From Ian

 1 John 2 v.18 – 27

Please Note: The text is included but rearranged

V.18 – Dear children, this is the last hour, and as you have heardthat the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

Another enemy and a different set of battles; battles that warn us that we live in the end days; but that also remind us  – the Lord will return at any time.

V.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.

Some of these people were actually active within the church but never fully committed; they loved the world too much and eventually took on the spirit of the antichrist. Sadly these folk often become aggressively opposed to the Lord’s people and v.22 tells us that they deny both the Father and the Son. V.22 – Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist – he denies the Father and the Son.

Not only do such people lie about the Christian experience but, as v.26 tells us, they try to lead others away from the faith. This is why John is writing to the church – V.26 – I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. But take faith – V.23 – No-one who denies the Son has the Father, whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Do you remember those two lines from the little faith poem?

you have known him, who is from the beginning.

you have known the Father

Another line can be added to the faith poem from V.20 – But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

you have an anointing from the Holy One

In v.21 John writes – I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

We that are in Christ do have the person of the Holy Spirit in our lives and it is he that leads us in all truth.

V.27 – As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit – just as it has taught you, remain in him.

Do you remember that line in the faith poem?

the word of God lives in you

So John warns in V.24 – See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

And then V.25 – And this is what he promised us – even eternal life.

The Christian life is a spiritual warfare but seize those statements of faith in the poem below and look forward to that day when Jesus returns. Remember – you are strong through faith in his name.

your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.

you are strong,

the word of God lives in you

you have overcome the evil one.

you have known him, who is from the beginning.

you have known the Father

you have an anointing from the Holy One.

Prayer: – – – We thank you Father for the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Keep us, Lord, attentive to all the warnings against the folly of those who love this world; keep us sensitive to your Holy Spirit as he leads us and teaches us in our daily walk with you.


Category: The Bridge , Thought for the week