Sunday Morning Bible Study

October 14, 2012

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved?

This is a book about Real Issues

What’s real? What’s the truth? Questions like:

Who is God? What is He really like?

What is a Christian? What is a Christian really like?

2:18-27 Truth and Lies

: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.

:18 Little children – paidion – a young child, a little boy, a little girl; metaph. children (like children) in intellect

This is not the word used as a term of endearment (teknion, 2:1), but is a bit looking down at them.

:18 the last – echatos – last in time or in place

:18 hour – hora – a certain definite time or season fixed by natural law and returning with the revolving year; of the seasons of the year; the daytime; a twelfth part of the day-time; any definite time, point of time, moment

:18 Antichrist – antichristos (“instead of” + “Christ”) – the adversary of the Messiah

:18 is coming – erchomai – to come

Present indicative

:18 have come – ginomai – to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being; to arise, appear in history, come upon the stage

Perfect active indicative

:18 by which – hothen – from which, whence; of the cause from which, for which reason, wherefore, on which account

:18 we know – ginosko – to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel; knowledge based on experience

Present Active Indicative

:18 it is the last hour

time – hora (“hour”) –season, hour, any definite time, moment

There is no “definite article” in the Greek (our word “the” in English), and in Greek this means that the “last time” is being referred to by quality, “Little children, it is by nature the last hour”, these are “last hour” kinds of times.

In the context of the entire Bible, the “last days” actually began with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is completed when He returns.

When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, Peter explained the phenomena by quoting from Joel:

(Ac 2:16–17 NKJV) —16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

:18 many antichrists

antichrist – antichristos (“instead of” + “Christ”) – the adversary of the Messiah

The word is used several different ways in the New Testament.

1) That unique person of the End Times.

He will be a world ruler who will persecute Israel, demand to be worshipped as God, and will be defeated when Jesus returns.

It’s the person called the “beast” in Revelation 13.

He will require the whole world to worship him (2Th. 2:4)

(2 Th 2:4 NKJV) —4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

He’s the one that will be persecuting Israel during the Tribulation.

He’s the one thrown into the Lake of Fire when Jesus returns.

2) The “spirit” that works against the truth.

This spirit has been at work in the world since the beginning of time.

We’ve seen it at work in individuals like Caesar Nero, Hitler, or Stalin.

(1 Jn 4:3 NKJV) 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.

3) False prophets

Those teachers who say that Jesus is not the promised Messiah are considered “antichrists”.

That’s what John is talking about here.

The concept of “many antichrists” was true in John’s day.  It’s even more so today.

Jesus said,

(Mt 24:4–6 NKJV) —4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

: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.

:19 went out – exerchomai (“out” + “to come”) – to go or come forth of; to go out of an assembly, i.e. forsake it

:19 would have continued – meno – to remain, abide; to continue to be present

Pluperfect active indicative

:19 be made manifest – phaneroo – to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

:19 They went out from us

These “antichrists” were at one time a part of the church, but they left the church.

Be careful not to take this as if everyone who leaves the church is some kind of heretic.

People leave the church for all kinds of reasons.

Sometimes it’s because of a disagreement with another person.

Sometimes it’s because they didn’t like the decisions the church leadership made – like what color to paint the church.

Sometimes it’s because of a disagreement about doctrine – like in our passage.

Sometimes the church leaders have gone into strange doctrines.

Sometimes the person that leaves is starting to think up kooky ideas.

If you will investigate the history of the cults and antichristian religious systems in today’s world, you will find that in most cases their founders started out in a Christian church. They were “with us” but not “of us,” so they went out “from us” and started their own groups.

:19 they might be made manifest

It became obvious that they weren’t “of us” because they left.

:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

:20 anointing – chrisma – anything smeared on, unguent, ointment

Pouring specially mixed olive oil was the inaugural ceremony for priests and for kings.

