Matthew 24:24
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
The sins of the world are encapsulated in pride and greed. Those who harm others are not abiding in Christ. Those who abide in Jesus will show the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. We are not to judge those who are outside of the Body but those who claim Jesus but their actions show otherwise. God will not be mocked. We do not fight against flesh and blood but against the principalities of darkness that runs rampant in the world. Carla
1 John 2:18-19
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, •the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (NKJV)
John views the rise of those who deny the truth of Christ from within the Christian community as an indication of the beginning of the end of all things.
Antichrists is a combination of two Greek words: anti, meaning “instead of” or “against,” and christos, meaning “anointed one.” Antichrists most likely means those who seek to take the place of Christ.
The many antichrists are the false teachers John opposed in this letter (verses 22; 4:3; 2 John 7). They are reminiscent of the false christs Jesus told the disciples about (Matthew 24:24). They are forerunners of the future Antichrist, also known as the beast in the Book of Revelation (Revelations 13:1–18), who will exalt himself above God (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 24:15).
When the false teachers went out from among the believers, they revealed that they did not belong to the Christian community; they were never true believers.
In the opening verses of this book, John made a distinction between we and you (1:1, 3). We, the apostles, were the eyewitnesses of Christ, you were the readers. That same distinction is probably maintained here (verse 20). Thus when John says these false teachers were not of us, he means they did not agree with the teaching of the apostles. These antichrists had departed from the apostolic churches, and their attitudes and actions were not of the apostolic persuasion. If they had been in harmony with the apostles, they would have remained in fellowship with them (1:1–3). The NKJV Study Bible
The last hour refers to the time preceding Jesus’ second coming. John may have inherited this language about the false-messiah from Jesus’ discussion of the end times. Jesus had noted that those who falsely claim authority—as anointed (messianic) leaders—would come (Mark 13:21–22; Matthew 24:4–5, 24).
The singular term “antichrist” (as opposed to “antichrists”) might refer to the evil figures described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3–10 and Revelations 13:1–10. It also could refer to the general movement of people falsely representing Jesus (1 John 2:22; 4:3).
Many antichrists refers to those who have withdrawn from the community John is addressing. He identifies them in this way because they spread false teaching about Jesus. By extension, the term could refer to anyone who is opposed to Jesus. This would fit with John’s larger dichotomous viewpoint that people are either in the light (of Jesus) or in the darkness (against Jesus). Although the antichrists emerged from the Christian community, they do not represent the viewpoints of the Church or Jesus.
For John, the origin of a viewpoint (or someone’s ministry) does not validate it. Rather, people must remain within Christ—within the church community and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Following Jesus’ teaching in John 14:6, John views the world through the lens of whether people are of Christ or not. He considers minor heresies to be extremely dangerous since they inevitably result in major heresies.
John indicates that these secessionists—antichrists—are not authentic believers in Jesus.
John’s correctives seem to indicate that his opponents were teaching hatred, accommodating the values of society. They were also actively misleading others (verse 25). Faithlife Study Bible
1 John 4:3–4
and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
2 John 7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
Matthew 24:5
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
A magazine ad sponsored by the Humane Society, looking for homes for homeless pets. A photo of a puppy and kitten—looking up at you from the page—catches your eye and your heart. But it's the affirmation on the top of the ad that sticks, “It's who owns them that makes them important.”
In this culture where economic value too easily seems to best intrinsic value, we are owned by narratives that diminish us.
And here’s the deal: we have forgotten our DNA.
It makes a difference in how we choose, and in how—or in what ways—we contribute.
“What has been lost is the true beholding of the light from the inner eyes,” John Scotus Eriugena wrote. “Grace is given to heal that inner sight, to open our eyes again to the goodness that is deep within us, for God is within us. The grace of Christ restores us to our original simplicity.”
William Sloane Coffin elaborates, “Of God's love we can say two things: it is poured out universally for everyone from the Pope to the loneliest wino on the planet and secondly, God’s love doesn’t seek value, it creates value. It is not because we have value that we are loved, but because we are loved that we have value. Our value is a gift, not an achievement.”
This we know: it is from a grounded self, that the gift of light spills to the world around us. Yes, even, and especially, in an uncertain and anxious world. This world.
I was raised in a religious tradition that mandated conversion, which punched my ticket for the afterlife. I was frequently asked what I would do if I died today. I was never once asked what I would do if I lived.
But what if conversion is about living this life, today, with my whole heart?
I can choose to be a listening ear.
I can choose to give empathy.
A calm demeanor.
A shout out to a friend.
Words of consolation.
We’ve lost the empowerment that comes from knowing that what is at our core (compassion, generosity, kind-heartedness, our capacity for connection) is greater than whatever change confronts or challenges us.
In other words, we have forgotten our best selves.
We have forgotten that we were made for this, one soul helping another.
And yes, we get to choose the kind of world we want to live in. Excerpt from “Sabbath Moments”
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