Antichrists

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER OF JOHN

ANTICHRISTS

1 John 2:18-19

18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

NIV

It is interesting how they did think their time was the last hour. But how long is the last hour? The Greek word translated as an hour can mean exactly that, one-twelfth of a twelve-hour day. But its first meaning is a certain definite time, a season. Within the context of how John is using this, he could mean an actual hour or a certain time, so it could read, Dear Children, this is the definite time, this is the season we have expected as you have heard that the antichrist is coming. John says that even during his lifetime many antichrists have come. We can be sure that John was not referring to the Antichrist, the one who will raise up during the tribulation and declare himself to be god, which John speaks about in the revelation that was given to him. However, anyone who opposes Christ is an antichrist. There were many who fit that description in the time of John and there are even more of them who fit the term, antichrist, today. John is making another point regarding the origin of these antichrists. He is saying that they once were a part of the community of faith, and then left it, or got caught up in false doctrine and went astray and even worse, starting declaring their false doctrine as truth. John is making sure we know those kinds of people were never actual believers in Jesus Christ, to begin with. How do we relate to this truth? We know there are many who are outright opposed to Jesus Christ today. So many, we would have a difficult time trying to categories them by groups. Certainly those massive non-Christian religions who claim to worship God, but refuse to acknowledge Jesus as God, are plan to us, such as Islam. However, those false teachers spewing their deceitful doctrines of self-help, and feel good messages were never part of the community of faith, to begin with as John puts it. How can someone who takes from others to live abundantly beyond imagination be a part of the body of Christ? Surely the shepherd or servant is deserving of his wages, but the definition of antichrist makes it clear these types set themselves up as demi-gods, declaring themselves high and lifted up. We have to make sure humility remains intact in our character, as we remain in Christ. Again, if we remain in Christ we will bear much fruit, but apart from him, working in our own abilities we can do nothing. When we look to ourselves, our skills, our abilities, our knowledge, it might be said that we have set ourselves high and lifted up and are not remaining in Christ, and therefore if that is the case, could we be seen as an antichrist. When we think more highly of ourselves then we should, is that not saying we are seeing ourselves as good enough and that we are better than others, and if so, then we are not remaining in Christ, and then would we be a type of antichrist? Questions we have to consider in regard to how we think and behave in relation to the body of Christ. We are just one part of the body, and Christ is the head. We have to remain in the body, doing that which our part has been determined by Christ. But we must remain in Christ, being the body, remaining in the vine, being the branch so that we can bear much fruit, fruit that benefits the rest of the body and the vine, Jesus.