In the Bible, “oil” is a symbol for the Holy Spirit.  You see the connection when David is “anointed” by Samuel to be king:

(1 Sa 16:13 NKJV) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward…

The word chrisma is the root idea behind the Greek word for “Christ” (christos).

The “Christ” is the “anointed” one.  The Hebrew word for “Messiah” means the same thing.

The Hebrew concept of “Messiah” is the same, the “Messiah” is the “anointed” one, the one who has been smeared with anointing oil.

(Is 61:1 NKJV) “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

The same “anointing” that was on the Messiah is also on us.

When we came to believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit came into our lives.

(Ro 8:9 NKJV) …Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

:20 you have – echo – to have, i.e. to hold; to have i.e. own, possess

Present active indicative

:20 the Holy One – hagios – holy; sacred; pure

The word has the article – the Holy One

:20 you know – oida – to see; to know; understand, perceive

Perfect active indicative

:20 all things – pas – each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything

:20 you know all things

know – oida – to see; to know; understand, perceive

I’m not sure that John is saying that with the Holy Spirit we now become “omniscient” or “know-it-alls”. Perhaps we might say, “you understand all these things because of the anointing you have”.

: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.

:21 I have not written – grapho – to write, with reference to the contents of the writing

Aorist active indicative

John is reassuring his readers that he doesn’t doubt that they know the truth.

:21 you do not know – oida – to see; to know; understand, perceive

Perfect active indicative

:21 the truth – aletheia – what is true in any matter under consideration; correct doctrine; “not hidden”

:21 you know it – oida – to see; to know; understand, perceive

Perfect active indicative

:21 lie – pseudos – a lie; conscious and intentional falsehood; in a broad sense, whatever is not what it seems to be

:21 no lie is of the truth

Literally, as Yoda would put it, “all lies from the truth are not”

:21 but because you know it

Lesson

Bad Theology is not okay

Some of the people were thinking that since these other teachers used to be in the church, that they were okay, even if they had something strange to say about Jesus.

We want to look at our Mormon friends and their emphasis on the family and all their good works and say that perhaps what they say about Jesus isn’t all that big of a deal.

No lie that misleads a person concerning Jesus can be good.

:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

:22 liar – pseustes – a liar; one who breaks faith; a false and faithless man

:22 he who denies – arneomai (“not” + “to speak”) – to deny; disavow, reject; to refuse something offered

Present passive participle

:22 Antichrist – antichristos (“instead of” + “Christ”) – the adversary of the Messiah

:22 Who is a liar but …

Lesson

Who is Jesus?

This is the crucial issue – who do you think Jesus is?

He is the Savior

He isn’t just a “good teacher”, He is the Savior (the Christ) of the world.

The Bible says that our problem is our sin.  Because of our disobedience, we are separated from God.

(Ro 6:23 NKJV) For the wages of sin is death…

The penalty for sin is death.

The solution is substitution.  In order to be made right with God, something needs to be done to take care of our sins.  Someone needs to pay for our sins.

(Is 53:5 NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

(2 Co 5:21 NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

He is our Savior because He died to pay for our sins.  God substituted Jesus’ death for our own death.

John the Baptist got it right away.

(Jn 1:29 NKJV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

He is God

The essence of the phrase about denying the “the Father and the Son” is to say that Jesus Himself is not God, that He is not equal with God.

Jesus claimed to be equal to the Father.

(Jn 10:30 NKJV) I and My Father are one.”

(Jn 10:30–33 NKJV) —30 I and My Father are one.” 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

The Jews considered it blasphemy for an ordinary human to claim to be God.  When they heard Jesus say this, they took up stones to stone Him.

Jesus even claimed to be the “I AM”, the translation of God’s name, “Yahweh”.

(Jn 8:58–59 NKJV) —58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him…

Again, the Jews tried to stone Him for this.

Jesus said it was incredibly important that you believe that He is God:

(Jn 8:24 NKJV) Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

In the Greek it reads like this:  “for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins” (the word “He” is not in the Greek text).

