1 John, Day 3
DISTINGUISHING TRUE CHRISTIANS FROM THOSE WHO WERE NOT CHRISTIANS
“Interlude of Confidence” — Chapter 2:12 – 14
“Avoid the World’s Evils” — Chapter 2:15 – 17
“The Fellowship of Truth” — 2:18 – 27
The apostle John states to believers in this passage that when you receive Christ as your Savior, your heart has been renewed. You have been given the light from God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Love for your fellow brother has been given through His light. But if a Christian hates his brother, he is still walking in darkness and blinded by the darkness (1 John 2:9, 10, 11).
He then goes on to give the reason for this writing (“I write to you”) statements (1 John 2:12 – 14).
“I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of His Name.”
“I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.”
“I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.”
“I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.”
“I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning.”
“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
John then continues his thought by stating a DO NOT. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does come not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15 – 17).
He then states that we are in the “last hour.” The Church Age is the last period of time prior to Christ’s rapture of His church and the beginning of the 7-year tribulation period in which the devil and the antichrist will have freedom to roam on Earth and attempt to control the earth in the absence of the Holy Spirit. John continues his thought by telling us that during the Church Age, there will be many antichrists that will oppose the ministry of the Holy Spirit. John is the only writer to mention the word “antichrist,” defining an antichrist as “he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22), “does not confess Jesus” (1 John 4:3), and “does not confess Jesus as coming in the Flesh” (2 John 1:7).
John finishes off this section by telling us to continue to hold on to what we have heard from the beginning. Watch out for those who are trying to lead you astray. Hold on to the anointing that you received from Him. No one needs to teach us anything else than what was taught us through His written Word. And that teaching is REAL. REMAIN IN HIM.
Application
The information presented to Christians by John in this section of Scripture shows us that we have enemies of the cross who are trying to destroy the message of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. They will do anything to discourage us in order to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit.
We need to stand firm in what we were taught from God’s Word and beware of those who try to destroy the message of the Gospel. To God be the glory and may His will be done.
Blessings from Carlton Ringer