How to Test your Faith - (3) The Doctrinal Test - 1 John 2:18-27 (Sermon 12)
The Great Theme of John's First Epistle is the Believer's Assurance of Salvation:
John says: "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God
so that you may KNOW that you have Eternal Life" (1 John 5:13).
The most Fundamental Question being addressed throughout this is Epistle is this:
How can you know for certain that your are a Christian?
How can you possess a Full Assurance of Salvation?
John wanted these Believers to experience the Joy of possessing a Full Assurance of Faith:
· He says: "We write this to make your Joy Complete" (1 John 1:4).
· He tells us that we can possess Assurance, even in Times of Testing & False Teaching.

In this First Epistle, the Apostle John tells us HOW we can Test Our Faith.
Firstly: We can give ourselves the Obedience Test or the Moral Test (2:3-6).
Secondly: We can give ourselves the Relationship Test or the Social Test of Love (2:7-11).
Thirdly: We can give ourselves the Doctrinal Test, or the Belief Test (2:18-27).
"All of you Know the Truth. I do not write to you because
you do not Know the Truth, but because you DO Know it" (2:20-21).
· John is defining a Christian is someone who Knows the Truth;
A Christian is someone who Believes the Right Doctrine.
In verses 18-27, John depicts a Battle between Truth & Error, the True & False View of Christ.
· He wants Believers to Know the Truth about their Lord & Saviour, Jesus Christ.
· He also wants to give a Warning about False Teachers who DO NOT Preach the Truth.

Before looking at Various Aspects of this Doctrinal Test, we must look at the Context (2:18).
"Dear Children, this is the Last Hour; & as you have heard that the Antichrist is Coming,
even now Many Antichrists have Come. This is how we know it is the Last Hour" (2:18).
We need to understand what John means by these terms 'The Last Hour' & the 'Antichrist'
FIRSTLY: What does John mean by this term 'The Last Hour - AV the Last Time'?
· John says: "THIS IS the Last Hour" (NIV) - AV - "IT IS the Last Time."
· In other words, the Apostle John is saying: "We are NOW LIVING in the Last Hour."
The O.T. Prophets looked forward to time which they called: 'That Day or the Latter Days.'
· They spoke in terms of the Present Age & the Age to Come. Amos & Isaiah say that,
'In That Day' God will Judge Evil & Redeem his People. (Amos 8:9-11 & 9:9-12; Isaiah 2).
The Apostle Peter had no hesitation in claiming to be living in the 'Last Days',
when Joel's prophesy (2:28-32), concerning the Coming of the Spirit, was fulfilled (Acts 2:17-21)
· He regarded the whole period between the Resurrection & Second Coming as the 'Last Days'
· Peter also says: "Christ … was chosen before the creation of the world,
but was revealed In These Last Times" (1 Peter 1:20).
· The Writer to the Hebrews (1:1-2), says:
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the Prophets at many times and
in various ways, but In These Last Days he has spoken to us by his Son."
· Contrary to what many believe today; this is the Primary Meaning of the term 'Last Days.'

However, it is equally clear that this term 'The Last Day' is not confined to this meaning.
The Apostle Paul refers to the 'Man of Lawlessness' being revealed
at the 'proper time.' But, he is also 'already at work' (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7).
· Now, he is being held back; but, in the Very Last Days, he will be Let Loose.
That will be the immediate prelude to the actual visible Return of Christ in Glory.
In the present passage, John is Primarily referring to the First Meaning of the 'Last Days'.
· That is, the time between the Resurrection & Second Coming of Christ.
SECONDLY: What does John mean by these terms: 'The Antichrist & Many Antichrists'?
"Dear children, this is the last hour; and you have heard that The Antichrist is coming,
even now Many Antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour" (2:18).
· It is interesting to note that this term 'antichrist' is actually Unique to John's Epistles.
The Greek word 'anti' can mean 'in opposition to' or 'in place of'.
· 2 Thessalonians 2:4 tells us that the antichrist manifests both aspects of this meaning.
"The Man of Lawlessness (the Antichrist) opposes … everything that is called God …
and sets himself up … proclaiming to be (in place of) God."
John says: "Even now Many Antichrists have come" (2:18).
· These Antichrists are False Teachers who Proclaim a Christ who is not the Biblical Christ.
· They oppose the True Christ & put a False Christ in place of Him
The Apostle Paul says:
"The Spirit clearly says that in Later Times some will abandon the faith &
follow deceiving spirits & things taught by demons. Such teachings come through
hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (1 Tim 4:1-2).
There is a clear implication that Christians can expect many more antichrists in future.
It may be a Christ who needs to be continually sacrificed in the Roman Catholic 'Mass';
It may be a Christ who is 'not quite God' & 'never really saves' such as with many of the Cults.
It may be a Christ who offers Health & Wealth as the main advantage of Salvation.
It may be a Christ who 'Makes you Feel Good' - as many modern evangelists teach.

