Grounded in Truth - 1 John 2:18-27; 4:1-6 - June 21, 2009

Sunday School Lesson – Grounded in Truth – June 21, 2009

This is lesson three (3) in our series study entitled “Beyond Doubt.”

Our scripture is 1 John 2:18-27; 4:1-6.

I usually give a lead-in to the lesson but not today but we need to spend our time in the lesson. It is a lesson Satan does not want us to study.

Let’s read 1 John 2:18-23:
The Last Hour
18 Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard, “Antichrist is coming,” even now many antichrists have come. We know from this that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.[6] Other mss read and you know all things 21 I have not written to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar, if not the one who denies that Jesus is the • Messiah? He is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son can have the Father; he who confesses the Son has the Father as well.

The Apostle John again refers to those to whom he was writing as “children.” Not that they were children but he was about 100 years old and he looked upon himself as their spiritual mentor. He called them children as a term of endearment but it could have been that John saw them as children in a spiritual sense. They needed to grow and mature spiritually. He needed to warn them about the false teachers and false doctrines being taught in their society so they would not be misled.

In essence, he was saying, “The time for the second coming of JESUS is close at hand. Look around you and see what is happening. There are those who call themselves Christians but they have left the true teachings, which is proof that they never were born-again. They are the antichrists. JESUS Himself taught that one of the signs that the end is near is when false prophets are rampant. In this case these false prophets or teachers have been exposed to the truth but rejected it. When this happens there is nothing more they can be exposed to, to bring them to salvation. These antichrists have turned their backs on the truth. They know enough truth to confuse you and lure you into accepting their false message over the true message you already know.”

Those who know some of the truth but not the whole truth are the most dangerous. That is why all believers must read and study the Bible and test all spiritual messages themselves against the Truth, the Bible and the witness of the HOLY SPIRIT within them.

John was writing to believers, not to accuse them of turning their backs on the truth, but because they knew the truth, he did not want them to be deceived, confused or led astray. The truth is that CHRIST came in the flesh, lived as a human, yet divine, died for our sins, was resurrected and ascended into heaven to sit at the right-hand of the FATHER. Those who deny this are the antichrists.

The antichrists are those against or opposed to CHRIST. The antichrists were presenting a substitute for CHRIST or a message in place of the truth regarding CHRIST. Their message was that CHRIST was not 100% Human and 100% Divine. The substitute could be the person delivering the message, “follow me” or a substitute message such as, CHRIST was not real but only imagined to be real or the Spirit of CHRIST came upon JESUS at HIS baptism and left HIM at HIS death. Their message denied CHRIST coming to earth in the flesh, giving HIS life to set mankind free from sin, conquering death and GOD raising HIM from the dead as proof that HE is the true Messiah.

THE FATHER and THE SON go hand in hand. You have to embrace both. JESUS is the key to salvation. When you have JESUS, you have GOD, the FATHER because JESUS is the way to GOD. This was GOD’S plan for the salvation of mankind and JESUS is a believer’s assurance of salvation, which is confirmed by the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT.

1 John 5:11-13:

11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

In verse 20, GOD has given believers the anointing of the HOLY SPIRIT, WHO teaches, enlightens and empowers them. Verse 20 states that believers have all knowledge. This is true, because all true believers have the HOLY SPIRIT WHO has all knowledge and they have all truth regarding CHRIST. Having the knowledge of truth in them equips them to counter false message of the false prophets. There is another way to consider this statement.

In my opinion, believers will only have all knowledge when they see JESUS. But between now and then, believers receive knowledge as they grow and mature in HIM through the teaching, enlightenment and empowerment of the HOLY SPIRIT and the study of GOD’S Word.

It is like parenting children. When children are little, parents can give them certain instructions and training based upon their age and ability to comprehend. In the process of teaching, they gain a certain amount of knowledge as they grow and experience life under the direction of their parents. Learning is a never-ending process. A believer’s ability to grow spiritually in the knowledge and truth of GOD is limited by his/her willingness to allow GOD, through the HOLY SPIRIT, to guide his/her life. GOD as our FATHER, the HOLY SPIRIT as our teacher, prayer as our communication link and GOD’S Word as our textbook are all vital as we journey through life, obediently learn of HIM and serve HIM.

