L |
ITTLE 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. 19 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. 20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. (1 John 2:18-29)
Today’s Lectionary Text is timely and more than relevant to our time. We suffer from a barrage of false preaching every time we surf the channels on our TVs. The constant appeal is to the greed of the listener. The wealth and health Gospel predominates all so-called TV ministries with the very rare exception. Proud evangelistists exalt in their presumed knowledge above that of the Lord in knowing the exact day or year of the Lord’s return. They publish many worthless books for profit on the subject. When their prophecies fail, it is owing to some minor miscalculation of the signs and times. A prophet of God makes no false claims. How do we know if a prophet, and his prophecies, are of God?
One of the greatest of personifications of Anti-Christ in our day is government grown over-large. The bigger and more powerful the government, the less room they will allow for Christ. Government is jealous of any power that threatens their unlimited reach. Christ keeps getting in the way of governments that disregard the moral law and devise every demonic legal system possible without the moral restraints of Christian love and decency. Christ keeps getting in the way of the globalist movement because Christ is not inclusive, but EXCLUSIVE. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN, and there is only ones means whereby we are born again, and that is through the mercy and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If the spirit of antichrist had already arisen during the Apostolic Age, how much more prevalent must be his reach today. Perhaps we may find more of that spirit in churches than any other place. The modern church has compromised every principle of the Gospel and of truth – not in denying the Name of our Lord – but in denying His counsel. To deny the Moral Law in the Word is to deny the Word that defines our Lord Incarnate.
I have too often heard supposed Christian ministers make the claim that we all – Muslims, Jews, Hindu’s, Buddists, etc. – worship the same God. What unadulterated deception and error that claim is since these religions all deny Him. They deny our Lord as the only Begotten on of God since these religions all deny Him. Allah is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Allah has no Son. Allah has no Holy Spirit. Allah has no grace granted by the Lord’s own sacrifice. We deny Christ, not merely with our mouths, but with our living faith and actions. 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (1 John 4:1-5)
Notice John did not claim a FEW false prophets are gone into the world, but he said MANY! We see it today. Satan is willing to allow the sinner to continue unabated and untried by his demons, but it is the Christian upon whom he wages his war. If he can cause the Christian to deny the Lord by living, word, and thought, he will have achieved his depraved purpose. The best avenue by which Satan can effect his design is through the pulpit. How many ministers today are challenging the veracity of the Word of God through corrupt Bible versions, through acceptance of every form of perversion, by bringing the depraved music and lifestyle of the world into the very sanctuary of the Church? Perish the thought! Stand up Christian! Hold your teachers and ministers to account for error, and lift up those who courageously preach the truth with power and faith
