored. A deteriorating church has never taken this text seriously, and a strong one has never ignored it. It is a text where, if embraced, we can adjust our focus. There is no ambiguity in the passage whatsoever.

The World

I believe it was john Newton who said, "You can tell how close a man is to God by how he shudders at the word 'world'." Faith does bring sensitivity to the heart concerning this word. We will see it is not only a danger- zone, but an order that is dominated by the devil. It behooves every child of God to have a good understanding of "the world."

By "the world," the Spirit means everything belonging to the cursed order-everything that is temporal. From another perspective, it is everything disassociated from eternal life, to which we have been "called" (1 Tim 6:12). "The world" is like a bottomless pit, in which everything that corrupts resides. It, together with "the things of the world," will not allow God or the things of God to be maintained while it remains preeminent. In order to "love" the world, the heart must be turned away from God, and salvation must be neglected. That is how corrupt the world is. John Calvin once said that when the love of the world possesses a person, it "so holds him entangled that he thinks not of the heavenly life, [but] he is possessed by a beastly stupidity."

This is why the Spirit refers to "this present evil world," affirming that Jesus gave Himself for our sins in order to "deliver us" from it (Gal 1:4). Its cares "choke" the Word of God (Matt 13:22), Satan is its "prince" (John 12:31), and Christ's Kingdom is not of its order (John 18:36). The wisdom that comes from the world has been made "foolish" by God (1 Cor 1:20), and its "princes" brought to nothing (1 Cor 2:6).

In salvation, we "escape the corruption that is in THE WORLD through lust" (2 Pet 1:4). We are also said to have escaped "the pollutions of THE WORLD through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 2:20). This matter is so fundamental that it is written, "friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

It is no wonder, therefore, that we are admonished "love not the world." As the "sons of God," we have been delivered from the world, and are no longer of that order. To have an affection for the world and its "things," the Spirit must be quenched, and our attention diverted from the Lord Jesus. Loving the world will conform us to its ways-something strictly forbidden by the command and nature of our Lord (Rom 12:1-2). The ways of the world must be kept away from our way of thinking, our preferences, and our manners. Let it not characterize our speaking, our music, or our fashions. While men may not legislate in this area, the Lord will, if heeded, make us more and more unlike the world. That is the secret to NOT loving it.

Anyone

The Spirit is utterly intolerant of any affinity with "this present evil world." He makes no allowance for the smallest degree of harmony with it, nor does he permit one to profess allegiance to God while loving the world. "If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." It is not possible to have a preference for God and one for the world at the same time. In order to embrace one, the other must be forfeited.

Mind you, believers are being addressed in this text. They are warned that God will not recognize them if they continue to look longingly toward the world like Lot's wife did toward Sodom-profession notwithstanding.

The love of God cannot remain in a heart that is attracted to the world. As soon as the individual loves the world, the love of God, once shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Spirit, leaves him. Our text will now confirm to us the reason for this circumstance. The world, and everything in it, is at variance-sharp variance-with God.

The Basics

Desires are what knit us to the world. The Spirit will now categorize these for us. These are basic classifications of unlawful desires, or lusts. All other sinful desires spring from these basic ones. Further, these are the areas in which Satan is active, and the means through which he allures dull souls into the condemned realm.

"The lust of the flesh" is the desire to satisfy the condemned part of us-the natural part of our persons. This is the part in which dwells "no good thing" (Rom 7:18). Jesus said of it, "the flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63), and "is weak" (Matt 26:41). Without any variation whatsoever, the flesh "serves the law of sin" (Rom 7:25). It is so utterly corrupt that those who walk in the flesh "cannot please God" (Rom 8:8). If anyone lives "after the flesh," or according to its desires, they will "die," being severed from Divine life (Rom 8:12,13). The Spirit, therefore, works with the people of God to mortify, or put to death, the inclinations springing from the flesh (Rom 8:13b).

Eve and Jesus

This is the lust that captivated Eve when she "saw that the tree was good for food" (Gen 3:6). It is also the lust with which Satan tempted Jesus when he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread" (Matt 4:3). Eve confirms to us what happens when we entertain such lusts. Jesus confirms the victory related with refusing their entrance into the heart.

The Flesh

Even though we have been delivered from the world and its lusts, "the flesh" remains with us. It is appropriately called "MY flesh" (Rom 7:25). While not confined to our bodies, it is primarily associated with that part of our persons. The flesh does have a "mind" of its own, and we must contend with it. Ephesians 2:3 refers to "the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Eph 2:3).

To us, the flesh is like the wayward Israelites who longed for the fleshpots of Egypt AFTER they had been delivered from that "iron furnace" (Ex 16:3; Num 11:5; Deut 4:20). The "lust of the flesh" is the desire to return to the cursed realm. It is the strong craving to make the satisfaction of our temporal part the primary quest. Satan knows that he cannot lure us into sin without making us WANT to do so. Thus he uses the desires of our fallen nature to appeal to us. He knows that to satisfy our flesh, we must forget our God.

The "lusts of the flesh" are the prelude to the "works of the flesh" mentioned in the fifth chapter of Galatians. You may remember that dreadful catalog of transgressions. "Adultery (marital infidelity), fornication (all forms of sexual impurity), uncleanness (impurity), lasciviousness (unrestrained sensuality or lewdness), idolatry, witchcraft (sorcery), hatred, variance, emulations (jealousies), wrath (outbursts of anger), strife (selfish ambitions), seditions (dissensions, quarreling), heresies (party spirit, factions), envyings (ill-will), murders, drunkenness (intoxication in any form), revellings (carousing, rioting, unrestrianed madness)" (Gal 5:19-20).

Simply put, the "lust of the flesh" is the desire to participate in such things. It should be apparent that every child of God will have struggles with such desires. That is what it means to be tempted. However, when such assaults are hurled at us by the wicked one, we are to refuse to entertain them, knowing they are of the world. That is the meaning of the exhortation, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul" (1 Pet 2:9).

I cannot leave this section without mentioning the danger of false religion in this regard. There are approaches to religion that allow for immortality and the indulgence of the flesh. These are chiefly manifested in the cults, and those religions that are more obviously sinful. However, there is an approach to Christianity that also is laden with lusts. These lusts do not appear as sinful as gross immorality, but are nevertheless classed with such sins. "Works of the flesh" that address this matter are "contentions," "dissensions," and "party spirit." When ones religion produces results like this, the lust of the flesh has become dominant. We are to "abstain" from these.

"The lust of the eyes." This is a particularly seductive desire. It places an emphasis upon appearance, concentrating on "the things which are seen" (2 Cor 4:18). This appetite causes one to "glory in appearance, and not in heart" (2 Cor 5:12).

