The Spirit of Antichrist

"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  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."  (I John 4:2-3)

The Gnostics believed that flesh was evil and that God would not inhabit flesh, as in the statement, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” (I John 1:14)  God inhabiting flesh was contrary to their belief system.

Many of the teachings and doctrines of the Christian faith are an affront to the cults. The Christian faith teaches the Biblical truths of the manhood of Jesus, His deity, and His substitutionary death for mankind but these truths are not accepted by people misled by the cults.  They are antichrist in their beliefs.

Pray for these thousands of people caught in the web of false teachings and direct them in the study of the Bible. 

Test the Spirits

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1)

Don’t be gullible. Not every building with the word, “church,” over the door houses a legitimate church. Did you know there are some so called churches who teach, “It doesn’t matter what you believe just so you believe something and are sincere.” Some are led by pastors who do not believe in the virgin birth of the Son of God. Others deny the necessity of the blood atonement.  Some say we are saved by trying harder. Some do not believe in the inspiration of Scripture and on and on it goes.

We are to test the spirits against the Word of God. The Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (II Timothy 3:6)

Test the spirits. There are many false prophets in the world, the Bible says. Be on guard. Some of these false prophets mix in enough truth to make their teaching sound good. Test the spirits.

Blessed Assurance

“And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us, by the Spirit which He hath given us.”(I John 3:24)

John continues to give his readers assurance of salvation, exploring the subject from every side. If one is not sure of being saved he can be very miserable. So he looks at assurance from many angles. May I say, not only do the saved need to have assurance that they are saved, the lost or unsaved need to know they are lost.

From Paul’s pen we read that, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” ( Romans 8:16) When we became believers and were “born again,” God placed the Holy Spirit within us.

The great hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby penned these words:
     Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
     Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

God Answers Prayer

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (I John 3: 22-23)

Someone has said that God answers every prayer we pray with either “yes,” “no,” or “later.” Whenever He gives us an answer to our petition it is because we please Him in keeping the two commandments in our text. The two specific commandments He gives here are, in this order, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and second, loving others.

We should not expect God to answer the prayer of someone who rejects Jesus, the Son of God, not believing in Him for salvation. He who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to pay our sin debt expects us to love others.

How About Your Heart?

“And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
(I John 3:19-21)

Good works do not bring salvation; they are the result of salvation. We go to the Bible to find assurance in the promises He has made to us. However, good deeds, such as helping others assure our hearts before Him.

I think of Simon Peter who boasted that if everyone else denied the Lord, he would not. When he denied the Lord on the night before the cross he went out and wept bitterly. I have been there. Perhaps you have, also. We might even question our salvation because of that or some other sin. But God is greater than our feelings of lostness over our failures and knows what He promised, even eternal life. (I John 2:25)

What joy are those days when we have confidence toward God, assured that He is holding us, and His promises in the Word of God are standing firm.

Love in Deed and in Truth

“But whoso hath this world’s goods, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwellth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3:17-18)

A widow was rearing four children. Her house was destroyed by fire. Folks in the community were making up money, clothing, furniture, canned goods, potatoes and whatever she might need.

A farmer was approached by someone helping take up goods for the unfortunate widow. The farmer went to his smoke-house where he saw a nice, nearly perfect ham. As he started to take it down the devil seemed to say, “Don’t give them your best ham. They will be glad to have anything.” God seemed to say, “Give her your best ham.” As he struggled with indecision he said, “Devil, if you don’t go away and leave me alone I’ll give that poor widow every ham in my smoke-house” He gave her his best one.

That is loving “in deed and in truth.” Before we clench our greedy hands selfishly around the goods that God has given us we should remember what Jesus did at the cross.

Consider Calvary

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (I John 3:16)

This verse should remind all of us of Calvary where our Savior died. I think of the six mock trials of Jesus, three before the Romans and three before the Jews. I think of the injustice. It reminds us of the release of Barabbas, a murderer, letting him go free and then the scourging of Jesus, ordered by Pilate. I think of the crown of thorns, of the nails in His hands and feet and the breathing of His last breath.

Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends.” ( John 15:12-13)

Consider Calvary.