1. The Epistles of John Miracle Life School of Power Ministry
Week 12 – 10 Jan 2012

2. Definition of this world
World – 1 John 2:15-17
Definition of this world
Physical world (Acts 17:24)
The Human world (John 3:16)
The evil world (1 John 5:19, John 12:31, 15:18)
Obviously John had this third world in mind here.
A believer lives on the First world, is a member of the second, but must avoid the Third.

3. World – 1 John 2:15-17 Beginning Gen 3:6 Jesus Mat 4 John’s View
Woman saw that tree was good for food
Pleasant to the eye
You will be like God-wise
Gen 3:6
Jesus
Stone to bread
Showed him the kingdoms of the world
Cast thyself down …angels will protect thee
Mat 4
John’s View
Lust of the flesh
Lust of the eyes
Pride of Life
1 John 2:15-17

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

5. Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False Teachers 2:18-23
The warning against antichrists v18
It is the last hour
It is time for Antichrist
Proof : There are many antichrists now
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

6. Test 5 : Guarding against Antichrists or False Teachers 2:18-23
The protection against Antichrists v20-21
The Saviour’s anointing
The Truth – knowing it
The false teaching of antichrists v22-23
Denying Jesus is the Christ
Denying identifies one as an antichrist
Denying Jesus Christ denies God

7. The warning against Antichrists
This is the warning against antichrists.
Note the tenderness with which John wants to issue this warning ; he calls the believers ‘dear children’ he is the aged minister, and the people are ever so dear to him.
His heart beats ever so tenderly for their welfare.
They are facing a critical period in their lives, the threat of false teaching, a teaching that can stir questions, doubts, unbelief, and denial of Jesus Christ.
To him they are his dear children who must be warned against false teachers. The warning is for all believers. Note the three facts. It is the last hour, It is time for Antichrist, Proof : There are many antichrists now.

8. What believers should know?
Believers must know that it is the last hour, that the midnight hour is about to strike for the end of the world.
It really means the last hour, the midnight when the world is to end.
Believers must know that it is time for antichrist.
We must be alert to the fact that the antichrist can appear upon the scene of world history anytime.
The bible definitely teaches that there will be a personal antichrist, a man to arise in the end time who will oppose and stand against Christ more fiercely than anyone else has ever done. 1 2

9. What believers should know?
Antichrist does not mean the spirit of evil that sweeps the world.
It does not mean the spirit of false doctrine that is always presenting a problem for the church and believers
The spirit of evil and of false doctrine do, of course stand against Christ, and they do great harm.
But this is not what is meant by the antichrist. The bible is clear about this; the antichrist refers to a person, a man who is to rise upon the scene as a world leader – a world leader who is going to exalt the state and the world government above all worship of God.

10. What believers should know?
Believers must know that the antichrist will come.
Unless they know the teaching of the Bible they will not be prepared.
Believers must prepare and know that he is coming soon.
They must sound forth the warning Thes. 2:8-9.
How do we know that it is the last hour? that the world is about to end and Jesus Christ is about to return? 3

11. What believers should know?
Because there are many antichrists now, many who oppose and stand against Christ.
The antichrist has his forerunners just as Jesus Christ had His prophets as forerunners.
Many false prophets and teachers are on the world scene today.
There are many persons-leaders, teachers, and even preachers-who are denying that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
How does this show us that it is the last time?

12. What believers should know?
Because this is exactly what Jesus Christ said.
He said in the last days many would arise who would oppose and deny Him, and the emphasis is upon many.
The world will be overflowing with false teachers, false preachers and false leaders – all false prophets who proclaim a false message of hope to the world, a message that offers nothing beyond this life and the grave, nothing but the judgment and hell.
Note how John says “We know that it is the last time” we know because there are so many who are denying Jesus Christ.

13. Denying Jesus Christ
Denying His deity : that He is the son of God who came out of heaven, out from the spiritual world and dimension into this world; who came through the womb of a virgin as the God-man to save the world.
Denying that He is the sinless Son of God who lived a perfect and righteous life and thereby secured the ideal and perfect righteousness for man
Denying His death and resurrection; that He died as the perfect sacrifice for man’s sins and that He rose from the dead to conquer death for men

14. Denying Jesus Christ
Denying His Lordship; that He is truly the Son of God who ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of God as the Lord and God of the universe.
Denying His return to earth; that He is coming again to execute judgment upon every person who has ever lived upon the earth.
But there is even more to show us that we are in the last days. Not only is the world full of false teachers, it is full of false messiahs.

