I heard a man speaking about the art of finding a spouse when he made this statement to the guys in the room, “Boys, that girl sitting so close to you may be the right one, but she may also be the antichrist.” Of course he was just joking, but his point was well taken that there is wisdom in waiting for the Lord to provide the right person to marry. Many people who thought they were marrying an “angel” soon discovered that their new spouse was not all the angel they presented themselves to be. This is somewhat like where John the apostle takes us today. Yesterday he shared that there are antichrists among us. Today he shares the origin of these antichrists.
In First John chapter two and verse nineteen he writes:
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Amazing. Do you mean to tell us John that the source of the antichrists were those who were once in fellowship with you? That's right. The people that John refers to were once in fellowship within their church. This is not at all uncommon today as well. Some individuals who have founded some of the largest cults in the world were once in fellowship in churches. They grew up in the church, but then found “another way”, and leaving the principles of the Bible, they began to serve as “antichrists” in the world. For example, just consider Jim Jones and the Guyana tragedy.
The church is the body of Christ, and when a person leaves the teaching of the word of God and begins to factor in philosophies, ideas and ways of the world that are contrary to the Bible, he or she is in danger of becoming the “antichrists” of which John wrote. Jesus referred to this being the case in His parable of the wheat and the tares. Matthew records the parable:
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? from where then has it tares? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Will you then that we go and gather them up? But he said, No; unless while you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. Matthew 13:24-30
John wrote that the revelation of the antichrists would be a sign that we are living in the last time. Jesus told us that there would be these “tares” among us. Never before have we been so aware of so many who started out within the church and the teachings of the Bible who now have become opposed to the teachings that the Bible gives. They are among us, and more than ever those who are wise will protect themselves from their teachings by studying and knowing the word of God.
Next time we shall look at how we can know who these “antichrists” are, so read ahead, and meditate on the next verse, and we shall share together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, find locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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