If Jesus was just an ordinary man, then His death on the cross doesn’t accomplish much.

At the very most, He could pay for one other person’s sins – a life for a life.

If Jesus was God in human flesh, then when He died on the cross, He would lay down an infinite God-life, and be able to pay not just for one other person’s sins, but for the sins of the whole world.

It is important who you think Jesus is.

Our friends in the Mormon Church want very much to be considered as “Christians”.

I want to show you a clip of Glenn Beck discussing Thomas Jefferson’s theology.  Glenn Beck is a Mormon.

Play Glenn Beck video clip (from 08/16/12)

Our Mormon friends do a lot of good things.  They have a great concept of family.

But they have a wrong concept of Jesus.

I want to play a clip with Glenn Beck talking to a Christian, David Barton, about Thomas Jefferson.  The point of their discussion is to try and say that Jefferson was a Christian, and their ultimate goal is to address Jefferson’s position on the separation of church and state, but in the discussion they start talking about what Glenn Beck thinks it means to be a “Christian”.  Keep in mind that Glenn Beck is a Mormon.

Play Glenn Beck video clip (from 08/16/12)

Mr. Beck says he doesn’t think it’s that important what you think about Jesus as long as He’s your “Savior”? 

Is that true?  Doesn’t it kind of depend on how you define “Savior”?

Mr. Beck thinks that people who criticize Mormon theology are just being “judgmental”, and we’re not supposed to judge.

What do you think the apostle John would say about that?  John is being pretty clear that we need to know the difference between truth and lies.

Look at some of the things that the Mormon Church teaches:

Jesus was a created being (not equal to God the Father)

Mormonism teaches that Jesus is the offspring of Elohim and one of Elohim's heavenly wives, hence he was created. "The first spirit born to our heavenly parents was Jesus Christ." - Gospel Principles, page 11.

Jesus was conceived when Elohim came to earth and had physical sexual relations with Mary.

"The birth of the Savior was as natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action. He partook of flesh and blood- was begotten of his Father, as we are of our fathers." - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, vol. 8, page 115. "Christ was begotten of God. He was not born without the aid of man and that man was God!" - Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, page 18.

Jesus and Lucifer are brothers.

In Mormon doctrine both Jesus and Satan are created beings, the spirit children of their father Elohim. This makes them brothers. Mormons do not deny this, "It no more demeans Jesus to be Satan's spirit brother than it does for any of us to be related to evil people who have lived on the earth." - http://mormonchurch.com/587/do-mormons-believe-jesus-and-satan-are-brothers. While they try to explain it away, this idea is highly offensive to Christians who follow Jesus.

Jesus is not to be worshipped or prayed to.

"Some ("holier-than- thou" students) begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel has been developed. In this conception a current and unwise book, which advocates gaining a special relationship with Jesus, contains this sentence - quote: "Because the Saviour is our mediator, our prayers go through Christ to the Father, and the Father answers our prayers through his son. " Unquote. This is plain sectarian nonsense. Our prayers are addressed to the Father, and to him only. They do not go through Christ...You have never heard the First Presidency or the Twelve...advocate this excessive zeal that calls for gaining a so called special and personal relationship with Christ...never, never at any time have they taught or endorsed the inordinate and intemperate zeal that encourages endless, sometimes day-long prayers, in order to gain a personal relationship with the Saviour...I wonder if it is not part of Lucifer's system to make people feel they are special friends of Jesus when in fact they are not following the normal and usual pattern of worship found in the true Church.", also "We worship the Father and him only and no one else. We do not worship the Son and we do not worship the Holy Ghost. I know perfectly well about what the scriptures say about worshipping Christ and Jehovah, but they are speaking in an entirely different sense - the sense of standing in awe and being reverentially grateful to Him who has redeemed us. Worship in the true and saving sense is reserved for God first, the Creator." - Late LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie at Brigham Young University on 2nd March 1982. Seehttp://www.spotlightministries.org.uk/mormrel.htm for more study.