15. Denying Jesus Christ
People all over the earth are proclaiming that they or some other person is the Messiah, the Saviour of man.
They are declaring that they have the answer to man’s hopes and dreams.
The great tragedy is that millions of people are following these antichrists and false teachers of false hopes.
Rom 7: Bore fruit for death
Mat 7:24 Wise man
Mark 13:22 False Prophets
1 Tim 4:1-2 Follow deceiving spirits

16. The Origin of Antichrist
From where do antichrists come from?
Shockingly, they come from within the church
False teachers are teachers within the church
Note exactly what John says “They went out from us”, but they did not really belong to us.”
They were within the church, but they were not true believers
They did not honestly believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, the Saviour of the world.
They professed Christ, were baptized, and joined the church.
They even became teachers and ministers in the church, but they were not true believers

17. The Origin of Antichrist
All who came to claim to be ministers of Christ and of His church stand warned : scripture calls them antichrists.
If they were honest, they would admit that they do not belong in the church.
Mat 7: Watch our for False prophets
2 Cor 11: False apostles
1 Tim 1:7 They do not know
1 Tim 4:1-2 False teachings
1 Tim 6:3-5 False doctrines
2 Tim 4:3-4 Turn aside to myths
2 Pet 2:1 False prophets
Jer 6:13, 23:11, 50:6, Eze 33:6

18. Protection against Antichrist
God gives the believers two protections : Anointing and the Truth
Who is it that anoint us : the Holy one, that is God Himself.
What is the anointing that he gives? The Holy Spirit. 2 Cor 1:21-22
Why does God give us the Holy Spirit? One of the major reasons is to teach all things as promised by Jesus Christ. John 14:26, 16:7-11
What is meant by the truth? Does it mean that the Holy Spirit teaches us all the skilled professions of the world such as science, history and medicine? No, not in the technical sense.
Holy spirit does teach the believer to relate all professions to the truth.
The believer knows that no profession stands as a god before men, as though it were the answer to man’s basic problems. 1

19. Protection against Antichrist
The Holy Spirit will also strengthen and help sincere believer learn whatever field or profession he wishes to enter
But this is not the primary teaching that concerns the Holy Spirit.
It is the Truth about Jesus Christ and about man and his world as they relate to Christ and to eternity.
It means the truth that has to do with Christianity and life, the purpose, meaning and significance of life.
Any believer who has a question about some person’s teaching can ask the Holy Spirit to teach him the truth. There is no excuse for any believer ever being misled by false teaching. God has given the Holy Spirit to protect him.

20. Protection against Antichrist
God gives us the truth in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the truth. John 14:6.
Jesus Christ is the very embodiment of truth. He is the picture of truth. God not only talks to man about Himself in the Word of God, God shows man what He is like in the person of Jesus Christ.
Man can look at Jesus Christ and see a perfect picture of the truth of God.
Jesus Christ the son of God, shows us exactly what God is like.
John 10:37-38, 14:10, 17:11, 17:22
Therefore, there is never an excuse for believers to be led astray by false teachers and antichrists. 2

21. Protection against Antichrist
God gives us the truth in the word of God, the Holy Scriptures or the Bible.
John 8:31-32, 17:17, 2 Tim 2:15, 2 Tim 3:16, 2 Pet 1:19-21
The genuine believer knows the truth; he knows the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lord and Saviour of men, the very son of God himself, and he has the word of God itself.
In addition to that he has the Holy Spirit to teach him the truth and help him to remember the words of Christ.
Therefore, there is no excuse for the believer ever being misled by antichrists or false teachers.

22. Protection against Antichrist
“No lie comes from the truth”. No matter how attractive or appealing , no matter how much charisma a person may have, no matter how much we may like a person – if he teaches a doctrine that differs from the word of God , it is a lie. It is not from the truth. It is a deception.
This lays an enormous obligation upon us to study the word of God and to depend on the Holy Spirit to teach us.
He will not teach a lethargic or lazy person. We must be diligent in studying the Word of God, in praying and seeking the leadership of the Spirit of God.