A STUDY OF 1 JOHN (17)

 

The Presence of the Antichrists

1 John 2:18-23

Victor M. Eskew

 

            “Little children, it is the last time.”  These words open a new section in John’s epistle.  He now exposes the false teachers who were plaguing his beloved children calling them “antichrists.”  John does not use the word “gnostics” to describe these deceitful individuals.   The reason is because Gnosticism had not fully developed in the first century.  However, some of its roots were beginning to take hold.  These errors were opposed to Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ.

            John begins by informing his readers about THE DISPENSATION in which they were living (1 John 2:18).  Twice in this verse he calls it “the last time.”  This was the final dispensation of time for the earth.  The Patriarchal dispensation and the Mosaic dispensation had passed.  John and his readers were living in the last dispensation, that is, the Christian dispensation.  John could confirm this because of the presence of “many antichrists.”  “Little children, it is the last time:  and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; thereby we know that it is the last time.”  Some have mistakenly taught that there is only going to be one antichrist in the world.  They have also taught that we are still awaiting the appearance of the antichrist.  This is false doctrine.  The word “antichrist” simply means “opposed to Christ.”  John said that even in the first century many antichrists had manifested themselves.  Many individuals were teaching things that were antagonistic to Jesus Christ and the truth of the gospel.  It had been predicted that they would arise in the last time, and they were present during John’s ministry.

            Apparently, there was a time when they tried to work within the various congregations of the Lord’s people.  They tried to convince individuals that they were Christians just like those who were abiding in the doctrine of Christ.  At some point, however, they left the ranks of the faithful.  In 1 John 2:19, John speaks of THE DEPARTURE.  “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 manifest that they were not all of us.”  Satan and his evil workers try to stay within the body of Christ if possible.  In so doing, they can create confusion, unbelief, and division among God’s people.  But, there comes a time when true Christians and false brethren can no longer maintain fellowship.  The false teachers leave.  Their departure is evidence that they are not on the side of the Christ.  If they adhered to the truth, they would have continued with the apostle John and the true disciples of Christ.  A split like this is both devastating and helpful.  People are spiritually wounded and destroyed when a split occurs.  However, the lines of demarcation are clearly drawn once the false teachers have shown themselves.

            Fortunately for John’s readers, they had a form of protection given to them.  THE DEFENSE is revealed in 1 John 2:20-21.  “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and no lie is of the truth.”  The first century was unique because the early church did not possess the written New Testament as we have it today.  Instead, the church was given miraculous gifts of the Spirit that enabled the church mature and protect itself from error (See 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:8-12).  John reminded them that they had “an unction from the Holy One.”  The word “unction” is defined as “a smearing, an unguent, or an anointing.”  Strong continues by saying:  “a special endowment of the Holy Spirit.”  The apostles of Christ had the ability to pass on the miraculous manifestations of the Spirit by the laying on of their hands (See Acts 8:14-17).  “The word of wisdom,” “the word of knowledge,” and “discerning of spirits” were three of the nine gifts.  Gifts such as these would protect the early church from those who sought to turn the disciples away from the truth unto fables.  John knew these Christians possessed these abilities.  That’s why he said that they knew all things.  He also affirmed that they knew the truth.  He was writing to confirm the things that they already knew.  His words to the faithful were further proof that these individuals were walking in the light of God’s Word. 

            In the last two verses of this section, John notes THE DENIAL proclaimed by the antichrists.  “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:  [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also (1 John 2:22-23).  In our introduction to this epistle of John, we learned that the gnostics believed that spirit is good and flesh is evil.  Thus, they could not wrap their minds around the fact that God, a spirit being, came in the flesh.  Some of the gnostics, therefore, made a distinction between Jesus and the Christ.  John called those who made such a distinction liars.  “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?”  This denial not only put the gnostics at odds with Jesus, but they also opposed God.  “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.”  Remember, John’s theme involves man’s fellowship with God.  The antichrists were not in fellowship with the Father or the Son.  But, “he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”  John wanted his readers to maintain their belief that Jesus Christ came in the flesh.  This is one of the foundational teachings of the gospel.  If they ever departed from this belief, they would find themselves without the Son and without the Father.  If they held fast to that belief, their fellowship with deity was secure.