Good Mormons can progress to “godhood”.

Mormons believe that if they have their marriage “sealed” in a Mormon Temple, they will progress to godhood in heaven.  In heaven, a husband and wife will procreate and have “spirit babies” as they rule over their own planet.

Former LDS Apostle Bruce McConkie wrote that those who attain exaltation "…inherit in due course the fullness of the glory of the Father, meaning that they have all power in heaven and on earth..." (Mormon Doctrine pg. 257). The LDS Doctrine and Covenants also teaches that "then shall they be gods, because they have no end…then shall they be gods, because they have all power…" (D&C 132:16-26). This is the ultimate goal in Mormonism.

How does this all affect how you vote in November?

Is it okay for a Christian to vote for a Mormon for president?

Keep in mind, we are not voting for someone to be the head of our church, but the head of our nation.

When you compare the candidates, you need to ask yourself, “What is important to me?”  “What are the issues I’m concerned about?”

If you are concerned about the economy, or foreign affairs, good luck in separating the “spin” from the truth.  You may find that your decision is based more on what news channels you choose to listen to than actual facts.

If you are concerned about things like abortion and traditional marriage, there is a difference in the candidates.

:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

:23 whoever – pas – each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything

:23 denies – arneomai (“not” + “to speak”) – to deny; disavow, reject; to refuse something offered

Present passive participle

:23 does not have – echo – to have, i.e. to hold; to have i.e. own, possess

Present active indicative

:23 he who acknowledges – homologeo (“the same” + “to say”) – to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent; to confess; to profess; to declare openly, speak out freely

:23 has – echo – to have, i.e. to hold; to have i.e. own, possess

Present active indicative

:23 he who acknowledges the Son

Jesus said it this way:

(Mt 10:32–33 NKJV) —32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

The same two Greek words (homologeo and arneomai) are used in this passage.

:24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.

:24 you heard – akouo – to hear

Aorist active indicative

:24 let that abide – meno – to remain, abide; to continue to be present

Present active Imperative

:24 will abide – meno – to remain, abide; to continue to be present

Future active indicative

This word is used 18 times in 1John.  Just in this chapter …

It was used in 2:6 “abide”

(1 Jn 2:6 NKJV) —6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

It was used in 2:10 “abides”

(1 Jn 2:10 NKJV) —10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

It was used in 2:14 “abides”

(1 Jn 2:14 NKJV) —14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

It was used in 2:17 “abides”

(1 Jn 2:17 NKJV) —17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

It was used in 2:19 “would have continued”

(1 Jn 2:19 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.

It will be used in 2:27 “abides”

(1 Jn 2:27 NKJV) —27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

It will be used in 2:28 “abide”

(1 Jn 2:28 NKJV) —28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

:24 from the beginning

What is it that they’ve “heard from the beginning”?

Is it to believe in Jesus? 

Is it the truth about who Jesus was?

Is it to “love” God and one another?

Probably all of the above.

:24 let that abide in you

abide – meno – to remain; to continue to be present

The word is found 18 times in 1John, 11 of them in this chapter alone.

The phrase “would have continued” in verse 19 was the same word.

Here it is given as a command.

Lesson

Stay the course

From the beginning they have heard that they need to believe in Jesus.  From the beginning they have heard who Jesus was.  From the beginning they have heard to love each other.

And they need to stay on that same course.

The writer to the Hebrews has the same theme woven throughout the letter:

(Heb 6:11–12 NKJV) —11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

We need to imitate two things in order to keep going:

Faith

Confidence in God and His ability to work.

My confidence in my own abilities is pretty low.

I’m learning that I can trust in God, and be confident that He knows what He’s doing.

Paul displayed this confidence when he wrote,

(1 Th 5:24 NKJV) He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

(Php 1:6 NKJV) being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Patience

The word translated “patience” here (makrothumia) deals more with having patience with difficult people than it is about difficult circumstances.