The More Obvious

There are two categories of "appearance." One provokes licentiousness, or the total lack of moral restraint. Such appearances move one to indulge in iniquity, as occurred when David saw Uriah's wife washing herself (2 Sam 11:2). There are appearances, whether immodest clothing, pictures, or various forms of entertainment, that arouse such desires. The patriarch Job knew of this type of lust, and dealt with it in his heart. Here is what he said in a sort of self-exhortation. "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?" (Job 31:1). This is the sin to which Jesus referred when he said, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matt 5:28).

The Less Obvious

There is another category of appearance, however, that is more subtle, and is especially leveled at those identified with Christ. It is religious appearance, a sort of external show that is attractive, yet lures the heart away from Christ. That is the sin to which the Paul referred when he wrote of those who "those who take pride in appearance, and not in heart" (2 Cor 5:12^NASB). The Galatians were also warned of this tool of Satan. "As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal 6:12-14).

This latter list is far more seductive than the former one. It is the desire upon which a staggering percentage of contemporary religion is built. While it is painful to acknowledge the existence of such a condition, nearly all modern religion has little more to offer than appearance. From the pomp and splendor of the Romish ceremonies, to the impressions of a contemporary praise gathering, there are religious "lusts of the eye" that offer nothing whatsoever to the heart. They are actually worldly presentations, orchestrated to impress the outward man, but having nothing to offer to the inward man.

As a matter of observation, those who claim the "eye-gate" is the primary way of real learning, and that "seeing a sermon is better than hearing one," have unwittingly entered into the arena of "the lust of the eye." If that postulate were true, which it emphatically is NOT, then the manifestation of God in the flesh should have sufficed to provoke true faith. However, it did not. Jesus had to leave the realm of sight before the world could believe.

Eve and Jesus

This is the lust that entered Eve's heart when she "saw that the tree . . . was pleasant to the eyes" (Gen 3:6). It is also the lust with which Satan tempted Jesus when he "showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine" (Luke 4:5-7). Again, Eve confirms to us what happens when we entertain such lusts. Jesus confirms the victory related with refusing their entrance into the heart.

"The pride of life." This is a sin that strongly urges the individual to boast in himself, rather than in the Lord. The word "pride" means "vain-glory of life." It includes the idea of gaining prestige and distinction that really does not belong to us. In this sin there is a powerful desire to be better than the other person, and to draw undue attention to self.

Eve and Jesus The is the lust to which Eve yielded when she viewed the forbidden tree "a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Gen 3:6). The desire for such wisdom was nothing less than a display of pride, something strictly forbidden by God. This was also the sin Satan tempted Jesus to commit when he said, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone'" (Matt 4:6). Again, Eve confirms to us what happens when we entertain such lusts. Jesus confirms the victory related with refusing their entrance into the heart.

All That Is in the World

All that the world has to offer is wrapped in these three things: (1) The lust of the flesh, (2) The lust of the eyes, and (3) The pride of life. These are the three wells from which all temptations are drawn. They are the repositories from which Satan draws his "fiery darts," or "flaming arrows." Eve succumbed to Satan's wiles in all three, and Jesus overcame him in all three.

All three of these are described as "NOT of the Father." That is, at no time does God provoke people to indulge these appetites. When we are tempted to satisfy the flesh, we may be sure, it did not come from God. When what we see provokes the flesh to awaken and dominate us, the inclination did not come from God. If we are tempted to think more of ourselves than we ought to think, or to appropriate for ourselves things that do not belong to us, we are not being influenced by God. In all three cases, the "prince of this world" is courting our favor, and luring us away from the Savior.

It is Passing Away

Whatever we may think of the world, it "is passing away, and the lust of it" ^NKJV. Elsewhere, the Spirit affirms, "the fashion (or present form) of this world passeth away" (1 Cor 7:31). There is nothing in this world that is not fading and momentary. Therefore, to develop an appetite for what it has to offer shuts one up to frustration and sorrow, not to mention condemnation in the end.

Because we have been given "eternal life," and are coming into an "eternal inheritance," it is wrong to become attached to temporal things. What is more, faith cannot flourish when our attention is placed on the passing order. That is why the command to NOT love the world or the things in it is fortified by the affirmation that it is passing away. The perception of that fact makes its lusts unreasonable.

And the Lust of It

When the Spirit says not only the world, but "the lusts of it" are passing away, He is speaking of the object of lust, and not the desire itself. From the standpoint of language, this is called a metonym. Frequently the Spirit uses words in this manner.

For example, the word "hope" is used in this way. In one usage, it describes our personal anticipation of glory and being forever with the Lord (Rom 4:18; 5:2; 8:24; 1 Cor 15:19; 1 Pet 1:3). On other occasions, the Lord Jesus Himself, in Whom our hope resides, is referred to as the hope. "Christ in you, THE HOPE OF GLORY . . . the Lord Jesus Christ, which is OUR HOPE" (Col 1:27; 1 Tim 1:1).

Thus, in this text, the "lusts" of the world are the very things for which men long. The meaning is that the best the world has to offer is but a fleeting fancy, and will not endure. When the world passes away, everything that it has offered will also be removed. Everything for which the flesh longs will be removed when the world passes away. Because they are part of the world, they can no longer remain when the heavens and earth pass away.

The desire for those things, however, will remain with those who are condemned. While believers will receive all for which they have longed, unbelievers will forever be deprived of that for which they have longed. This is a staggering consideration, and should provoke within us strong longings for the things that are eternal.

Abiding Forever

Notice that a contrast is made between the THINGS for which the unbeliever longs and the believers themselves. While everything Satan offers to us will "pass away," those who "do the will of God" will themselves abide forever. That is another way of saying they will be forever blessed. The point of contrast is this: when we yield to the allurements of this world, we will ultimately have what we desire taken from us. However, when we "do the will of God," we will not only keep our desires, but the things for which they long.

In this case, doing the will of God has primarily to do with fervently desiring what the Lord provides in Christ Jesus. All obedience springs from spiritual desire, just as surely as all sin springs from corrupt and illicit cravings. You will recall Jesus addressed this matter in the sermon on the Mount. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt 7:21). If you know what the Lord desires, then you had best be about desiring and doing it. There is no possible way for this word of our Lord to fail of fulfillment. Eternal life, in this case, is united with doing God's will. Those who imagine they can be personally uninvolved with God, and yet be saved, have been deceived. In the strictest sense, eternal life does not exclude doing, but causes doing.

IT IS THE LAST HOUR

"¹⁸Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ 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, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us." Here is a text that unveils life in Jesus is not all pleasant.

