How to Know that You Know God: The Test of Doctrine - 1 John 2:18-23

1:20We've been working our way through chapter 2 of 1 John. Call it the chapter of tests. To see whether or not you really do know God, and to be able to, on the same token, be able to test to see if others know God. We've looked at several tests: there's the test of obedience, the test of love, the test of spiritual growth, the test of worldly affections. And today, John gives us the test of doctrine. There are certain objective truths from the Bible that speak about Jesus and who he is.

2:02And you can tell whether or not one has a relationship with the Father based on the doctrine, based upon the teaching that they have received and emulate and embody in their life. So, I want to jump right into that. But this is part of a section beginning in verse 18 that goes all the way to the end of the chapter that really John is dealing with recognizing and overcoming Antichrist. Recognizing and overcoming Antichrist. We jump into a passage this morning that is really all about Antichrist and his theology. We've heard that the Antichrist is coming. Certainly, in our times, the question seems to be asked more and more frequently. Where are we in the spectrum of time? Where are we, and according to God's epics, what is taking place around our world?

3:07Well, what John does in these verses, beginning in verses 18 through 29, he shows us really in a thumbnail sketch the rise and fall of the Antichrist. Today, we're going to be looking more at the first part of that, recognizing the Antichrist and the Antichrist. Next time, we'll look at how to overcome him a little more specifically. But today, we'll just look at what I just read to you, verses 18 through 23, and I want you to understand the basics of Antichrist theology so that you'll be able to identify who those who propagate his error. And if you yourself have succumbed to Antichrist theology, that you would quickly abandon it today and embrace the Christ revealed in Scripture. For it is he and only he that the scriptures testify of. So, we'll be looking at the test of doctrine.

4:16How to know that you know God, test of doctrine. You need to understand, you need to be able to recognize Antichrist theology, and you need to know Christian theology. But John speaks very clearly of the advent of Antichrist theology, and we are now living in it. Antichrist theology is a real thing. Look back at verse 18. Children, it is the last hour. And just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have appeared. From this, we know that it is the last hour. There is the reality of Antichrist theology. It really does exist. It is a school of thought. We can think of it as a school of thought that is really out there in the marketplace of ideas today. In fact, it is, you can really boil all of the marketplace ideas really down to two major axioms, one major watershed dividing point. Is Jesus the Christ the Son of the Most High or is he not? Christian theology says yes. Antichrist theology says no.

5:36But the reality of Antichrist theology stems from the reality of the Antichrist himself. Look back at verse 18. John makes it very clear that he believes in the coming of an individual, masculine, singular individual, who is the embodiment of evil and who has, through his deception, brought the nations together. Together under one coalition against Christ. Just as you heard that Antichrist is coming. Notice he's not saying that he has come, he is saying you have heard that the Antichrist is coming. And it is John who describes him in the terms of Antichrist. No other author describes him. We get the terminology Antichrist from the Apostle John. Now, other biblical writers describe him, or speak of this individual in different terms, but referring to the same individual. For instance, Daniel 12:11, Daniel refers to him as the abomination that causes desolation. Cannot fully be met in Antiochus Epiphanies, about one coming, abomination of desolation, future. Paul refers to him in 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 3 as the apostasy, the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction. And what will he do? He goes on in verse 4, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. That is the heart of Antichrist, to oppose Christ and to replace Christ.

7:28John is not saying that he has. Come, but that he is coming and his audience is well aware of it, just as you have heard. But so the reality of the Antichrist stems from the reality of antichrist, or the reality of, I'm sorry, the reality of Antichrist theology stems from the reality of Antichrist Himself and the reality of the spirit of the Antichrist. Look back at verse 18. Just as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, even now, even at this moment, even now, many Antichrists have appeared.

8:08So John in his day is seeing Antichrists with a little A appearing. They have already come. They think and act like the Antichrist. They propagate the error of the Antichrist. They are of the same spirit. You remember John the Baptist, who he was that forerunner to Christ. Make way, make way for Christ. Well, we can think of these Antichrists in the same kind of vein. They are the forerunners, and they go forth in the spirit and power of Antichrist, deceiving and being deceived.

8:55And so you have the reality of Antichrist coming. You have the presence of the Antichrist in John's day, and they are propagating their error, the reality of Antichrist doctrine. And that's what John's setting: we're going to get to is that test of doctrine: what stems out of an Antichrist heart and what stems from a true believing heart. But as their name implies, they're not known by what they are for, but whom they oppose. I think, even in our society today, our political parties really are in many ways more defined or by what they're against sometimes than really what they're for. And so, you get a collection or a confederacy of people that are more defined by what they're against than what they are for. Well, the same is true about Antichrist. These are antichrist, they oppose him, and their presence among the churches during John's day convinced him that humanity had entered into its final epoch. Look at what he says: From this we know that it is the last hour. Verse 18: Children, it is the last hour, and from this we know it is the last hour.

10:30Many antichrists have appeared on the scene. Now, what does he mean the last hour? Now, many skeptics look at this and say, John was obviously mistaken. Last hour, that seems to be referring to a very short period of time, and it's been 2,000 years. So, obviously, John's got it wrong. He was all caught up in the day. And the problem with that is if that's the truth, we have no revelation at all because John is making a very definitive statement. This is the last hour, and by this, we know this is the last hour. What is he talking about? Well, he's talking about this last epic, this final campaign against Jesus Christ, the final expression, reaching a crescendo in the coming of the Antichrist himself. But it is the mustering of the forces against Christ.

