1 John Series - The Spirit of lawlessness, antichrist

                                     The Spirit of lawlessness, antichrist

1 Jn. 2:18-27,3:4-10,4:1-6

Doctrine of Evil

Isaiah’s words of prophecy on good and evil ring ever truer today “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isa.5:20 John, writing to the church about the goodness of God, also wrote to the church about the presence of evil, ultimately the antichrist. I will not touch on every aspect of evil but to give us an understanding of its presence in the past, today, and in the future. 

John’s letter defined light and darkness, good and evil in the time of the church then and in the times of the end. Let's look at the text, 2:18-27 - 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. 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. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 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. 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. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 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. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 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...Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (3:4-10)...Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (4:1-6)

We live in the last days, when lawlessness is a staple on the evening news, social media, and discussion among all age groups. In the present election, many are demonstrating the spirit of lawlessness by protesting, looting, and committing acts of violence. This is evidence that the spirit of lawlessness is at work in our world. 

In John’s time the Roman Caesars, gentiles, and barbarians would perform hideous acts against believers (men, women, and children) for entertainment like burning them on poles to light the streets, selling them into slavery, or kill them for sport. John saw this as acts of the last hours. “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.” 

John also saw people from within the church, men disclaiming Jesus because of the evil persecution upon the church. “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.”

The spirit of antichrist has to do with the devil. He is the author of lies (Jn.8:44) “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Lying is at the root of the doctrine of lawlessness. A person once told me the first law of the street is to lie, deny everything and anything. It seems even in the realm of politics and law this is the rule to live by as well. 

The opposite of lying is truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (Jn.14:6) In his letter, John states “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. 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.” We live in a world where good is called evil and evil is called good. Denial of Jesus as the Son of God, Christ has increased in our days. Universities, public schools, television shows and documentaries have flourished among us of those who have the spirit of lawlessness or antichrist because they deny Jesus is the Christ.

Second, Jesus said that deception would be prevalent in the last days. (Matt. 24:4-5) “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” The spirit of lawlessness is consumed with deception. There have been men and women who have claimed to be Jesus, or the Christ, or a god. These have led many to deception and death. Then there are the other extreme, those who deny God and/or that Jesus ever existed, or they will describe him as myth or fable. These too are of the spirit of antichrist, leading many to deception. Let’s look at the text - “This is the antichrist, he who denies the, Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. 

The best way to know the false is to know the real. Bank tellers learn how to tell the counterfeit money by knowing the authentic. So it is in our lives in a deceptive world today, “Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 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. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.  

Third, there will be many who don’t abide in Christ in the last days. John states, “I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 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...Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. Jesus also said that because of deception and  lawlessness, many people’s love for Christ would grow cold, they would turn away from the truth of sound doctrine, and follow the lies (doctrine of demons). The world has given itself over to deception and lies. They do the will of the antichrist by continuing in sinning by believing the lies. “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”

Abiding in Jesus needs to be the heralded call in these last days. He gave us his Spirit to teach us, and guide us in the truth of God’s Word.  Those who live (abide) in the truth of God’s word, and walk (live) by the Spirit of God will not be deceived by the spirit of lawlessness. Jesus came into the world to save all, and to take away our sins. “You know that he appeared in order to take away sins...”  Jesus told us that He would never leave us or forsake us, and that promise is true today. John stated, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. We are to test the spirit of the teachings and words of our times by the truth. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirit to see whether they are from God…” God’s word says the truth will set us free, and it is in the truth that we need to abide.

Application: As I write this, I want all to remember the words of John, Greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world. We must, in these last days, give ourselves to the study of the sound doctrine of God’s Word that we may dwell in Him and He is us. It is by His Spirit who will lead us and fill us in these last days. Our practice (lifestyle) should be that of one who is born of Christ, who lives according to the Word of Christ, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Col.3:16 For “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God...” Let us not be consumed by the fear of the spirit of lawlessness that we see and hear everyday, for they “are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

Again, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Until next week,

In His Service, Mike Davis