The coming of 'many antichrists' will lead up to the Coming of 'The arch-Antichrist'.
After many imitations, 'Antichrist' will reach Maximum Power, just before the Second Coming.
· Whilst Daniel, in ch 7-11, pictures the Political Power of the Antichrist,
Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 2, emphasises his Ecclesiastical Power. John, in Revelation 13
refers to both; the Beast from the Sea (Political) & the Beast from the Earth (Ecclesiastical).
Although John refers to the Ultimate Antichrist, there is no doubt that
he is Primarily Speaking about the 'Many Antichrists' who will come.
· John is giving all Believers a Stern Warning, saying:
"There are antichrists in my day who are leading people astray,
& there will be 'many antichrists' in the future who will tempt you to follow them.
Beware of these False Teachers who will seek to take you away from the True Christ."

In this passage the Apostle John sets out a Three Part Doctrinal Test or Belief Test.
The Crucial Question is this: How can we differentiate between Christians who
Know the Truth; & those who have been deceived by False Teachers?
The First Part of this Test is about your Belief concerning Jesus Christ (1 John 2:22-23).
"Who is the liar? It is the man that denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Such a man is the antichrist - he denies the Father & the Son. No one who denies the Son
has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also."
In John's day, there were a Group of Believers who Proclaimed a 'Different Christ'.
· They gave False teaching about a False Christ, who was 'in place of' the True Christ.
· John says: "They went out from us, but they did not belong to us" (verse 19).
These people were called 'Docetists', a Greek word meaning 'I think, I seem or I appear.'
· They taught that Jesus 'appeared' to be a man, but he was not truly human;
They claimed that he only possessed a 'Phantom body'.
· Such a view denied the Truth of the Incarnation - Emmanuel - God with us.
Ignatius of Antioch said about one of these False Teachers:
"He blasphemes my Lord by denying that he ever bore a real human body.
In saying that he denies everything about him."
Others claimed that there is a distinction between the 'Man Jesus' & the 'Eternal Christ'.
· They argued that the 'Eternal Christ' descended on the 'Man Jesus' at his Baptism,
but then left him before the Crucifixion.
They said: "It was not the 'Eternal Christ' who suffered on the cross, but only the 'Man Jesus'"
· Such teaching denies that Jesus is the True Mediator between Man & God!
Both of these Factions of the Gnostic Heresy were really saying the same thing:
· They were saying that Christ could not possibly possess a
True Human Nature alongside a True Divine Nature.

Every single Christian Cult throughout history has Fallen into this Same Error.
· For example, the Mormons believe in the pre-existence of the spirits of all human beings. They say that our spirits were 'begotten by Heavenly Parents, even as Jesus was.'
They say, Jesus was conceived through a 'physical union' between God the Father & Mary.
This means they believe that Jesus is a created creature, just like us.
· Jehovah's Witnesses claim that Jesus is 'not fully God', but simply 'a god'.
They believe that Jesus is God's first created being. He is a creature rather than the Creator.
"To them it is nothing less than blasphemous to look upon the Lord Jesus
as being one with Jehovah God in essence & nature" (Leith Samuel).

