Last 5 Days
Antichrist
18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 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 it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
We are in the last era before the return of Christ. During this era, we shall expect the appearance of many antichrists – people who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Interestingly, the antichrists were original with the Christian bodies but later went astray. John said though they were with the Christian community, they were not Christians.
Yes, this is often our problem, we bring people to our Church, but we fail to bring them to Christ. Eventually, when these people acquire the knowledge, they work against us. So, we seriously want to be careful when bringing people to Church. Let us not be contented simply because they come to Church. Let us be careful to bring the words to them. Otherwise, when they turn back, they can be more deadly.
How then can we hold to the faith without being deceived? John offers two solutions. 1. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. John said that because they did not have the Bible then. As for us, the things that we heard from the beginning are the words of God - the Bible. Thus, we ought to read the Bible constantly. Even as a pastor who often ministers God’s words to others, the Bible continue to be the source of strength. I have to read it every day to remain strong in the Lord. 2. The anointing that you received from him abides in you. What John referred to as ‘the anointing’ is the Holy Spirit. We have Holy Spirit in us that guides us in everything we do. So we have to yield to His guidance. We have to pray to God daily and execute every teaching we learnt from Him.
Christianity is not just a selfish faith that cares only for our salvation. It is a relationship with God through His Words and Spirit. Such a relationship is built on the execution of the Words and not just by listening. Only then we will not be misled by the antichrist.
So let us start today by making a plan to read His Words and pray daily. Let us also learn to engage God in the discussion of His words. Blessing!