As we enter into a consideration of this passage, we must labor to free ourselves from the grip of religious tradition. Too, we must vigorously avoid any temptation to ignore the passage because it is not popular, or conflicts with certain theological views. Words like "antichrist," "antichrists," and "last hour" are to be allowed entrance into our thoughts and meditations. The very spirit of this text cries out of importance. We dare not ignore it.

The Last Hour

Twice in the eighteenth verse the Spirit affirms, "it is the last hour," or "last time" (KJV). The word "last" comes from the Greek word evsca,th (es-cha-tos), from which the word "eschatology" is derived. Theologically speaking, eschatology is the study of "last things." The word literally means the end, the farthest point, and the last state ^Thayers. This is the final period of time.

By this expression, the Spirit means to awaken us to the realization that time is running out. We do not have time to become involved with the world. This is the time to "to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed" (Rom 13:11). He will show us that the very things that cause some to fear should cause us to awake.

Crucify the temptation to view "last hour," or "last time" as a mere description of the time from Jesus' ascension until the end of the world. That is far too simplistic, and brings no honor to God. It has done more to justify the lethargy of professed believers than to awaken sensitivity in the elect. It is generally understood that this expression, "last days" views the closing period of time in which the saints of God are assaulted with unparalleled Satanic energy. I concur with this view.

This is language addressed to faith, and shows us the utter unreasonableness of culturing an appetite for the passing things of this world. He has just told us that the world and its lusts are passing away. Now He reminds us that we are even in the last stage of that demise. Remember, these words came from John, but, strictly speaking, they were not his words. These are the words of the Holy Spirit, Who moved John to write them. They are spoken to the heart, not the intellect. They teach us that the next significant thing is the coming of the Lord and the passing of this world and its lusts. We are to adjust our hearts and minds to this fact, remembering we have received "a kingdom that cannot be shaken" (Heb 12:27).

When we keep in mind that we have come into the realm of eternal things, the fact that centuries have passed since these words were written will be of little consequence to us. The passing of time must not erode the power of these words. The saints of God are to conduct their lives as though today were their last day on the earth. To live any other way puts one into jeopardy.

Antichrist

This word is found only in First John-and it is found there no less than five times (2:18,22; 4:3; 2 John 7). It is not difficult to identify the meaning of the word. It means against Christ, an opponent of Christ. In particular, it means one who opposes Christ in the guise of Christ ^{Vincent's Word Studies}. In this sense, the word differs from the expression "false Christs" (Matt 24:24; Mark 13:22). "False Christs" emphasizes those in question are primarily pretenders of deceivers. The word "antichrist" highlights their opposition to Christ.

You have Heard

From the very beginning, the saints of God were told of a coming apostasy, and of aggression against the saints that would come in the very name of Christ. If one were to view the current state of things, it would appear as though not a word had been said about this matter. That condition itself reveals the fulfillment of these very words. Those who would be faithful to their Lord must warn His people of coming evil as well as blessing.

Men have taken upon themselves to build an enormous body of teaching around the word "antichrist." But they cannot find their teachings in First John, which is the ONLY place the word is used. Remember, this is the same Apostle who wrote the book of the Revelation. Whether you take the position that First John was written before or after the book of Revelation, you are faced with a certain dilemma. If First John was written first, why did not John mention this "antichrist" when speaking of the beast and the false prophet. If it was written after Revelation, why did not the Apostle refer us back to the beast and false prophet? I will deal more particularly with this term when we come to the twenty-second verse.

But all of this is no problem at all if we take hold of what the Spirit is saying, ceasing to try and fit it into a preconceived theology. In this text, the Spirit does not say this is a specific individual. In fact, later He speaks of a "spirit" that does not confess Jesus (1 John 4:3). And, in this text, the Spirit says that "many antichrists have come." I gather from this that "antichrist" speaks more of a spirit than of a person, although we are not to imagine that this spirit cannot be embodied in a particular person.

More than warning us of a specific individual, this text is alerting us to a tactic of the wicked one. He uses those who say they are aligned with Jesus to oppose and deceive those who are really joined to Him. This particular passage probably includes two perspectives. First, the "spirit of antichrist" is already among us. Second, "many antichrists" are paving the way for a champion of delusion and opposition. In my opinion, the former is the thrust of this passage, and does not necessarily exclude the latter. However you view this text, it is one of great sobriety, calling us away from every form of spiritual casualness and slumber.

They Went Out from Us

John will now tell us of a most tragic circumstance. It is true that every child of God desires to be always separate from every deceiver and pretender. Yet, this has never been the lot of the faithful. Abel had to contend with Cain, Isaac with Ishmael, and Jacob with Esau. Moses had to deal with Korah and his motley bunch. Jesus was grieved by the presence of Judas. Now John mentions some that left their company, yet were never really a part of it.

"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 they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." Who can measure the heartbreak woven into this statement? Here were "antichrists" who were in company with the very Apostles of Christ. He does not say these opponents of Jesus were once good and faithful, but fell away. He says they never were part of the faithful. This became evident when they "went out" from them.

I assume that some form of conflict existed while they were among the real messengers of Jesus. If this were not the case, they would have had no compunctions about remaining with them. These were like bad fish among good fish (Matt 13:48-49), chaff mingled with wheat on the threshing floor (Matt 3:12), and tares among wheat (Matt 13:25-40). In this instance, it was not necessary to wait until "the end of this world" (Matt 13:40). Unable to remain among the faithful proclaimers of the Gospel, "they went out" from them. They were misfits in that holy assemblage.

That They might Be Made Manifest

Notice the reasoning of the Apostle, as he was moved along by the Spirit of God. He does not say these "antichrists" left the faithful because they could no longer tolerate the truth. Nor, indeed, does he say they left because they were asked to do so. Either or both of these conditions may very well have existed, but a higher view of the matter is necessary. This was God's way of making known to His children that these were really misfits in the body of Christ.

A similar statement is made by Paul concerning heresies, or departures from the truth, that arise within the church. "Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine" (1 Cor 11:19^NRSV). As long as we are in this world, a way must be provided for us to distinguish opponents of the Gospel from those who embrace and declare it. Heresies, or factions, are one way of accomplishing that objective. Those with corrupt hearts gravitate to corrupt teaching, while those with pure hearts are drawn to the truth of the Gospel. This is not easy to bear, but is necessary.

How glorious the announcement. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim 2:19). In this case, those engulfed in iniquity departed from the saints, thereby unveiling their true spiritual status. The unrighteous and righteous cannot perpetually dwell together. They are locked in conflict.

