The Epistles of John Week 13 – 17 Jan 2012 Miracle Life School of Power Ministry

Seven Tests 2:3-29 a.Test 1: Obeying God’s commands 2:3-6 b.Test 2 : Loving one’s neighbour 2:7-11 c.Test 3 : Remembering your Spiritual growth 2:12-14 d.Test 4 : Not loving the World 2:15-17 e.Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False teachers 2:18-23 f.Test 6 : Letting the Gospel remain in you 2:24-27 g.Test 7 : Continuing, Abiding in Christ 2:28-29

Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False Teachers 2: The warning against antichrists v18 It is the last hour It is time for Antichrist Proof : There are many antichrists now 2.The origin of antichrists v19 They were in the church They went out They did not continue Their going out proves they are not genuine

Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False Teachers 2: The protection against Antichrists v20-21 The Saviour’s anointing The Truth – knowing it 4.The false teaching of antichrists v22-23 Denying Jesus is the Christ Denying identifies one as an antichrist Denying Jesus Christ denies God

The False teaching of antichrists The false teaching is stated as clearly as human language can state it. V22 “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ-he denies the father and the Son. The false teacher who is a forerunner of the antichrist is the person who denies that Jesus is the Messiah. He denies the very son of God whom God had promised to send as the Saviour of the world. Two terrible things are said about this person: First he is a liar; second he denies the father if he denies the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Why ? 4

The False teaching of antichrists First if a person denies that God sent His son into the world, then his image of God differs entirely from the God who is the father of Jesus Christ. God sent His Son into the world. Therefore, if we picture a god in our minds that did not send His Son, then our image of God differs entirely from the true and living God. The true and living God is love, perfect love. Therefore, he has loved man perfectly. God has done the greatest thing that can be done for man ; He has sent His only son into the world to save man by dying for man’s sins. No greater love could ever be demonstrated for man. 4

The False teaching of antichrists Therefore, if a man says that God did not send His Son into the world-that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God- then that man is thinking of some god other than the father of Lord Jesus Christ. By denying Jesus Christ, the man denies the father. By denying the Son, the man does not have the father. He is separated from the father, standing against and opposed to both God and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The man is doomed., for he has denied that God loves the world enough to send His son to save the world. 4

The False teaching of antichrists Second, any person who denies Jesus Christ is denying the new testament. Why? Because the new Testament says time and time again that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the one person who reveals God the father to the world. Mat 11:27 – No one knows the Son John 12: …in the one who sent me John 14:6 – No one comes to the father John 14:9-11- Anyone who has seen me … 4

The False teaching of antichrists The point is clear; any person who denies Jesus Christ is denying God as well, the only living and true God. Any person who denies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is a false teacher, a forerunner of the antichrist. Mat 10:33 – Whoever disowns me Mark 8:38 – If anyone is ashamed of me John 5:23 – Honour the son as the father John 5:43 – come in my father’s name 2 Pet 2:1 – False teaching 2 John 1:7-11 – If they do not bring this teaching do not take them to your house or welcome. 4

Seven Tests 2:3-29 a.Test 1: Obeying God’s commands 2:3-6 b.Test 2 : Loving one’s neighbour 2:7-11 c.Test 3 : Remembering your Spiritual growth 2:12-14 d.Test 4 : Not loving the World 2:15-17 e.Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False teachers 2:18-23 f.Test 6 : Letting the Gospel remain in you 2:24-27 g.Test 7 : Continuing, Abiding in Christ 2:28-29

Test 6 : Letting the Gospel Remain in You 2: The test : does the gospel remain in you? v24 2.The promise : eternal life v25 3.The warning : some lead us astray from Christ v26 4.The provision of God to protect us: the Holy Spirit v27

Test 6 : Letting the Gospel Remain in You 2:24-27 Sixth Test : does the gospel abide in us? How we live shows quicker than anything else whether or not we know God. If we have grasped the truth of God’s word, of His gospel, and are living it out in our lives, then we definitely know God. But the converse is also tragically true; if the gospel, God’s Word, is not within us, if we are not living out the gospel, then we do not know God. Regardless of what we may feel or profess – regardless of what others may think – we do not know God. The gospel lives within the lives of every genuine believer and the believer lives out the gospel. Intro

The Test : Does the Gospel Remain in You v24 Note that the word gospel is not used in this passage. But note the exact words of the verse. What we heard from the beginning is the gospel. Glance back to verse where the denial of Jesus Christ is discussed. False teachers were denying the gospel. Therefore, “what you have heard from the beginning” is the message of the gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel of the truth, of the Word of God itself v21 The gospel of Apostolic message 1 Cor 15:1-4 The gospel of Salvation Tit 2:11-14, 3:4-7 1

