”...And every spirit which is not confessing Jesus is not out of God. And this is the [spirit] of antichrist, which you heard that it is coming, and now in the world it is already.”
-Confessing Jesus. Confessing Jesus. This then is the litmus test of every would-be teacher and messenger and message which purports to represent truth pertaining to God. Do they confess Jesus, do they “say-the-same” things about Him, do they agree with what God says about Him in Scripture and with what Jesus said about Himself? Because if they do not, they are not from God. Pure and simple. Laser focus - what do they say about Jesus?
-And this is the starting point for helping determine where anyone is in their personal faith journey. It may not be the actual starting point for any discussions we may have with them. There may need to be a little (or quite a bit of) “pre-evangelism” which takes place prior to that. Conversations about the existence of God, the trustworthiness of Scripture, the nature of creation, etc. Compassionate questions about their own spiritual journey. Maybe they’ve been wounded or burned and they need to be convinced that we care - before they care to hear that of which we are convinced. But sooner or later, it’ll all come down to Jesus. What does one know - and believe - about Him? We need to be pointing our neighbors and the nations to Him.
-But there always will be those who oppose. John has already mentioned antichrist, that which is against or opposes Christ. Even in John’s day, there was a general awareness that one day there would come this person or figure who would be the embodiment of evil, of all that which has forever stood in opposition to God and His purposes, and who would take a final stand against God and His people. But John restates that this “spirit” was already active in the world when he wrote. And to be sure, there were those who opposing Jesus from the very beginning, bruising Him on His heel at every step (cf Genesis 3.15). Folks in his hometown disrespecting Him, Pharisees and religious leaders arguing and conspiring against Him, His own followers (one of them at least) plotting against Him and betraying Him. And the evil one himself - powerless to stop Him or even stand before Him, yet tempting Him and resisting Him nonetheless. This spirit was already in the world, and is front and center in our world today - massive resistance at many points to even naming the Name of Jesus. Many (too many) have exacerbated the situation and sadly have sullied that beautiful Name by misusing and misrepresenting it. But the battle has been joined even apart from that, a desperate rebellion, countless spiritual rebels not going down without a fight, led by one who was a rebel from the beginning. And as God’s appointed Rescuer, Jesus becomes the lightning rod. He is the whipping boy (quite literally, in fact). People blanch when you even mention the name, Jesus. They choke on that Name. They curse with it - and some simply curse it. Ultimately it speaks instantly to whatever rebellion lurks in the shadows of an unbended unmended heart. The more they embrace and cling to their rebellion, the more they must oppose the One Who would rescue them - from themselves.
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