When I was young, I heard words which I didn't understand, like "communism", "the Cold War", "segregation", and so on. I thought that there was something sinister about such things, because people were so serious and grave when talking about them. In my church, there were also words which made no sense to me, such as "soteriology", "predestination", and even "theology", but the adult Christians spoke seriously about these ideas, so I was wary of them. Even now, there are words in Scripture which I don't understand much, such as "antichrist", but there is no better time to seek the truth of it.

1 John 2:18-22 – 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. 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. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 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. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. (NKJV)

According to John, there have been and always will be many antichrists, who are false teachers claiming that Jesus is not the Messiah, the Son of God. Indeed, at the end of the age, the Antichrist will stand against God and be defeated. Some of these antichrists may even now be present in our church communities.

Although John's teaching may seem sinister or designed to make us wary, it still gives Christians hope and encouragement: the presence of antichrists indicates the approach of the "last hour", the coming of Jesus. Our world, which always seems to be getting worse, is broken and won't last. Our hope comes from the infilling of the Holy Spirit, Who has anointed each Christian to be able to understand God's truth in Scripture.

How will we know the antichrists? Such people will insist that their teaching and interpretation is the only way to know God's will, and that Jesus is not the Christ. Does a sermon or teaching align with God's Word? Then the one who gives it is a true teacher and one to be trusted.

Will you read God's Word for yourself today, and pray for His anointing to understand the teachings which seem incomprehensible to you at present? Our hope and encouragement is in our God and Saviour, Who is coming soon.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness. …
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. …
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in him be found.
       – Edward Mote, 1797-1874

Prayer: Thank You for Your hope and anointing, dear Lord, as we look to the Day of Your return. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Shirley Moulton <shirley_moulton@yahoo.ca>
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Send your feedback to the author