The Test : Does the Gospel Remain in You v24 Now note the evidence of Salvation, of knowing God: if the gospel continues in you, “you also will remain in the son and in the father” The word remain means to abide, dwell. It means not to be carried away by false teaching or worldly pleasures and possessions. How do we know if we know God? 1

The Test : Does the Gospel Remain in You v24 Does the gospel continue to live in our lives? Are we continuing to live in the Son and in the father? Is the gospel being lived out in our lives? Are we confessing Jesus Christ to be the Son of God? Do we really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Are we letting Jesus Christ live His life out in us? This is the final proof that we know God. 1

The Test : Does the Gospel Remain in You v24 John 15:9 – Remain in my love Gal 2:20 – I no longer live Col 2:6 – Continue to live in him 1 Pet 1:13 – Set your hope 1 John 2:6 – Whoever claims 1 John 3:6 – no one who lives in him 2 John 1:9 – Does not continue in the teaching of Christ Rev 3:11 – Hold on to what you have Rev 3:20 – I will come and eat with him 1

The Promise : Eternal Life v25 This is the great promise of God to man. God has made many promises, but this is the one promise that supersedes all others. Eternal life is the supreme promise of God. But note the trust of the verse : the gospel must remain in us if we are to receive eternal life.v27 What is eternal life? It is life, real life. It is the very life of God himself. It is the very energy, force, being, essence, principle and power of life. It has to do with both quality and with what life really is, with duration. To live forever in the present world, with the world like it is, is not necessarily a good thing. 2

The Promise : Eternal Life v25 The world and man’s body needs changing That changed life is found only in eternal life The only being who can be said to be eternal is God. Therefore, life-supreme life is found only in God. To possess eternal life is to know God. Once a person knows God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, that person has eternal life-he shall live forever. But more essential, the person has the supreme quality of life, the very life of God himself. 2

The Promise : Eternal Life v25 Once a person believes in Jesus Christ, he has eternal life. That is, he immediately receives eternal life. It is not that he is going to receive eternal life ; he has already received it. He begins to live eternally from that very moment onward. The day that he makes his decision for Christ is the first day of his eternal life. And every day of his life thereafter is another day in eternity for him. This is significant ; it means that we should be very careful about how we live everyday. 2

The Promise : Eternal Life v25 For everyday, is a another day lived in eternity. We shall never die. When God is ready to move us from this physical world into the spiritual world (heaven), he simply transfers us – all quicker than the blink of the eye. John 3:14-15, 3:36, 5:24, 6:40, 11:25- 26, 12:25, Rom 5:21, Gal 6:8, 2 Tim 1:10, 1 John 3:14, 1 John 5:

The Warning : Some lead us astray from Christ v26 Why is John writing this letter to the believers? One of the major reasons is given here; there were false teachers who were trying to lead them astray. Astray ; deceive. A false teacher is one who attempts to lead us away from Jesus Christ, from the glorious truth that he is the Son of God who came to earth to die for our sins. The false teacher deceives people; that is he teaches that man can become acceptable to God by some other way than Jesus Christ. He teaches that there are other ways to God, other approaches, other religions, other truths. He seduces and leads people astray.; he deceives people into following some other teaching. 3

The Warning : Some lead us astray from Christ v26 The tense is continuous action in the Greek. That is false teachers are continually teaching false doctrine. They are always teaching a false doctrine and always trying to lead people astray. Believers must be in constant guard against false teaching. So much is at stake; the very promise of God. We will abandon the faith if we listen to the deception and go astray. 3

The Warning : Some lead us astray from Christ v26 We must continue to follow Christ; we must let the gospel abide and take up a permanent residence in our lives If God has really sent His son into the world to save man, there is not a chance in eternity that He will allow a person to approach Him by any other way. His very purpose for sending His Son was to save man. If there was another way God would never have allowed His son to leave the glory of heaven and be so humiliated as to come to such a corruptible world as ours. 3

The provision of God to protect us: the Holy Spirit v27 1.The Holy Spirit is the anointing. It is He who abides and remains in us. 2.The Holy Spirit is the one who teaches us the truth. 3.The Holy Spirit seals us and guarantees and assures us that we do abide and remain in Christ. 4.Rom 8:16-17 – Spirit testifies 5.2 Cor 1:22 – Seal of ownership 6.Eph 1:13-14 – Seal the promise of Holy Spirit 7.Eph 4:30 – Sealed for the day of redemption. 4