John makes no apology for these opponents of Jesus. " . . . for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us." A great deal, therefore, can be seen by who remains faithful to the Lord, talking hold on the truth and refusing to let it go. That would not sound loving enough to some people. Indeed, others would have launched an investigation to determine if the departure could have been averted by tender loving care. But all such speculations are a waste of time. They left because they did not belong. Their departure was a Divine confirmation of that fact. They left like Demas, who "loved this present world" (2 Tim 4:10). Further, there appeared to be no effort to resolve the situation, or retrieve these pretenders.

For some, this is too difficult to receive. However, God has consistently dealt harshly with those who misrepresented Him, or claimed to be sent by Him when they were not. Moses, the Prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles were consistent in their denunciation of such men. Their pretensions were never treated lightly, and they also provoked Divine judgment. As a matter of general observation, to my knowledge there is no example in Scripture of a recovery program for false prophets who come in the name of Christ Jesus. We are not to draw unwarranted conclusions from this. It should, however, provoke in us an utter hatred for corrupt doctrine. Departures from, and misrepresentations of, the Gospel are never taken lightly by the Lord.

THE UNCTION, OR ANOINTING

"²⁰But you have an anointing (unction ^KJV) from the Holy One, and you all know (you know all things, KJV). ²¹ 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." Although a flood of false christs and antichrists have dispersed among men, a way has been provided for our protection. The saints of God are NOT at the mercy of Satan's most crafty and seemingly effective teachers. Nor, indeed, have they been provided with a manual that enables them to detect wolves in sheep's clothing. They have received an "unction," or "anointing."-something intensely personal and effective. This word is not addressed to the Apostles, most of whom had died at the time this Epistle was written. Nor do we have any indication that it was written to especially gifted believers who possessed peculiar benefits not given to all believers. Just as the danger of false teachers was not confined to the first century, so the provision for protection from their devices is not restricted to that time.

The "unction," or "anointing" to which he refers is the Holy Spirit of God. The word used here is a significant one. It is the very word from which the word "Christ" ("anointed One") comes. For those who are interested, it comes from the Greek word cri/sma (kris-ma). John uses this word three times in this Epistle: once in this verse, and twice in verse twenty-seven.

The same word is used one other time in Second Corinthians 1:21. There, it is in the verb form. "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God" ^NKJV. That passage has a great deal of relevance in this discussion. There, the ones "anointed" include both the Apostles and those who believed on Christ through their word.

This is NOT the word used for the majority of references to anointing. When Jesus read from the sixty-first chapter of Isaiah, it was announced that He had been "anointed" to preach the Gospel to the poor, etc. (Lk 4:18). The word used there was a different one. It does come from the same root word, but there it means to dedicate or set apart. It is used in the same way in Acts 10:38 and Hebrews 1:9. These three texts pertain to the Lord Jesus Himself, speaking of His uniqueness as the Savior of men.

In our text "anointing," or "unction" is a noun, and not a verb. It speaks of what we have been anointed with, as distinguished from the act of anointing itself. This is confirmed by the elaboration of the Spirit in Second Corinthians. "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee" (2 Cor 1:21-22). Everywhere this particular form of "anointing" is used, it is an anointing accomplished by Deity, and does not refer to an external action (Lk 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; 2 Cor 1:21; Heb 1:9).

Other uses of the English term "anointing" are taken from different words, and apply to outward activities. These include anointing the sick (Mark 6:13; James 5:14), the woman who anointed Jesus (Lk 7:38,46; John 11:6), and Jesus anointing the eyes of the blind man (John 9:6,11). In each of those cases, "anointing" was a physical action.

But this is not the case with our text, which is the same as the previous stated text (2 Cor 1:21-22). That rules out the idea that what is referenced occurred by the laying on of Apostolic hands. The anointing the believers received was the same one the Apostles received. It is something common to al believers, although it is given in differing measures. It is the Holy Spirit Himself.

What Distinguishes God's Children?

One might ask, "Just what is it that distinguishes the children of God from the children of the wicked one?" Just as there are two different progenitors, so there are two differing progeny. Later, John will speak of the manifestation, or revelation, of "the children of God" and the "children of the devil" (3:10). Jesus spoke of "the children of the Kingdom," and the "children of the wicked one" (Matt 13:38). Obviously, there is something that distinguishes the two.

You might be surprised at the answers given to such a question. Some would affirm the distinction is found in the religious habits of the people, or the way they worship God, or their morality, or the creed to which they subscribe. While many such distinctions do have a place, it is not \the primary place.

It is the possession of the Holy Spirit Himself that marks us as the children of God. He is the "Seal" that uniquely identifies us (Eph 1:13; 4:30). The Word of God is very strong on this point. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom 8:9). Elsewhere it is written, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'" (Gal 4:6). The cry "Abba, Father," is the cry of a begotten Son. It was sanctified in Jesus Himself, Who also cried out with these words (Mark 14:36). Romans 8:15 states the case with unusual clarity. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Rom 8:15-16).

The presence of the Holy Spirit is our proof that we belong to God. As it is written, "And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us . . . By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit" (1 John 3:24; 4:13). The Holy Spirit, therefore, is "the anointing" to which our text refers. That "anointing" is common to all believers, and is the appointed means or protecting us from the deluding influence of antichrists.

Not A Passive Spirit

The Holy Spirit does not dwell passively within the believer; i.e., His presence is not a mere formality. There is considerable teaching in Scripture on His activities. He strengthens us with might (Eph 3:16), causes to "abound in hope " (Rom 15:13), and brings forth Divine fruit within us (Gal 5:22). In our text, however, a most personal aspect of His indwelling is addressed.

You Know All Things

Here different translations may seem to introduce confusion. The KJV, NKJV, ASV, Websters, Duoay-Rheims, Darby's, and Young's Literal Translation all read "You know all things." The NASB, RSV, NIV, and BBE, read "And you all know," or "and you all have knowledge." The first emphasizes that the Spirit sheds light on every thing pertinent to the life of faith. The latter emphasizes that this knowledge is accessible to everyone who is in Christ Jesus. Both of them are true, and both underscore the Divine provision given to protect the people of God from being ravaged by false prophets. Here is a revelation of God's great love.

Because this ministry of the Holy Spirit will be expounded more fully in verse twenty-seven, it will suffice to only introduce the provision here. The point being made is that extremely crafty teachers have penetrated the society of the elect, just as Paul warned they would (Acts 20:30). They would boast of association with the most elite in the body of Christ, and be able to prove they once walked with the Apostles themselves. Those who trust in the arm of the flesh will not be able to withstand these men. There must be a reliance upon the "anointing" which has been given to us, the Holy Spirit of God. God gives nothing to his children that is not required.

