True or False?                                              

  - I John 2:18-29

   May 21, 2006

 

 

  

PROPER UNDERSTANDING:  A little boy was attending his first wedding.  After the service, his cousin asked him, "How many women can a man marry?"

 "Sixteen," the boy responded.  His cousin was amazed that he had an answer so quickly. "How do you know that?"

 "Easy," the little boy said.  "All you have to do is add it up, like the pastor said:  4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer."

 

  =? Gnostics = dualism; mixing Xnty and phil; mind, knowledge

  =? Docetism = Jesus was only Divine

  =? Cerinthism = Jesus was only human…Divine from baptism to

        just before the crucifixion

  = Jesus is not Christ (2:22)

       + John had many in mind (2:18; 4:1) – possibly dif groups who

          all held that Jesus was not Christ

     - false teachers possibly originated in Judea /Jerusalem (2:19)

            (foretold in Mat 24:24 – false teachers would arise)

 

 

Conflict btwn 1. light and darkness (1:1-2:6)

        2. love and hatred (2:7-17)            * 3. truth and error (2:18-29)

 - Sincerity isn’t enough / - “Truth or Consequences”

 

vs 18 “last hour” - God works IN, but ABOVE human time – II Pt 3:8

                              - a kind of time, not a duration of time

 

      “antichrist” - 1. a spirit in the world against Christ

         = against,    2. false teachers who embody spirit

         = instead of       3. a person who will lead final rebellion

  Serious, urgent

  * Need for the church elders / leadership to help guard

 

Three Marks of a false teacher / Christian

1. Leaves from the church – 19

     - one evidence of being a Xn...desire to be with Xns – 3:14

            ð easy way to confirm this: check your AGENDA for %

     - “lose your salvation” or “never had it to begin with” ??

 

2. Rejects the faith – 20-25; 4:1-6

     - assurance given – 20-21 ð hold firm, remind yourself!

     - “Who is Jesus Christ?”

     - read 4:1 – try the spirits

                2:24 – let Word abide in you

                2:28 – otherwise...led astray

     - result of truth – 24 …continue in the Son and the Father

            ð eternal life! – 25

 

3. Deceives the faithful – 26-27

     - Jn 8:44: “father of lies” – what is a lie you’ve swallowed?

            ð Do I deny that Jesus is the Christ by the way I live?

            …there’s nothing to really be joyful about – CLAP/HANDS

            …Mon-Sat have nothing to do with Sunday

            …she’s ignored me… she deserves the same

            …tithing is not necessary

            …forgiving him for what he did 16 years ago is not necessary

            …the way I spend my time / use my talents is my decision

                ð I don’t need to use my talent(s) – what are you doing?

            …sharing Christ is for someone else

            …if a habit of mine interferes with Scripture, I win

            …I have a lot of life left to make things right later

            …I shouldn’t confront a fellow Xn… that’s judging

            …”luck” – using Scripture – MAIL

            …PRAYER

            ð Do I deny that Jesus is the Christ by the way I live?

                        …”Lordship Salvation”

 

     * Satan is not an originator...he is a counterfeiter

    27 - Job 36:22 – God is exalted in His power; Who is a Teacher like Him?

     Divine teaching does not replace human teaching; it surmounts it

 

vs 28-29

- Abide – by believing and obeying the Word and loving other Xns

- Appear – the fact that He could appear anytime should motivate

- Ashamed – dif btwn “accepted” and “acceptable”

 

 

End of message on fellowship....to begin message on sonship

     - 2:28-29 bridges the 2 sections...review 3 contrasts

 

** II Cor 13:5 – test, examine yourself

  If you do not face the truth, you must pay the consequences