Ben Stuart uses 1 John 2:18-29 to teach us how to respond when we get rattled. In these verses, John gives perspective without denying the reality of the situations we may be facing, offering encouragement as we face a world constantly trying to lead us astray.
Key Takeaway
The Holy Spirit abides in us so that we can have access at all times through Jesus to our Father; don’t forsake what you have heard from the beginning.
You can give perspective without denying reality. John is writing to a church that is scared out of its mind. They have a real crisis going on. John gives them some reality by affirming that, yes, this hard situation is happening and is probably worse than they think. But he also gives them the perspective of reminding them that they knew it was coming, so here’s how to move on a difficult day.
Where are we at in this passage? We’re in the last hour. The last days were inaugurated with the arrival of Jesus, the Son of God, who will inherit all things because He made all things. The Son spoke to us and sacrificed Himself for our sake. The last days are characterized by the pouring out of His Spirit.
John mentions the antichrist, but he doesn’t zero in on one. There have been many antichrists. Who is John getting this from? Jesus talks about it in Matthew 24:3-5, 11, 23-25. He says there will be many that come, say they’re the Christ, and lead many astray. Christ in Greek means "the anointed one." In Hebrew, it means messiah. It’s signified by oil being poured out as a symbol of being set apart with a unique identity for a unique authority and role. It happened to kings and priests. There will also be plenty of false prophets who will arise to do the same thing. They’ll say they’re a unique teacher and have novel ideas. Jesus is saying that there will be people who tell you to follow them, and He’s warning them: don’t do it. Deception will abound when He’s gone, and the last days will be characterized by a distortion of His message. Those days are marked by division and deception. Wherever God is moving, crazy always moves in next door.
Where are these antichrists, and what are they doing? 1 John 2:19 says they had come out of their church, and this is what rattled them so much. John explains, "They went out from us, but they were not of us.” In other words, they weren’t genuine believers. Naturally, this brings up the question of if you can lose your salvation. John says clearly, no. These antichrists were people around them, but they were never of them. They didn’t lose it; they never had it. Their leaving revealed that they were not of them. John had lived this and seen it with Judas. He had a front-row seat.
How can John say this so confidently? It’s rooted in John’s understanding of what salvation is. If Christianity was just joining a club, then you could change your mind. The Bible doesn’t present salvation that way; it’s presented as being born again. Like a caterpillar to a butterfly, you don’t go back; it’s a transformation. Conversion is a fundamental change in what you are. The Spirit of God changes you.
John continues that the Holy One has anointed us, and His Spirit is in us. This is comforting when you have been shaken. They know the truth. How do you know you’ve had a real spiritual experience? Because you know the truth and what is right. Christ is at the center of the debate in 1 John 2:23. The truth is that those who embrace Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God. Those not in line with the truth reject Christ and the Son of God. The divide is on the person of Jesus.
If someone says, “I’m not into Christianity, but God and I are good.” - The Bible disagrees. God is your maker, but the only way He’s your Father is through adoption. Jesus said no one comes to the Father except through Him. To deny the Son is to deny the Father. You can deny in two ways: outright rejection or reinterpreting Him. You have a right to disagree with His message; you don’t have a right to distort it.
So what do we do? Abide. They saw Jesus, heard Jesus, and knew Jesus; they just needed to stay right there. Stay with the guy who beat death. Stay with the One who saved you and gave you life. You don’t need additional teaching to add to the Scripture. There’s no secret knowledge you were denied. Beware of teaching that focuses on a false teacher or you. You are not the center, and they aren’t either. Jesus is the center.
If you’re rattled, you can settle. Jesus is the real thing. Abide in Him. You can have confidence because you’re staying right by His side. Keep yourself planted on what you heard from the beginning.
Discussion Questions
- How does John give perspective without denying the reality of the situation going on in that church?
- Read 1 John 2:18-29. Where are we in this passage? What does John specifically reference in verse 18?
- When was the last hour inaugurated? What did Jesus do for us according to Hebrews 9:26? How are the last days characterized in Acts 2:17?
- What does Jesus warn about the antichrist in Matthew 24:3-5, 11, 23-25?
- Why was this church so rattled? What was the situation that caused them to become unsettled?
- How does John answer the natural question that arises out of this passage, can one lose their salvation? Why would John be able to answer this so confidently? What had he experienced in His own life?
- Why is Christianity not a club? What does salvation do to us as people?
- How do you know if you have had a real spiritual experience? See 1 John 2:20-21.
- Does the Bible agree with someone who says that they’re “not into Christianity but are good with God?” See 1 John 2:22-23, John 14:6. What are the two ways someone could deny Jesus?
- What command does John give to them and us in 1 John 2:28? Why?
Scripture References