This is a most marvelous thing to consider. It is not designed to produce a lot of questions, or to be the occasion of division among the people of God. The fact that this has proved to be the case only emphasizes the dangerous subtlety of those who come in Christ's name, yet are not really from Him.

THE LIAR IS THE ANTICHRIST

"²²Who 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. ²³Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." We must never permit the doctrines of men, however plausible they may appear, to define Scriptural words and concepts for us. There are few texts that underscore this prohibition any more than the one before us. THE ANTICHRIST! The very expression conjures up all manner of thought and opinion.

Academic Definition

The teachings of men on the term "antichrist" have so impacted upon the English language, that even dictionaries and encyclopedias reflect them. The latest Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "antichrist" as follows: "1. One who denies or opposes Christ; 2. specifically: a great antagonist expected to fill the world with wickedness but be conquered forever by Christ at his second coming." The American Hertitage Dictionary reads, "1. An enemy of Christ. 2. Antichrist. The epithet of the great antagonist who was expected by the early church to set himself up against Christ in the last days before the Second Coming." The Oxford English Dictionary, the most extensive and definitive English Dictionary of all time, reads, "1. An enemy of opponent of Christ." 2.The title of a great personal opponent of Christ and His kingdom, expected by the early church to appear before the end the world, and much referred to in the middle ages."

In each academic definition, the first meaning is the obvious and most important one. Summarized, it is one who denies and opposes Christ. From the early centuries, devout men have pondered the term, used only by John, and only in First John. While their opinions are not to be despised, neither are they to be revered, as though carrying the same weight as Scripture. Nor, indeed, are they to be allowed a foundational place in our reasoning. It is true that men--godly men-have equated "Antichrist," "man of sin" (2 Thess 2:3,) "Gog" (Ezek 38-39), and even "the beast" or "false prophet" of Revelation (Rev 13; 16:13; 19:20). But let it be clear, the Holy Spirit did not make these associations in Scripture. They are the result of human reasoning. However valid that reasoning may appear to be, it must be held as coming FROM man, and not TO men from God.

The Liar

The Spirit's approach to this matter contrasts rather sharply with common religious views of "the antichrist." Here, the greatest significance is placed on what is done, NOT who does it. That is, the person who "denies that Jesus is the Christ" becomes the focus of teaching. Thus, we are drawn to an activity instead of a historical person.

Jesus Is the Christ

The particular lie is most significant. Although denying that Jesus is the Son of God is also mentioned (verse 23), the first point of denial is that "Jesus is the Christ." This is the first thing God revealed to Peter about Jesus-that he was "the Christ." You may recall that marvelous occasion on the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, when Peter confessed, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt 16:16). Jesus declared him to be especially blessed, because His Father which is in heaven made this known to Peter (Matt 16:17). The fact that Peter confessed was the appointed foundation upon which the very church of God would be built.

What does "THE Christ" mean? Linguistically, it means "the Anointed One," or the one upon Whom the favor of God especially rests. He is the One of Whom the prophets prophesied-the One who would effectively address and resolve the human dilemma. He would not meet SOME of God's requirements, but ALL of them. He would not deal PARTIALLY with the matter of man's fall, but THOROUGHLY with it. The prophets referred to a single Individual upon Whom the hopes of the world absolutely depended.

Jacob spoke of "Shiloh," unto Whom the people would be gathered (Gen 49:10). Job saw the faint outline of a "Redeemer" that lived and would stand on the earth in the latter day (Job 19:25). Isaiah spoke of a budding "Rod" upon Whom the Spirit of God would rest (Isa 11:1-2). He also spoke of this Person as a "Foundation Stone," and a "sure Foundation" (Isa 28:16). This Person would be God's "Servant" (Isa 42:1), a "Righteous Branch" (Jer 23:5), and "Messiah" (Dan 9:26). Everything would be addressed in a single Individual-one solitary Man! How succinctly the Lord moved Isaiah to declare it. "A man will be as a hiding place from the wind, And a cover from the tempest, As rivers of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land" (Isa 32:2^NKJV).

Confessing that "Jesus is the Christ" is acknowledging that He, and He alone, is God's answer to all sin has caused. There simply is no resolution anywhere else! God has made everything dependent upon His Son, giving "all things" into His hand (John 3:35). John reminds us that his Gospel was written "that ye might believe that JESUS IS THE CHRIST, the Son of God" (John 20:31). After Saul of Tarsus was brought to faith, this is the very point he developed in the synagogues, "proving that this is VERY CHRIST" (Acts 9:22). When Paul came to Corinth he "was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that JESUS WAS CHRIST" (Acts 18:5). It was said of eloquent Apollos, "For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publicly, showing by the scriptures that JESUS WAS CHRIST" (Acts 18:28). Later in First John, the Spirit even says, "Whosoever believeth that JESUS IS THE CHRIST is born of God" (1 John 5:1).

The word "Christ," as applied to the Lord Jesus, occurs no less than sixty (60) times in the Gospels. It is found four hundred and fifty three 453 times in Romans through Jude, and eleven (11) times in the book of Revelation. Five Hundred and fifty-five times! Included are the phrases "Jesus Christ," "Jesus the Christ," "Lord Jesus Christ," "Christ t the Lord," "the Lord's Christ," "Christ the Savior," and "Lord and Christ." By way of comparison, the word "church" appears seventy-seven (77) times "Love" is found one hundred and seventy nine (179) times. "Commandments" is found thirty-two times.

If the blessing of God is sought, our attention must be drawn to God's "Christ"-the solitary Person whom He has anointed to bring men to Himself. Our priorities cannot be turned from Him, else we will be lost. Should we allow any person, institution, or thing to supercede Jesus, salvation will be forfeited, and we will find ourselves engaged in war against the Son of God. There is no salvation anywhere else! No help, protection, or strength can be obtained apart from "the Lord's Christ."

But now comes "the liar" who denies this is the case. He offers hope in something other than Christ. It may be in himself, his teaching, an institution, of even a discipline of life. But what is offered does not require the Lord Jesus Christ. In His relations with mankind, God Himself cannot do without Christ. Yet, "the liar" offers a way to God that has little or no room for God's Anointed One. He does not see or present "the Christ" as the ONLY way to the Father. He denies Christ the place of prominence, which the Father has already given Him. He does not make things absolutely dependent upon Christ. More significance is placed upon a theological position, a particular activity, a belief system, or liturgical routine-but it is NOT placed upon "the Christ."