What is John's message to these False Teachers who denied Christ's Deity & Humanity?
· He simply proclaims that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
John says that the False Teacher is:
"the man who DENIES that Jesus is the CHRIST" (verse 22).
To put this truth positively:
· The True Christian is someone who believes that the 'Man', Jesus, is the True 'Christ'.
The 'Man' Jesus is the 'Anointed One of God', the One who is 'very God of very God'
John also taught the importance of the Relationship between the Father & the Son:
"NO ONE who DENIES the Son HAS the Father;
whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (verse 23).
· The True Believer can only know God the Father through the Person of God the Son.
· Jesus Christ is the Only One who has the Authority to Reveal God the Father.
John is recalling the Prologue to his Gospel Account (John 1:14 & 18):
"The Word became flesh & lived among us. We have seen his Glory, the Glory of
the One & Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace & truth … No one has seen God, but the Only Son, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."
He is recalling the message of the Voice from Heaven, at Jesus' Transfiguration:
"This is my Son, whom I love, listen to him" (Mark 9:7).

Look at how Mark opens his Gospel, written to Prove that Jesus is the Son of God.
"The beginning of the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1).
Mark proves that Jesus is the True Christ of God by Showing his Authority:
· He has the authority to call disciples; to teach;. to heal; & to forgive sins; Authority over evil spirits; over nature; & over death (1:16-20, 21-22, 25-26, 29-34; 2:1-12; 4:35-39; 5:35-42)
Having given this evidence, Mark tells us about Jesus' Crucial Question to his Disciples.
· Jesus asked them, "Who do people say I am?"(Mark 8:27-29). They replied,
"Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; & still others one of the prophets."
· Jesus asked them: "But what about you? Who do you say I am?"
"You who say you are my True Disciples - Who do you say I am?"
· Peter answered, "You are the Christ." - You are Truly the Anointed One of God.
In Matthew's Account, we read: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God" (Mtt 16:16).
The Apostle Peter never forgot the importance of this name 'Jesus Christ' - the God-Man.
· When the Jewish Rulers asked Peter by whose authority he healed the crippled man, he said:
"It is in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God has
raised from the dead, that this man stands before you completely healed" (Acts 4:9-10).
Peter goes on the explain why this Name of Jesus Christ is so important:
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven
given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The Apostle Paul gives the same message, in 1 Timothy 2:5:
"For there is one God & one Mediator between God & Men, the Man Christ Jesus."
The vital question, which determines your Christian Assurance, is this:
· Do you Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God; that he is the God-Man?
· Do you Believe that Jesus possesses a True Human Nature & a True Divine Nature?

In this passage the Apostle John sets out a Three Part Doctrinal Test or Belief Test.
The First Part of this Test is your Belief concerning Jesus Christ (verses 22-23).
The Second Part of this Test concerns the Testimony of the Holy Spirit within you (v20-21):
"But you have an Anointing from the Holy One, & all of you Know the Truth.
I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it &
because no lie comes from the truth." (AV But ye have an unction from the Holy One).
John is addressing a Vital Question: How can you be Sure that you Know the Truth?
· John's Answer is clear:
You 'know the truth' because you have the 'anointing or unction' of the 'The Holy One'
The word 'anointing or unction' is a graphic description of the Spirit's influence upon Believers
· Throughout Scripture, 'Oil' symbolises the Influence & Power of the Holy Spirit.
· In the Old Testament, prophets, priests & kings were Anointed with Oil.
· In the New Testament, Peter describes Christians as:
"A chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9).
In other words, we are a people who have been Anointed with the 'Oil of the Holy Spirit.'

Therefore, it is quite clear that, when John says:
"You have an Anointing from the Holy One, & all of you Know the Truth";
This is what he means:
"You Know the Truth because the Holy Spirit is at Work within you."
John remembered the Promise, which Jesus Gave to his Disciples & to All Believers:
"I will ask the Father, & he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever -
the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor
knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you & will be in you" (John 14:16-17).
· The Scriptures make it clear: We can only Know the Truth THROUGH the 'Spirit of Truth.'

