1 John 2:18-23 (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. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
V18 “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.” What is an Antichrist? An Antichrist is anyone who presents him/herself as having the answers to the problems of the world. It is anyone who receives the praise only reserved for God. The last hour implies imminency of the Rapture. It could happen at any minute. John was ready, are we? Some other references to “last hour” or “last time” as in 2 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 3:3, and Jude 1:18. It cannot be the Tribulation for the anti-Christ has not been revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Anti-Christ is the masquerader, imposter, imitation, but will present himself to the world as THE messiah. He will appear to have all the character traits and policies that bring people safety and freedom, but instead it brings all to slavery (Revelation 13:17 and all of chapter 13). These other anti-christs have the same ambition, desire, plans, and attempts, but satan only inspires one person and then only by God’s allowance.
V19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” They went out as if they were believers but went out to draw followers for themselves using Christian terms and themes. They are not really Christians, just use the term to gain followers, money, and power. What they say does not match what they do. What they do is not in align with Scriptural standards.
V20 “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” All believers have the Holy Spirit living in them (1 Corinthians 3:16-19, 2 Corinthians 6:16-19, Ephesians 3:17, and Romans 5:5). The term “Holy One” is used for 1) the High Priest–Numbers 16:7 and Deuteronomy 33:8), 2) King David (Psalm 89:18-19), 3) holy angels (Daniel 8:13), and 4) God–2 Kings 19:22, Job 6:10, Psalm 16:10 (Jesus), Isaiah 17:7, Isaiah 43:15, Mark 1:24 (Jesus), and Luke 1:35 (Jesus). The anointing is a special anointing on believers by God and is the Holy Spirit Himself and the gifts that He gives. “Know all things” refers to the Apostles’ teaching and their learning of Christian beliefs, worldview, lifestyle, and rules.
V21 “I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” Truth has no lies. Truth is reality.
V22 “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.” One characteristic of an anti-Christ is denies that Jesus is THE Messiah sent from heaven. A few other characteristics are lawlessness (to God’s laws), influences by lies and deception, craves adoration, and craves power.
V23 “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” Denies the Son does not mean turning against Jesus, God the Son, but rather denies the character, character traits, and godhood of the authentic Jesus of the Gospels. We who believe in the authentic Jesus of the Gospels are the ones who acknowledge Him. The authentic Jesus is in the 4 Gospels, not a theology book.
We learn:
- Jesus could return at any time.
- About mini-antichrists and the Anti-Christ
- About fake Christians