To "deny Jesus is the Christ" is not simply to make a statement to that effect. It is to refuse Christ the place of unbounded prominence. It is to hold out to men, in the name of the Lord, something that actually overshadows Christ, pushing Him into the background of human thought and purpose. O, the tragedy of such a thing! To offer resolutions to the sin problem that ignore Jesus is to deny He is "the Christ." Surely, you must know there are impressive and dominating religious systems that do not have Christ at their center-if, indeed, they have made provision for Him at all.

What May Be Said of The Liar?

What is said of "the liar"-the one denying that "Jesus is the Christ"?The strength of what is declared unveils the greatest of the transgression.

He is the antichrist

"He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son." I have scarcely heard or read a dialog on "the antichrist" that made this point. Such a person is against Christ. He has taken up arms against the Lord's anointed, just as surely as Herod,  Pilate, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel (Acts 4:26-27). When the One God has appointed is not afforded the honor due to Him, a war against Him is initiated.

A most significant thing can be seen here. While the KJV and NKJV do not use the article "the" (i.e., THE antichrist), that IS how the verse actually reads. The Greek reads o` avnti,cristoj, or "THE antichrist."Other versions do read "This is the antichrist" (ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, NIV, Darby's, Young's Literal, BBE). The omission of the article "the" by the older versions is not wrong. The reading still indicates the same thing. It is similar to saying "he is Jonathan." That statement would not mean the person was simply A Jonathan, but that he was THE Jonathan being considered.

This constrains us to think quite differently about the term "antichrist." Rather than associating it with a period of time, it is seen in direct relationship to our Savior Himself. Try as one may, he cannot rid the Bible of this statement. It is a clear definition of the word-an INSPIRED definition.

Also, we should learn from this not to limit the term to a single historical person. One might site 1 John 2:18 to confirm that a the coming of a single individual is also chronicled in this Epistle. "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come . . . " However, this text does not use the article "the," either in the Greek or most standard English translations. The only exception to this rule are the NKJV, NIV and Young's. All other versions omit the definite article "the" (ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, Websters, Darby's, Phillips, NEB). The difference is that the word "antichrist" is more descriptive of an activity than of a person. It is a trait that characterized "many," as is categorically stated in verse 18.

He Denies the Father and the Son

Whether we are speaking of the Gnostic heresy of the first century, or the falling-away heresies of our day, you cannot deny Christ without denying the Father also. You cannot refuse to give Jesus prominence without severing association with the Father! Those who do not honor the Son do not honor the One who sent Him. As it is written, "That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which hath sent Him" (John 5:23). You simply cannot refuse the One God sent without refusing God Himself.

Has Not the Father

The Spirit presses the point. Denying that "Jesus is the Christ" also involves denying, or refusing "the Son." Thus the text reads, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either" (NKJV). Those, therefore, who refuse Jesus as the appointed Resolution have, in that very act, denied He is the Son of God. This has alarming ramifications when one ponders the dominance of carnality and division within the professed body of Christ. Such things reveal a refusal of the Divine remedy, for you cannot embrace sin in any form without rejecting God's Remedy for sin. The soul only has one hand and one eye. It can handle and see only one thing at a time.

What is more, God will have no affiliation with any Person who rejects His Son. Such an individual "has not the Father." They do not have His blessing, His favor, His protection, or His promises. Jesus said such people are "condemned already," and are living their lives with the very wrath of God abiding on them (John 3:18,36).

"The antichrist," therefore, is a liar. He has denied, or rejected, the Lord's Christ. He is against Christ, denies both the Father and the Son, and does not have the Father. Such is an imposter, a messenger from Satan, and one who brings the curse of God. Jesus Christ is not at the heart of his message. He offers other remedies to men than "The Man Christ Jesus." His religion does not require nor exalt Deity. Wherever such a person is found, you have found "the antichrist."

It thus appears clear that we are speaking more of a spirit than of a particular man. Thus, John later mentions "the spirit of antichrist." It is not to be denied that such a spirit can find unusual expression in certain men, and during certain periods of history. Indeed, there are prophetic indications that such an individual will rise. We do read of "that man of sin" (2 Thess 2:3), "a king of fierce countenance" (Dan 8:23), and "the false prophet" (Rev 19:20). Yet, there is a vagueness in all of these descriptions that forbid the development of a highly structured theology around them. While there may be varying degrees of spiritual insight granted to godly men on this matter, we must let our faith rest upon the more clear statements concerning "the antichrist." Far better to think of such an one as the opponent of Christ and the enemy of the saints. Such a spirit may be closer to us than many think. In fact, devout people will have a sense of alarm when they ponder these things.

WHEN WHAT IS HEARD ABIDES

"²⁴As 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." The expression "As for you," contrasts the readers with the apostates that went out from John and company. It also identifies one of the marks of those possessing "the unction," or "anointing"-the Holy Spirit. The word "heard from the beginning" is the consistent message given to all believers. It is encapsulated in the Gospel, and amplified in the Apostles' doctrine-but it never changes. It's core remains the same, and the direction in which it is pointed is fixed. Christ Jesus is always at its heart, and the presence of God is always its goal.

Jesus spoke of what is heard abiding, or remaining, in us. He defined it as a critical point, that will play a prominent role in the determination of our eternal destiny. The person who gains no profit whatsoever from the Gospel is described as one who "hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart" (Matt 13:19). The condemned are described as those who "do not have His word abiding" in them (John 5:38).

The phrase "keep my words" refers to the same thing. Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23). Jesus promised our prayers would be answered if His Word abode in us. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7). When the Word of God, what we hear, remains in us, the work of God will be done within us also.

What Does It Mean?

What is involved in the Word abiding in us? Is there any hope for those in whom it does NOT abide, or remain? We will see from this passage that remaining in Christ is contingent upon what we hear remaining in us. This is a most critical matter.

When we begin our life in Christ, the laws of God are put into our hearts and written in our minds (Heb 10:16). We begin with a sensitivity to what God declares, and a capacity to retain it. Our very persons are made harmonious with the laws of God, so that we begin our new life in agreement with them. The new birth, or our identity with Christ, makes it possible for what God declares to have a place in our hearts and minds-the most prominent place.

What we have heard is remaining in us when we think about it, meditate upon it, and shape our lives around it. The godly person is thus described as one who meditates in God's law "night and day" (Psa 1:2). This is the person who "delights" to DO God's will, Whose law is "found" within his "heart" (Psa 40:8). The "sweet Psalmist" said it this way: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee" (Psa 119:11). Faith moves us to speak this way, with our hearts as well as our minds.

What is "heard from the beginning" can only "abide" in the person who regards God's Word "more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12). This is the same as Christ's word dwelling in us "richly," or abundantly and copiously (Col 3:16).

