Exhortation of the Doctrinal Truth
John 2:18-23 ESV
Deceptions of the Last Hour
18 “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. 19 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.20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 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.22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
Now in the chunk from verses 18–22, the exhortation comes with a warning and a call to participate in pushing back the antichrist: An exhortation to cling to the exclusive truth, the reality of the triune God, the exclusive biblical truth of the 66 books, the need for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and our ongoing relationship with Him, as He is the anointed one who reveals all truth to us.
Exhortation of the Doctorial Truth
• Triune God: They crucified Jesus because He claimed Himself to be God. In the Jewish monotheistic view, there is only one God. But that is not biblically correct. Even in the Hebrew Bible, we learn about the triune God. Jesus’ claim, “Before Abraham was, I am,” challenged the religious emotions of the Jewish community and led them to plot with the Romans to execute Him. Jesus still wants to forgive
them for their blindness, but if they don’t repent, they will perish. Likewise, all those who reject or do not believe in the triune God will be damned in hell forever and ever. So, who is the antichrist? Anyone who rejects Jesus and His teaching.
• Exclusive Biblical Truth: Hold fast to the authority of the 66 books and confront correctly and do table talks if someone doesn't believe the exclusive authority, apostolic, inspired 66 books. This is the exhortation from the elderly Apostle. John: All that is commanded to us, we are to keep in obedience, practicing that truth in our lives. There are many global examples of Christians compromising with the exclusive biblical truth, and if they do it knowingly, let us have nothing to do with them. Some would even leave the church, just as John says in his time, because they did not like the truth of God, His holy Word. We must acknowledge the triune God and His Word given to us, princely, attentively, and holistically. Amen!