John is NOT saying that the Christian Church should abolish Human Teachers.
· The Lord of the Church GIVES his Church 'Pastors & Teachers' (Ephesians 4:11).
What John IS saying is this:
· The 'Real Teacher' of the Church, is the Holy Spirit of God.
After Jesus' Initial Promise to Send the Spirit of Truth, he goes on to say:
"The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said …
When the Spirit of Truth comes, he will Guide you into All Truth" (John 14:26 & 16:13).
This is why John says in his First Epistle (2:27):
"You do not need any one to teach you. But this Anointing Teaches you about all things"
"This anointing is Real, not Counterfeit."
· The Holy Spirit dwells within us to Give us an Understanding of the Truth.
· He convicts us of sin, righteousness & judgement (John 16:8).
· He helps us understand that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
· He gives us an understanding about the Whole Counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
· He helps us to use Scripture for teaching, rebuking, correcting & training in righteousness.
· He helps us to use Scripture as our all-sufficient standard for Faith, Worship & Conduct.

Unless the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we simply cannot understand Spiritual Truth.
Think of what happened to Two Disciples, on the Emmaus Road, after the Resurrection:
· They were confused about the Truth of the Resurrection & the purpose of Christ's Coming.
Jesus says to them:
"'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things & then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses & all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:25-17).
· Jesus opened their minds to the Truth; He Confirmed the Truth in their hearts & minds.
Thus, the disciples were reminded about the Promise of Jesus:
"Before long you will not see me any more - but I want you to remember this -
The Counsellor, the Holy Spirit … will teach you all things and
will remind you of everything I have said" (John 14:26).
Notice what these two disciples said to one another after Jesus left them:
"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road &
opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32).
When the Risen Christ appeared to the Eleven, they had 'Doubts & Fears' (Luke 24:37-41).
· Jesus taught them how everything written about him (in the O. T.) must be fulfilled.
"Then (Jesus) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Lk 24:45).
This is still the Work of the Holy Spirit, even today!
· We read the Scriptures, the Spirit opens our minds & gives an Understanding of the Truth.
· As he teaches us, our hearts burn within us.
· This is how we come to have an Assurance that we Know the Truth

What happened to the disciples is mirrored in Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians (1:17-19).
Paul says that he wants Believers to possess an Assurance about the Hope that is within them.
He wants us to understand the Riches of our Glorious Inheritance.
He wants us to understand God's Incomparable Power for us who Believe.
How can you fully understand these things? Paul answers:
· I will keep on praying that God will give you the Spirit of wisdom & revelation.
· I will keep on praying that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.
· I will keep on praying that the Holy Spirit will open your eyes to the truth.
Paul is saying:
· This is the Only Way you will Understand the Doctrines of Scripture.
Indeed, you cannot understand Spiritual Truth without the Work of the Holy Spirit.

The fundamental principle is this:
· Test all Bible Teachers by the Word of the Living God &
the testimony of the Holy Spirit within you.
The same principle applies to some of the Deluded Preachers who teach
about the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit.
· For example: Ask yourself this question:
In the Scriptures, where will you find a Believer who has the
Gift of Barking like a Dog or the Gift of Laughter?
I leave you to answer the question for yourself!

In this passage the Apostle John sets out a Three Part Doctrinal Test or Belief Test.
The First Part of this Test is about your Belief concerning Jesus Christ (verses 22-23).
The Second Part of this Test is about the Testimony of the Holy Spirit within you (v 20-21).
The Third Part of this Test is whether or not you Believe the Apostolic Doctrine (v 24-25):
"See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also
will remain in the Son & in the Father, & this is what he promised us - even eternal life."
John is saying:
The antidote to False Teaching is to return to the teaching given at the beginning.
The Aim of all True Christians must be to Believe & Teach the Apostles' Doctrine.
Roy Laurin says:
"The Body of Truth dates from the Beginning.
This means that the Christian Faith is a settled & complete Body of Truth."