The Word of God is "living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb 4:12). When it "abides" in us, it brings life to us: we become more sensitive to the Lord, more instant in our responses to Him, and more alert to our surroundings. It exercises its power within us, enabling us to overcome the world, and conforming us to our Lord's image. With cutting precision, it enables us to distinguish between the soulish and the spiritual. All of this is involved in the Word of God, particularly the Gospel of Christ, being a "seed." As it remains in us, being held by faith, it grows, producing fruit in the believer. The fruit does not come from our efforts alone, but from the powerful Word itself.

From the Beginning

What we have heard "from the beginning" is more the Gospel of Christ. When we first heard and believed the Gospel, its distinctiveness from all other messages was apparent. As it abides in us, it maintains that distinctiveness, standing apart from all other messages. This is the ultimate "good news." It dwarfs all other words especially those of "antichrists" who come in the name of Christ, but are not from Him.

The Gospel itself is the message we have heard "from the beginning." It has "power" that is not afforded to any other word from God. This does not diminish any other Word of Scripture, but rather brings all of it into focus. The "Gospel" is mentioned over seventy times in the Epistles (Romans through Jude). It is always a point of focus, and is never tangential. This is what makes "the Apostles' doctrine" distinctive. The core of their message was what God has accomplished in Christ Jesus-"the Gospel." It was never human responsibility or conduct. While frequently mentioned, these were never the heart of the Apostolic message. That does not make responsibility inconsequential. It does mean that responsibility can be properly fulfilled only in the power of the Gospel.

Ye Will Also Abide

The greatness of the message is seen in the results it produces. "If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father" ^NKJV. The magnitude of this promise is staggering! Let your mind dwell upon it: "you also will abide in the Son and in the Father." This is a required abiding.

The word "abide" or "remain" indicates we were put into the Son and the Father when we were saved, born again, reconciled to God, or baptized into Christ-all views of the same transaction. At that time, the Father put us into the Son (1 Cor 1:30). Later, the Spirit will confirm real life involves being "in His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 5:20). During His ministry, Jesus affirmed He was "in the Father" (John 14:10-11). Those who are in Christ are, by virtue of their union with Him, also "in the Father." Later, John will proclaim, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God" (1 John 3:24).

Lest we become complacent, however, we are reminded that REMAINING or ABIDING in the Son and in the Father is the point at issue. Further, we are apprized that this is not a process accomplished without our involvement. It is not automatic, so to speak. Abiding in the Son and in the Father is conditional. It can only be accomplished if what we heard "from the beginning"-the Gospel-remains in us. There is no place in the Son or the Father for anyone in whom the Gospel does not remain. If our understanding of that Gospel ever becomes distorted due to the influence of false teachers, our position in the Son and the Father is at once jeopardized.

The Galatian Departure

That is precisely the point developed to the Galatians, who were abandoning the Gospel in favor of a law-centered message. In great solemnity, they were told, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ . . . I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain . . . Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" (Gal 1:6-7; 2:21; 5:4). They had allowed false teachers to remove the Gospel from their thinking. In so doing, they themselves were "removed from" Christ. This emphasizes the necessity of what we have heard from the beginning remaining in us.

Christ and the Gospel

At no point is Christ divorced from the Gospel, which is the sole means of affiliation with Him. We are made "partakers of His (God's) promise in Christ BY THE GOSPEL" (Gal 3:6). This is not limited to our initial entrance into Him, but remains true as we abide in Him. That Gospel contained a message of unparalleled hope. As it is written, " . . . the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel" (Col 1:5). If we allow ourselves to be "moved away from the hope of the gospel which [we] heard" (Col 1:23), there will be no further place for us in the Son and in the Father.

If both life and immortality have been "brought to life through the Gospel" (2 Tim 1:10), both of them move beyond our grasp if the Gospel is forgotten, or no longer abides in us. There is no point at which that Gospel ceases to be "the power of God" (Rom 1:16). The Lord has even given us a table where this memory is effectively stirred within us. As it is written, "For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes" (1 Cor 11:26). Spiritual stability is realized in "the Gospel," wherein we "stand" (1 Cor 15:3). It is the means by which we "are saved," if we "keep it in memory," otherwise, we "have believed in vain" (1 Cor 15:3NIV). No one can afford to lose a grip on the Gospel they heard in the "beginning" of their spiritual life. It remains God's appointed power "unto salvation." At no point can it be neglected with impunity. The very nature of salvation demands that we give it constant and focused attention.

THE PROMISE

"²⁵And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life." Here is the consummate promise-"eternal life!" It is the ultimate objective of all Divine commitment, the heart of "eternal purpose," and the objective of faith. Everything prior to Jesus was preparatory for the conferment of eternal life. In spite of this, before Christ, there was precious little said directly about eternal life. The Law did not have a syllable about eternal life, either in the decalogue itself, or all of its ceremonial laws. Moses never said anything about "eternal life." In all of his wisdom, Solomon never wrote a single word about it. Once, Daniel spoke of a coming resurrection when "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life" (Dan 12:2). Once David spoke of God commanding the blessing, "even life for evermore" (Psa 133:3). If you want to know about "eternal life," you will have to get beyond Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.

The Gospel and Jesus

We are expressly told that "life and immortality" have been brought to light, or illuminated, "through the Gospel" (2 Tim 1:10). The message of Christ shines like a heavenly beacon on the subject of "eternal life." While precious few spoke of this subject before Jesus, when He came, men became intensely interested in it. A "certain ruler" once asked Jesus, "Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Lk 18:18). Earlier, a young lawyer asked Jesus the very same question (Lk 10:25). No one ever asked Moses that question! None of the Prophets were ever asked that question-at least there is no record of such an interrogation. Not even John the Baptist was asked such a question.

However, when people got close to Jesus, and heard His gracious words, they became acutely aware of "eternal life." Once, after a vast number of Jesus' followers had forsaken Him, being offended about His words on eternal life, He asked His disciples if they were going to leave also. Peter replied, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:54-68). It is not possible to listen to Jesus and not begin to think about "eternal life!"

Jesus declared that is why God sent Him into the world, that whoever believed in Him might "have eternal life" (John 3:14-16). He affirmed that He gives His sheep "eternal life, and they shall never perish" (John 10:28). To those who left all to follow Him, Jesus promised "eternal life" in "the world to come" (Mk 10:30). On the night of His betrayal, when He prayed to His Father, He confessed He had been given "power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life" to all God had "given Him" (John 17:2).

