THE ESPECIALLY LOVED APOSTLE JOHNS' WAR WITH APOSTASY
The Apostle John was so loved by Jesus that he asked HIM to take care of Mary. He probably was the only Apostle not martyred and was alive at the end of the first century. During the latter part of the first century he battled with a movement of leaders who were in opposition to Christ. The term Antichrist is used only four times in the Bible and only by the beloved Apostle.
1 John 2:16-18 NKJV 16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
John is recognizing the power of worldly influences upon the flock. He is therefore reminding the believers of the temporariness of worldly matters and the negative influence of leaders and their followers who are the antithesis of the true Christ. Note that it is a movement including many individuals. It is a spiritually poisonous movement. It is leading some into apostasy and led by those who are really in opposition to the Christ John knew so well.
1 John 2:19-20 NKJV 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 they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
These people at end of the first century were secretly false brethren who were in the churches but left once they got a following. They created false churches based on Anti-Christ doctrines.
1 John 2:21-22 NKJV 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
These false leaders in various ways deny knowledge of the two members of the God head Jesus and the Father. Much of it was done by worldly philosophies known as Gnosticism. It is defined as 'An esoteric system of mystical religious and philosophical doctrines, stressing Gnosis as essential to salvation, viewing matter as evil, and variously combining ideas derived from mythology, ancient Greek philosophy, ancient religions, and, eventually, compromised Christianity'.
THE DANGEROUS INFLUENCE OF GNOSTICISM
Gnosis means special or secret high levels of knowledge. People like the idea of secret or special knowledge known only by the elites. A further understanding of Gnosticism is that they ASSERTED ' the thought and practice especially of various cults of late pre-Christian and early Christian centuries distinguished by the conviction that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through Gnosis'. These pagan philosophies supported various interpretations of Jesus as not being fully human or not being fully divine. If Jesus was not fully human then he did not really suffer for our sins. If Jesus was not fully divine then his sacrificial death was NOT adequate to pay for the sins of all mankind.
1 John 4:2-3 NKJV 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
Therefore the Antichrist is a movement of many to lead believers into various false beliefs about our Savior.
2 John 1:6-8 NKJV 6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.... 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an Antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
John wrote these letters to bolster the believers into staying with the truth and not being deceived by things that appeal to vanity and pride. Also Paul years earlier warned the Churches of similar worldly philosophies dangerous to them.
Colossians 2:18-23 NKJV 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head.
Paul warns them not to let others judge us on Sabbaths and Holy Days based worldly philosophies. The Gnostic belief that the body is all bad led to the embracing of Asceticism by some. Feasting is anathema to them but not to God.
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations-- 21 "Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle," 22 which all concern things which perish with the using--according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
The Apostle Paul explains that these worldly methods of self-righteous actions do not actually work. You may sacrifice a lot of comforts but that will not make one more righteous.
THE BIBLE PREDICTS A GREAT FALLING AWAY OF BELIEVERS
Jesus warned that deception is the first things believers should be concerned about.
Mark 13:5-6 NKJV 5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many.
This deception is predicted to get worse near the end of this age. Also Johns letters indicate a great falling away from the truth at the end of the Apostolic era. Johns third letter indicates that in a certain area, the largest church has been commandeered by a false teacher who loves power.
3 John 1:9-10 NKJV 9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.
Many branches of the Church at the end of the first century were taken over by false brethren with false beliefs. The end of this age will see an acceleration of this Falling Away from truth. Much of this falling has already existed for centuries but now it will affect those at the end who know the truth. Further many more in our age will lose what level of truth they now possess.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 NKJV 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
A lawless leader is coming to bring things that oppose Christ. Christ will destroy him at his second coming. How will he be able to bring in deception?
2 Thessalonians 2:9-11 NKJV 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
We are told we now live in the post truth era. People now are not concerned with the truth only their desires and perspective. Truth is now irrelevant to many. The population does not love the truth. They are therefore ripe for deception. They want messages that make them feel good.
2 Timothy 4:2-4 NKJV 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Paul writes that in the past as well as the future most will seek out falsehoods about Jesus. Part two presented Dec 3 will reveal stunning revelations about the False Prophets role.