This thought is a Common Theme in the Epistles written at the End of the Apostolic Era:
The Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy, (2 Tim 1:13-14 & 1 Tim 6:3), to :
Keep the Pattern of Sound Teaching, & to Guard the Deposit that was entrusted to him.
Paul warns him about False Teachers who will NOT agree with this Sound Instruction.
· Peter asks us to recall the Words Spoken by the Prophets & the Apostles (2 Peter 3:2)
· Jude urges us to Contend for the Faith that was once entrusted to the saints (verses 3).
All of these expressions Reflect the Practice of the Early Church:
"They devoted themselves to the Apostles' Doctrine" (Acts 2:42).
These Bible Writers did not exhort Believers to be innovative & to be creative in their beliefs.
· Instead, they gave the same message as the old-fashioned children's chorus, which is still true:
"The old old story it is ever new; The old old story, praise the Lord 'tis true;
That Jesus died for me as well as you; Tell me the old old story."

Paul talks about Christians following the Pattern of Sound Teaching. (2 Timothy 1:13).
· The word 'Sound' here actually means 'Healthy.'
This is the Greek expression used about people whom Jesus had 'Healed'.
Previously they had been 'maimed or diseased' - Now they were made 'whole or healthy'.
· So, the Christian Faith consists of 'Sound Words' or 'Sound Teaching', because it is 'whole' rather than 'maimed or diseased.' Hence, the term: "The Whole Counsel of God" (Acts 20:27)
Therefore, a Christian may be defined as someone who Believes 'Healthy & Whole Teaching'.
· Christians are like this because they listen to 'Healthy & Whole Teaching.'
· On the other hand, False Teachers are people who give 'Unhealthy & Unsound Teaching', which produces 'Unhealthy & Unsound Followers.'

Furthermore, Paul had given these 'Sound Words' to Timothy in a certain 'Pattern'.
· We must hold onto a particular Pattern of Sound Teaching.
Arndt & Gingrich say that this term means 'model or example'.
· Therefore, it is used in the sense of a 'Prototype' or a 'Standard'.
The Doctrine Timothy had heard from the Apostle Paul was to be kept before him as his 'Model or Standard of Sound Teaching'.

All of the Apostles tell us the same thing:
"There is no need for any Further Revelation of Truth. All we need is found in the
Word of the Living God, taught by the Prophets & the Apostles."
· There is no warrant in Scripture for an additional revelation, like the Book of Mormon.
· There is no warrant for novelties & fashions in Christian Doctrine.
· There is no need for Additions to the Apostles Teaching, which merely satisfies 'itching ears'

Paul warns that the time will come when people will not put up with Sound Doctrine.
"They will turn their ears away from the truth & turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:4)
John is talking about such people:
"I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray"
Or - concerning those who try to deceive you (1 John 2:26).
· These Teachers professed to be True Christians who possessed a Spiritual Gift.
But, in reality, they were 'Impostors & Hypocrites', who simply 'deceived' others.
The Lord Jesus himself warned us about such False Teachers, in Mark 13:21-23:
"At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, there he is!'
do not believe it. For False Christs & False Prophets will appear & perform signs &
miracles to deceive the elect - if that were possible. So be on your guard."
· These people will not have a badge with 'False Teacher' written on it.
· They will not have 'False Doctrine' written over the Bible in their hand.
· That is why Jesus & the Apostles give us this warning, before we meet up with these people.

Remember what the Christians at Thessalonica did when they first believed:
"They received the message with great eagerness & examined the Scriptures every day
to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11).
When writing First Thessalonians Paul encourages them to keep on doing this:
"Do not put out the Spirit's Fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything.
Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
This is exactly what John says:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether
they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 Jn 4:1).
When you Hear any Preacher - Ask yourself these Three Fundamental Questions:
· What does this Teacher have to say about Christ?
· What does he have to say about the Holy Spirit?
· Is his teaching in accordance with Apostolic Doctrine?
· Furthermore, Go Home & Use these criteria to Test your Own Doctrinal Position.
If you Pass the Test - you can possess a Full Assurance of Faith.
If you Fail the Test - you need to ask the Holy Spirit to Teach you afresh from God's Word.
OR, it may be, that you were Never a True Believer in the first place.