Walking by Faith: Encouragement for Your Day

SUNDAY, 16 JUNE 2024

TEXT: 1 John 2:18-29

18. The Enemy of Christ My children, the end is near! You were told that the Enemy of Christ would come; and now many enemies of Christ have already appeared, and so we know that the end is near.

19. These people really did not belong to our fellowship, and that is why they left us; if they had belonged to our fellowship, they would have stayed with us. But they left so that it might be clear that none of them really belonged to us.

20. But you have had the Holy Spirit poured out on you by Christ, and so all of you know the truth.

21. I write you, then, not because you do not know the truth; instead, it is because you do know it, and you also know that no lie ever comes from the truth.

22. Who, then, is the liar? It is those who say that Jesus is not the Messiah. Such people are the Enemy of Christ-they reject both the Father and the Son.

23. For those who reject the Son reject also the Father; those who accept the Son have the Father also.

24. Be sure, then, to keep in your hearts the message you heard from the beginning. If you keep that message, then you will always live in union with the Son and the Father.

25. And this is what Christ himself promised to give us-eternal life.

26. I am writing this to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

27. But as for you, Christ has poured out his Spirit on you. As long as his Spirit remains in you, you do not need anyone to teach you. For his Spirit teaches you about everything, and what he teaches is true, not false. Obey the Spirit’s teaching, then, and remain in union with Christ.

28. Yes, my Children, remain in union with him, so that when he appears we may be full of courage and need not hide in shame from him on the Day he comes.

29. You know that Christ is righteous; you should know, then, that everyone who does what is right is God’s child.

(Good News Translation Holy Bible)

TOPIC: WARNING AGAINST COUNTERFEITS

All counterfeits have one thing in common: they are intent on deceit.

In today's text, John draws our attention to the fact that "we are in the last hour" which is characterized by the appearance and activities of many antichrists (vs 18).

He explains that the antichrists are identified by their commitment to teaching lies against the truth. This lie is to outrightly deny that Jesus is the Messiah.

It is not possible to claim to believe in the Father but deny that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is the Messiah.

The Father and the Son are one and so belief in the Father is the same as belief in the Son and to deny one is as good as denying the other because they are one.

The way to escape these antichrists is to remain within and follow the teachings of the Gospel.

We must demonstrate that we are truly born of God through Jesus Christ by living righteously.

QUESTION: Can you identify some antichrists in your community, city or country?

PRAYER: O Lord, help us every day to recognize counterfeit teachers and preachers so that we may walk in the light of Your Word, in Jesus name. Amen.