We need to have patience with each other.  We need to have patience with ourselves.

Give it time.  Keep going.

We want everything “now”.  We want problems fixed instantly.

Some things take time.

I might get impatient and stop dieting because I haven’t met my goal in the first week.

I might quit dealing with my addictions because I’ve already blown it twice now, and my plans to stop must not be working.

Play The Tortoise and the Hare clip.

Slow and steady wins the race.

Relationships – not quitting on each other.

Amy Carmichael was a gal from Ireland who went off to be a missionary in India around 1900, serving there for 55 years.  She wrote,

“If I have not the patience of my Savior with the souls who grow slowly; if I know little of travail (a sharp and painful thing) till Christ be fully formed in them, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

:25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

:25 promise – epaggelia – announcement; promise

:25 He has promised – epaggello – to announce that one is about to do or furnish something

Aorist middle indicative

:25 He has promised us—eternal life

(Jn 3:16 NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

:26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.

:26 I have written – grapho – to write, with reference to the contents of the writing

Aorist active indicative

This is one of John’s reasons for writing this letter, to address the issue of people who are trying to deceive the believers.

:26 to deceive – planao – to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way; to lead away from the truth, to lead into error, to deceive

Present active participle

:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

:27 anointing – chrisma – anything smeared on, unguent, ointment

Usually prepared by the Hebrews from oil and aromatic herbs. Anointing was the inaugural ceremony for priests

Same word used in 2:20

:27 you have received – lambano – to take; to receive (what is given), to gain, get, obtain, to get back

Aorist active indicative

:27 abides – meno – to remain, abide; to continue to be present

Present active indicative

:27 you do not need – chreia – necessity, need

Literally, “You do not have a need”

:27 teach – didasko – to teach

Present active subjunctive

:27 teaches – didasko – to teach

Present active indicative

:27 true – alethes (“not” + “hidden”) – true

:27 has taught – didasko – to teach

Aorist active indicative

:27 you will abide – meno – to remain, abide; to continue to be present

Future active indicative

WH has Present active indicative

:27 you do not need that anyone teach you

Lesson

The cult mentality

The mentality of a “cult” is that you must come to our church and listen to our teachings or else you are not going to be able to learn the “truth”.

To be honest, if you didn’t listen to their teachings, you would never come up with the crazy things they teach if you were just reading your Bible.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses used to tell their people that if they stopped reading the materials put out by the Watch Tower Society, that they would go into darkness.

It’s that kind of thinking that keeps people stuck in the cults.

But if you have the Holy Spirit in you, you can do quite well with just yourself and your Bible.

Just read it.

Does that mean that you shouldn’t be listening to anybody teaching from the Bible?

God works through teachers.  We learn through teachers. But we don’t NEED them.

:27 the same anointing teaches you

As believers we have received the Holy Spirit into our lives.

It is this same Holy Spirit that works to teach us.

Lesson

He can teach you

It seems that people get into goofy doctrines by listening to strange teachers, not by listening to the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit would be our Teacher.

(Jn 14:26 NKJV) But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

(Jn 16:13 NKJV) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The cults would tell you that you can’t read your Bible without them telling you what it means.

You have nothing to be afraid about in reading your Bible on your own.

Pray before you read.  Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you.  Study.  Listen.

Illustration

(Wiersbe) A missionary to the American Indians was in Los Angeles with an Indian friend who was a new Christian. As they walked down the street, they passed a man on the corner who was preaching with a Bible in his hand. The missionary knew the man represented a cult, but the Indian saw only the Bible. He stopped to listen to the sermon. “I hope my friend doesn’t get confused,” the missionary thought to himself, and he began to pray. In a few minutes the Indian turned away from the meeting and joined his missionary friend. “What did you think of the preacher?” the missionary asked. “All the time he was talking,” exclaimed the Indian, “something in my heart kept saying, ‘Liar! Liar!’”

That’s the Holy Spirit talking!