The Apostles

The Apostles continued this unmistakable emphasis. The Spirit moved them to declare "eternal life" would be given to those seeking for "glory, and honor, and immortality" (Rom 2:7). Those who believed the Gospel are said to have been "ordained unto eternal life" (Acts 13:48). The reign of the grace of God is said to be "through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:21). "Eternal life" is God's ultimate gift to us (Rom 6:23). We are urged to fight the good fight of faith and "lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim 6:12,19).

The objective of our hope, or confident expectation, is defined as "eternal life" (Tit 1:2; 3:7; Jude 21). When we were baptized into Jesus Christ and His death, we were made "free from sin," and became "servants to God." But that was not the end of the matter. The objective was "eternal life," not mere liberation and servitude. Thus, the Spirit continues, "ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Rom 6:22).

Its Centrality in the Kingdom

Because this is the consummate Divine promise, it is always central in God's Kingdom. There is no point in spiritual life where eternal life becomes irrelevant, or is pushed into the background. Even as when Jesus "dwelt among us," the more sensitive we are to Him, the more interest we have in "eternal life." Lest we forget, "eternal life" is not impersonal-something that can be possessed apart from the involvement of our persons. It was Jesus Himself who defined "eternal life," and He did so in an intensely personal prayer to His Father. "And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent" (John 17:3^NASB). Experiential acquaintance with God and Christ is involved in Them dwelling in us, and us in Them. It should be obvious that this can never be relegated to a secondary position.

Over nearly fifty years of conscious involvement with the church, I have become acutely aware of the near-total absence of any emphasis on "eternal life." I know by experience of frequent gatherings in which there is never a reference to this consummate promise-"eternal life." In such gatherings, there is rarely, if ever, any question about "eternal life," or how it may be obtained. Some years ago, I was asked to write a book on the subject of "Eternal Life." After some dialog with the would-be publishers, I was informed there was no interest on that theme among their constituency. No such apathy existed in those who listened to Jesus-and it still cannot be found among true hearers.

This is THE Promise

By saying this is "THE promise," the Spirit emphasizes there is nothing to compare with this. When our attention is drawn away from this promise to earthly considerations, we at once are standing on sinking sand. All of Christ's present ministry is turned away from those who cease to engage in a quest to "lay hold on eternal life." This is God's ultimate objective, and He will not depart from it. As soon as we leave this emphasis, we leave God's will.

The Focus of Antichrists

Regarding the teaching of this passage concerning antichrists, the Spirit is showing the error of their message by contrast. Those who are against Christ do not offer "eternal life" as defined by Jesus. Their focus is the world, and therefore that is what they talk about. Later the Spirit moves John to write, "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them" (1 John 4:5). The phrase "of the world" is not limited to moral degeneracy. It includes any emphasis that is limited to this world. As Jesus pointed out, it can be ones family (Matt 10:37), or the "care of this world" (Matt 13:22). Paul spoke of a quest for riches (1 Tim 6:9). The Galatians were warned about reverting to a system of law for justification (Gal 5:4). The Colossians were admonished about allowing men to corrupt them through philosophy and vain deceit (Col 2:8). In all of these cases, the PROMISE of "eternal life" was being pushed into the background. The emphasis was moved from what God pledged to what men do. That is a common mark of false prophets-those who are at war with Jesus, yet pretend to represent Him. They remove the emphasis from Christ. All such men are "the antichrist."

THE ANOINTING THAT TEACHES

"²⁶These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷And 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." Having declared the ultimate promise, the Spirit now returns to the matter of our protection against those who would detract us from it. The very people who "went out from" John and company were engaged in an energetic effort to "deceive" the people. John was moved to write about this because that is NOT how it appeared. By saying these men were "trying to deceive you," the sufficiency of Divine provision is emphasized. Without that provision, "the anointing," the false teachers could neither be detected nor resisted. No man's intellectual abilities, however cultured and seemingly proficient, can protect the soul against the delusion of "antichrists." This is because they are empowered by the devil himself, who has "deceived the whole world" (Rev 12:9). Indeed, "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19^NKJV). Our protection against the lie, therefore, cannot come from the earthly realm. We must have Divine provision! Praise God, that is precisely the circumstance of those in Christ Jesus. They "have an unction from the Holy One"-The Holy Spirit of God, given to them by God, because they are the sons of God (Gal 4:6). Among other things, this is His provision for protection.

The Abiding Anointing

"²⁷And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you." The "anointing" is of little consequence if it does not remain! Samson could tell you that it is possible for the Spirit to depart from the very one He has endued (Judges 16:20). Therefore, the receiving of the anointing is not emphasized, but His abiding.

Because His ministry is realized only as He remains with us, we are admonished "quench not the Spirit," and "grieve not the Spirit" (1 Thess 5:19; Eph 4:30). Those who make much of the free will of man do well to take heed to this matter. Just as God does not force His will for good upon us, we cannot force the Spirit to act against His will. He is repulsed by unwilling hearts, and will not conduct His ministry for those who grieve Him. If, however, we remain tender in heart, and strong in faith, the Spirit will remain with us, imperfect though we may be. It is our willingness and tenderness that endear us to the Spirit of God.

The Anointing that Teaches

" . . . 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 . . . " At this point, we make a dramatic departure from all that the world has to offer. We also come into sharp conflict with much flawed doctrine. There is no question about what is actually stated. That is what makes it so arresting. Other translations also draw our attention to the statement itself. "You do not need that anyone teach you" ^{NKJV,NIV,NRSV}, "you have no need for anyone to teach you" ^NASB, "you have no need that any one should teach you" ^RSV. Remember, these are not Apostles, nor is there the slightest suggestion they were, as members of Christ's body, endued with a power uncommon to all believers.

The teaching of reference is not ordinary teaching, like that which John himself is doing. There is no suggestion here that believers can exclude themselves from all teaching, navigating through life on their own. There is, however, a kind of teaching that can only be accomplished by God. In my understanding, this is what men refer to as application, or making the truth relevant.

We do NOT need HOW TO programs, something that has suddenly become a major thrust in Western world Christianity. This ought to be evident to us by the almost total absence of such instruction in the New Covenant writings. A few examples of this will suffice. In all of these things, we are given no procedures or routines, as carnal men so strongly desire.

• Abstain from fleshly lusts-1 Pet 2:11

• Make no place for the devil-Eph 4:27

• Husbands, love your wives-Eph 5:25

• Seek the things that are above-Col 3:1

• Fight the good fight of faith-1 Tim 6:12

• Put on the whole armor of God-Eph 6:11

• Be strong-1 Cor 16:13

These are representative of an endless number of exhortations. There is rarely, if ever, a routine provided through which these admonitions can be realized-at least not as men think. Of course, it should be evident from Israel that procedures do not impart wisdom, make people willing, or induct them into the presence of God.