Deceptions of the Last Hour

1 John 2.18 Little children, it is the last time; and as you have heard that the[c] Antichrist is coming, even now many anti-christs have come, by which we know that it is the last time. 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. 

 

1 John 4.1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that[a] 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. 

 

 

The writer John here talks about some who were among them, who would leave them and teach other things. John was safe guarding the believers from these anti-christs who went out from them. It is easy to think of other beliefs and other religions when thinking about this anti-christ spirit that was then and expected to grow. But it was from among them that the falsehood would come.

 

As part of his safe guard John coined some new phrases, and these phrases are relevant to the message about those trying to deceive them and you. And if they were aware that this falsehood was coming they needed to certainly be aware that it already was. If it was small then to get bigger, what is it today? 

 

Well let’s unlock that by associating it with Johns newly termed phrases.  Two of them are related to time. “that which was from the beginning” and “the last time”. These terms were for our safe guarding as well as the term “anti-christ” being those who left them to manifest a new spirit or teaching that violated the truth that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh and need not do so again. Those who deny this, who came out from them, believe something different but similar enough to deceive. If it was not similar it would be no threat but this threat that now 2000 years later has become the threat of all threats to violate the faith once and for all delivered to the saints. This threat ignores the message “from the beginning” and teaches another “last time” for John to have to clarify that they were already in “the last time”.

His message is that the anti-christ that came out of them is a counterfeit to the truth that obscures “that which is from the beginning”, that also obscures “Him who has come in the flesh” who brought salvation. They teach another last time or end times and another coming in the flesh and another saving from planet earth. Hmm! Who might that be?

That is right. The message preached from end timers of a coming 7 year tribulation speak of another Jesus to come again in another end time on the world scene to save His people and bring salvation to planet earth. Yes, another Jesus to appear on the human stage. This just leaves people in the mindset of having to still be saved by a savior.

 

Johns point in us needing to believe that Jesus the Son of God has come, is that what end time seekers expect Jesus to do at a 2nd coming, is what He already did in the beginning, and we already have what they expect to get.

Look what else John said about this.. 1 John 5.4 “and what is the victory that overcomes the world? Even our faith!” Now that verse discredits a 2nd coming as our victory focus altogether. To overcome the world is not an end time, last time or another day event. And the anti-christs are those who teach another end time with another Jesus for delivering us from this world. And they do this because they do not believe the true gospel. Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and brought salvation to us once and for all… 

 

This is scary stuff if you are mixed up in it. Is it the gospel message of the 2nd coming that saves us? Or that which is from the beginning” that John teaches and affirms? John felt it important enough to address this by letter. Is it the message of the cross and the blood of Christ?  Or a tribulation a rapture and a future resurrection that overcomes the world and saves you? So when Jesus came to save, did He do that then? Or just give you a promissory note? Is He King of Kings now or must He become that at a 2nd coming? Is He in full Glory now or must He come here to claim the victory? Did He defeat satan sin and death already? Or does He do that for you later? 

If you are not sure I am afraid for you for you walk in darkness. But we walk in the light for no lie is of the truth. In Him is no darkness or ambiguities. And we are “In Him” this is true to the one who has faith. The 2nd coming message is based on supposed future facts for the carnal senses which violates all the principles of faith. being “the substance of things not seen”. (Hebrews 11.1)

 

Jesus said in John 12.31 “Now is the judgment of this world! Now the ruler of this world is cast out!”

 

Was this a prophesy of a future event? Empty words with no immediate value? I think not if you have faith in the one who said it “from the beginning” for He cannot lie. Every word He ever spoke was accomplished the moment He said it as evidenced by Him speaking forth creation. He who said “Let there be light”? He said “arise and walk”.

 

Another “last time” or another end time teaching of another deliverer to save you keeps you from the gift of God that is “In Christ” now.

You cannot receive this reward because you are closed off thinking it is later. You have faith in a fairy tale of fallen fairies.

You shouldn’t just ponder this message but you should flee. I mean if John equates another last hour, end times with “anti-christ”? It is anti-christ because it rejects the truth that he has saved, delivered, redeemed, and atoned for His people. He put away transgression, made reconciliation for inequity, He brought us everlasting righteousness, He sealed up vision and prophesy and was anointed Most Holy as Jesus said “Now the Son of man is Glorified. And if God is Glorified in Him, God will also Glorify Him immediately.” And He did.

Now there is the Father and Son I know. Who is this 2nd coming deliverer? An impostor to steal your focus from the truth!  He is anti-christ as is the whole message of another coming one to save. You clearly have not accepted that Christ already came in the flesh to do that, and who is anti-Christ. He who believes Jesus must come again in the flesh to save. This is antichrist 

 

That which we have seen we have heard we have handled”. Not what you will see hear and handle later at a 2nd coming, but that which is “from the beginning”.

John the Baptist appeared on the public scene in the spirit and power of Elijah. His ministry and teaching directed many from the city Jerusalem where our Lord was slain that was spiritually called Sodom, (Rev 10.6) and He made  straight the paths of the Lord. His message was not a future kingdom but came preaching that “the Kingdom of God is at hand” in the here and now even back then.  They rejected him then as those who do so now,  who cannot receive this truth from the scriptures and have changed it for a lie “if possible to deceive the elect”

 The term “2nd coming is not found once in the bible.  It was Elijah who said in his day (1 Kings 18.40) seize the prophets of baal! Do not let one of them escape! And this you should do. Purge your mind and spirit from this garb called “end times”  and make straight the way for the Lord to you. Let this be your Elijah moment for “Elijah has come!” (Mt 17.12) And if you do this then the Lord of Glory can appropriately come take His seat in the throne room of your mind and spirit now like you expect Him to do later.  For “at the appropriate time I have heard, and the day of salvation? I have helped! Says the Lord. (Isaiaih 49.8) “Behold now is the accepted time! Now is the day of the saving! (2 Corinthians 6.2)

So the disciples asked then “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come?” The spiritually blind or dead say the same thing today. If they cannot receive Elijah, they surely cannot receive salvation. If you have received the real Savior. Jesus said “You will see me no more until you say “Save now! Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” Some did in His day. He stands at the door and knocks but it is the door of the heart that is closed because of the lie that says “it is later at the “last time”.

Kingdom of God is at hand