Let’s read 1 John 2: 24-27:
Remaining with God
24 What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. 26 I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you, remain in Him.

The wording of verse 24 could lead believers to think they can lose their salvation. What believers can lose is their assurance of salvation because of not abiding or remaining in the truth. See what happens to the branch in the following scripture in verse 6. It withers and dies when it is not connected to the vine. Believers must stay connected through relationship. Believers never lose their salvation because they have been born of imperishable seed. (This scripture was in last week’s lesson 1 Peter 1:23. Further reading can be found in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15.)

Abiding or remaining is a vital part of being a healthy branch. Abiding means to rest and remain in the relationship; remaining means not to move from where you are, that is stay connected to the source of your spiritual nourishment and vitality, JESUS. JESUS is the true vine, believers are the branches. JESUS said it best in John 15:1-7:

The Vine and the Branches - This is JESUS speaking.
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain (Abide) in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be[1] Or and become My disciples.

Since believers have the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT, the HOLY SPIRIT not only confirms their salvation but HE also teaches, instructs and empowers them by revealing truth and confirming truth through revealed light.

Let’s read 1 John 4:1-6:
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh[1] Or confesses Jesus to be the Christ come in the flesh is from God. 3 But every spirit who does not confess Jesus[2] Other mss read confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist; you have heard that he is coming, and he is already in the world now. 4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world. Therefore what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. From this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

John urged those to whom he was writing to verify truth or expose error by testing. There is the “spirit of the world” which humans embrace. It is a socially accepted standard. There is the “spirit” world that influences people to embrace error and blinds them to the truth. Then there are those who know the truth because they have been born-again, know the truth, remain in the truth and continue to be enlightened by the truth. Believers are to test all sources giving a message from GOD to verify that it is accurate according to the scriptures.

The Apostle Paul tells us about the spirit world surrounding us in Ephesians 6:10-12:

Christian Warfare
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics[10] Or schemes, or tricks of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.[11] Eph 1:3,20; 2:6; 3:10

The Apostle John again used the word “friends.” GOD speaks to HIS children any way HE chooses. In 1 Kings 19: the Prophet Elijah heard the voice of GOD:

Elijah’s Encounter with the Lord
Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of • Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.” 11 Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.” At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.

A soft whisper is not the only way GOD speaks but HE speaks in many different ways. Our part is to know when GOD is speaking to us and test the spirits. GOD’S message will not be contrary to HIS Word and is confirmed in HIS Word.

Believers must always be active listeners. We are to test the message from people who claim to be born-again believers. There are people who have a nature or spirit, so-to-speak, in them that is authoritative and they claim to be representing GOD. Test them. Matthew 7:21 JESUS tells us:

18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’[9] Lit you who work lawlessness [10] Ps 6:8

John wanted those he was mentoring to be careful about who is giving them a message from GOD. He reminded them in 1 John 2:19 that the spirit of antichrist had gone out from them. These antichrists had been in their fellowship and know Christian jargon. But they put a spin on the truth; therefore, test the spirits to make sure they are from GOD. The spirit of antichrist is opposed to CHRIST and GOD.

Folks, the spirit of antichrist has not left this world. In this day and time we tend to “pooh pooh” the notion of the “spirit” world. But I tell you the “spirit” world is alive and well and is out to deceive and enslave believers and non-believers alike. Satan’s desire is to defeat and enslave a person. These are some of the things the world offers - fame, riches, sex, drugs, alcohol, fortune tellers, horoscopes, lucky trinkets, etc. All are designed to lure one to focus on the flesh and not on the things to grow and mature in knowing GOD through CHRIST. The things of the world are designed to control people, whereas GOD’S desire is for all to seek HIM and allow HIM to guide their lives through an intimate, loving relationship through CHRIST.

The Apostle John revealed a way that believers can “test” the spirits to determine if they are from GOD. Simply ask the question whether or not JESUS came in the flesh. Remember the Gnostics denied that CHRIST came in the flesh. The Greek word John used for “test” carried the idea to test to verify or approve suitability for use. It was a quality control term to make certain the thing tested would perform as it was intended to perform. John was saying “This is a way you can verify the truth.” John’s concern was the message from the Gnostics. However, the test gives believers a method for verifying the source of a spiritual message.

