1. powerpoint presentation designed by claro ruiz vicente http://clarovicente.weebly.com Adult Bible Study Guide Jul Aug Sep 2009 Adult Bible Study Guide Jul Aug Sep 2009

2. Dear User … This PowerPoint Show is freely shared to all who may find it beneficial. While intended primarily for personal use, some find it useful for teaching the lesson in church. There are those, however, who add illustrations, change background, adjust font size, etc. While their intention may be good, this is not right. Slide #1 says “designed by claro ruiz vicente.” For honest Christians, it is not necessary for another’s creation to be copyrighted in order to be respected. PLEASE USE AS IS. John’s Epistles An Appeal

3. Ekkehardt Mueller Principal Contributor

4. John’s Epistles Contents 1. Jesus and the Johannine Letters 2. Experiencing the Word of Life 3. Walking in the Light: Turning Away From Sin 4. Walking in the Light: Keeping His Commandments 5. Walking in the Light: Renouncing Worldliness 6. Walking in the Light: Rejecting Antichrists 7. Living as Children of God 8. Loving Brothers and Sisters 9. Believing in the Son of God 10. Confidence 11. Important Themes in 1 John 12. John’s Letter to the Chosen Lady 13. Power Struggle INTRODUCTION FIRST EPISTLE SECOND EPISTLE THIRD EPISTLE

5. John’s Epistles Our Goal {5} The three epistles of John speak to issues relevant for the church today. We would do well to listen to them, because ultimately, it is God who is speaking to us through John’s words, the God who has revealed to us truths about a greater and firmer foundation upon which we can rest: our Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

6. John’s Epistles Lesson 6, August 8 John’s Epistles Lesson 6, August 8

7. Rejecting Antichrists Key Text 1 John 2:23 NKJV “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

8. Rejecting Antichrists Initial Words {72} From the earliest day, the church had to deal with false teaching and heresy. Paul had warned against “savage wolves” who would attack “the flock”. Jesus, too, had warned of false christs and false prophets. Today, the church faces the same thing. John in his letter also talks about the antichrist(s). Who are these people?

9. Rejecting Antichrists Quick Look 1. The Last Hour Antichrist (1 John 2:18) 2. The Antichrist: Its Identity (1 John 2:19, 22) 3. The Antichrist: Our Defense (1 John 2:20, 21, 27)

10. Rejecting Antichrists 1. The Last Hour Antichrist 1 John 2:18 NKJV “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.”

11. 1.The Last Hour Antichrist “The Last Hour” {73} Given the context of his writing, John’s “last hour” may simply be his way of meaning the same thing as “the last days,” the period between the first and second comings of Jesus. Jesus Himself had used the expression hour in John 4:23 and 16:2 (translated “time” in some versions), and He’s pointing to a specific period of time in the future but prior to His return.

12. It is the hour in which God’s saints, having the blessings of the kingdom of grace, look forward to the kingdom of glory. During the last days, even as the gospel is preached to all the nations, Satan shall lead the antichrist forces to “deceive the very elect.” 1.The Last Hour Antichrist “The Last Hour” {78}

13. Rejecting Antichrists 2. The Antichrist: Its Identity 1 John 2:19, 22 LB “These ‘against-Christ’ people used to be members of our churches, but they never really belonged with us or else they would have stayed. When they left us it proved that they were not of us at all. And who is the greatest liar? The one who says that Jesus is not Christ. Such a person is antichrist for he does not believe in God the Father and his Son.

14. 2. The Antichrist: Its Identity The Coming of Antichrists {75} The term antichrist is used in 1 and 2 John only. An antichrist tries to take the place of Christ and is opposed to Christ. In 1 John 2:18 John employs antichrist in singular, as well as in the plural: The antichrist is supposed to come; many antichrists have already appeared.

15. 2. The Antichrist: Its Identity The Coming of Antichrists {75} First John 4:3 talks about the spirit of antichrist: These people reveal the spirit of the antichrist, but the real antichrist was still to come. In a real sense, anything that takes the place of the true God in our lives can be an “antichrist.”

16. 1 John 2:27 RSV “But the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; As his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in Hi m.” Rejecting Antichrists 3. The Antichrist: Our Defense

17. Knowledge of Truth {77} In both 1 John 2:21 and 1 John 4:6, a great defense against these errors is a knowledge of God, a knowledge of the truth. John is stressing the importance of having a correct understanding of the teaching, especially about Jesus. Here’s very clear biblical evidence for the importance of correct doctrine.

18. In 2 Cor 1:21, 22, the divine anointing is linked to the sealing of the Holy Spirit, while in Eph 1:13 hearing the word of truth and believing leads to the sealing by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the anointing may also point to Scripture. The antidote to the messages of the antichrist is God’s Word as communicated by the Holy Spirit. 3. The Antichrist: Our Defense The Anointing {79}

19. This is simply another way of stating that we need to “walk in the light,” we need to live in close relationship with Jesus, which means a daily surrender of our wills to His, as revealed through the Word and through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 3. The Antichrist: Our Defense Abiding in Him {81}

20. Rejecting Antichrists Final Words {83} With the false teaching about Jesus, a false lifestyle went along. This is oftentimes the case even today. People no longer live righteous lives.