Many years ago, I read a book authored by a minister whose family had gotten involved in contacting the “spirit” world after the death of his sister. (I loaned this book to someone and they still have it. I keep hoping it will show up because it is no longer in print. So I do not recall the details. If anyone knows the title and author, I would appreciate receiving that information.) Before this minister became a Christian, he attended a séance with his grandmother. At times the spirits would allow those attending to ask questions about the Bible. Now keep in mind, this is of Satan. So do not get the idea of trying it. His grandmother asked a Biblical question and the spirit gave an answer, which this yet-to-be minister heard his grandmother say, “This is not correct.” Bingo. He said that if you disagreed with the spirit, the spirit would scold you but the spirit did not scold her. He concluded that the spirit did not hear his grandmother. But it gave him the idea to get this book called the Bible, which he had never seen.

He thought it would be like any other book so he started at the beginning. He read until he got bogged down in some of the names and skipped to the back to see how it would end but he got lost in the Book of Revelation. He looked back from Revelation and ran across this very scripture about testing the spirits. Armed with this information he thought if another opportunity came up again at a séance to ask Biblical questions he would try it. When the opportunity came, he was allowed to ask three (3) questions. Unfortunately, I have forgotten the exact questions but in essence he asked if JESUS was the Son of GOD. The answer was he is a son of god. His second question was similar to his first and he said the spirit challenged him regarding why he did not believe that Jesus was a son of god. Notice a son of god and not the SON of GOD. He then asked the third question, which went something like this, “Is JESUS THE SON OF GOD, WHO came in the flesh and died for the sins of mankind?” He said when he asked that question the medium was catapulted across the room and the entire room exploded in chaos. He ran home and got on his knees and said something to the effect of, “JESUS, I do not know who you are but I want you in my life.” He went on to become a minister of the gospel of CHRIST.

I was listening to the radio this morning and it came to mind that we are surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of electronic waves every moment – cell phone, radio, television, aircraft to name a few. When we activate the right device we can access those electronic waves. If it is a radio, we select the station we want to listen to. We have many choices. Sometimes we search and hear something that causes us to pause and listen.

Our minds are active 24/7 and we are bombarded with all sorts of thoughts and ideas which are often triggered by what we see or hear. Believers must stay on guard and be careful about what they see, read and hear because Satan is ready to take a thought and bring about action. That is why believers must confess all things contrary to GOD and HIS Word when they come into their minds.

John gives believers another verse of scripture that I often use. It is verse 4 - 4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

I learned the shorter version “Greater is HE that is in you than he that is in the world.” CHRIST in every believer is his/her protector, as long as he or she does not step outside that circle of protection. Believers can open themselves up to attack by Satan by dabbling in things of the world. What we dabble in can leave scars. GOD forgives our sins but we may have to suffer the consequences of our sin.

Those who have dabbled in the occult or been enslaved by an addiction have to rely on the promise of HIS indwelling power on a moment by moment basis, as well as, all believers. If you feel the presence of evil, claim the blood of JESUS out loud. I do.

The flesh has a strong desire to go back to its old ways and believers must rely upon the power of CHRIST within to defeat this desire and lure. Sometimes believers fail but thanks to GOD that is when we confess, HE forgives and cleanses. The idea is to repent, which means not do it again. But if you do, confess again and ask for strength to conquer whatever it is in your life. Seek help, if you cannot conquer it.

I know of believers who have had to carry note cards with scripture written on them. They would quote scripture as they went through their daily routine. It helped them to keep their minds focused upon CHRIST, HIS power of deliverance and HIS power to cope.

True believers know the truth. But believers must always keep their guard up and stay in GOD’S Word because the spirit of deception is in the world, the antichrist. Christians have been living in the end times since CHRIST ascended into heaven. Believers are getting ever closer to the end.

As we get closer to the second coming of CHRIST, we will see more and more deception and compromise. Christians will be persecuted for their stand and profession of CHRIST. Just look around at our changing and compromising world. Look at those who take a public stand for CHRIST. The media seems to launch a campaign to discredit them. Christians are sinners saved by grace. We are still under construction through the process of sanctification. We all sin but we are saved by the blood of JESUS, born into the family of GOD and live under the grace of GOD. But believers must stay connected to the vine, CHRIST, WHO is Truth.