11:33Just as Christ was opposed when he was here on the earth, just as Satan has opposed God from the very beginning, just as Christ, when he was upon the earth, was opposed by Satan through direct temptation, through opposition from the religious leaders, through possessing Judas, and all of these things. Satan opposed Christ when he was here. He opposed. The apostolic testimony. Remember, Jesus said, future generations are going to know me through their word. We are only going to know the Christ revealed in Scripture through the words of the apostles. And so, entering into this final epoch of the battle between light and darkness, it's going to be all about the proclamation of the gospel, the proclaimers.

12:28It's the last epic. And just so you understand, the Bible uses a variety of language to describe these biblical epochs, these biblical periods of time. Peter refers to the last times. He likes that expression, verse 1:20 of 1 Peter. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times. So Jesus has appeared. We're in the last times. He has appeared. You hear the expression of the last days, right? You've heard that. Joel speaks of this time in chapter 2 and verse 28. He says, It will come about after this that I will pour out my spirit on all mankind, and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

13:26And remember, Peter picks this text up in Acts chapter 12. 2, 17, and he uses this text to say, Look, men of Israel, the last days are here. He refers this theory to the last days, beginning there at Pentecost, certainly there at Pentecost. The last days, a period that's going to go on, continues to go on, even now. Micah uses this same expression, the last days. Micah 4:1 says, and it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as chief among the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and the people will stream to it. During the last days, which we're in, there are going to be the last days of the last days in which the mountain of the Lord is going to be exalted, the last days.

14:24But Jesus speaks of the last days, of the last day, of the last days. John 6:39, this is the will of him who sent me, that of all he has given me, I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I myself will raise him up on the last day. John 12, 48, Jesus said, He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has one who judges him. Him. The word I spoke is what will judge him on the last day. So Jesus speaks of the last day, of the last days, of the last days. And when he will resurrect and he will proclaim salvation, he will bring forth a whole new salvation ready to be revealed in the last times. Last day.

15:24And he'll also bring about judgment on that day. Kind of foolish to be thinking about here we are 2,000 years and we're still talking about this criminal, this Roman criminal who died on the cross and we're expecting him to return. Yes, that's exactly what our proclamation is. Yes, that's exactly what the apostolic testimony is and has been. And it is exactly that proclamation that Antichrist and his forces opposes in a variety of ways. But you need to understand the nature of the final campaign is about the proclamation.

16:06The proclamation, Jesus, the Christ of Scripture, has been proclaimed. His word will go out. His gospel will go out to all the nations. Like leaven or like yeast working its way through a big lump of dough, the gospel will go forth. And just as Satan has opposed God from the beginning, so he will oppose God in the proclamation. Which the apostles passed on to subsequent generations through the church period through the church age. There will be churches who embrace, there will be those who embrace the truth, they will be those who organize their community around the truth, and they will send the truth forward from them because they believe, because they have received. And it is that proclamation that the Antichrist and his forces are going to come at with all viciousness. They are going to seek to thwart the proclamation of the gospel by discrediting ministers, by perverting the theology.

17:18That's the era we live in. That's the advent of Antichrist theology. But it will come to an end. As I said, Christ will return. That'll be the end of it. But even as we wait, there is evidence that there are those on earth that just will not buy it. They will overcome. They will overcome all the wiles of the devil to shake them loose from the lover of their souls. They are so connected to Christ that all hell. Itself, all its fury, all its deception cannot shake.

18:08That's the advent of Antichrist theology. And my question to you today: who do you say he is? Because ultimately it comes down to what's going on on the inside of your heart, regardless of what happens in the world. Is he Christ the Son of the Most High or is He not? What school of thought do you belong to? Truly, it's the last hour. The advent of the Antichrist theology is here. John tells us a little bit about the rise of the Antichrist theology. He tells us about the rise, at least in this epic. Obviously, there's been opposition from the very beginning, but look specifically what John tells us in verse 19. They went out from us, but they were not really of us. For if they had been of us, they would have remained with us, but they went out so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

19:20Antichrist theology originated from within the church, at least from the visible church, those who looked like they were. Part of the church, at least for some while. There are two kinds of two groups of people here. There are those who left, and there are those that remained. Those who left left for a reason, and those who remained remained for a reason. That's what John is speaking about. Those who left, undoubtedly, it's going to be over doctrine, as he's going to come to in a moment. A doctrine of who is Christ? Who is he really?

20:01Who do they think he is? It's either going to be over doctrine or the lifestyle commanded by the doctrine of who Christ is. And it's upon that that people depart. When you really come to find out who Christ is and what he wants of you, unless you've been born of God, you will have no taste for it. And eventually you'll reach a point to where you'll ask yourself, who is this Jew that wants to have authority over my life?

20:33And unless you're born of him, you will have no taste for him. That's why you must be born again. That's why the apostles proclaimed it. You must be born again. Well, their associations were short-lived. They were part of the visible church for a while, but their association with the church was short-lived once they came down to really understand what Christ, who he is, and what He expects they abandon. They wanted to come up with a little more comfortable theology, one that still allowed them to govern and rule their life as they wanted.

21:16But these words bring up a very important doctrine that has been with the church. The Reformation doctrine you often heard is perseverance of the saints. Perseverance of the saints. Sometimes in baptistic circles, you might hear the expression, once saved, always saved. The idea once you're born of God, you'll never be unborn of God. And the idea, which is true, I certainly believe that is a true biblical position. However, sometimes you get the wrong idea by putting the emphasis in the wrong place. Once you're saved, it doesn't really matter how you live, you're fine.

22:00The doctrine that the Reformers, the sister doctrine, really the doctrine that says the same thing, but really in different words, talks about the perseverance of the saints, that those who really are born of God will persevere to the end. They may be shaken, they may be battered, they may fall, they may sin, they may all that stuff, but at the end of the day, they remain. Who else to where we go? Where else should we go? No one else has the words of life. There is. A fruit of perseverance that is the ultimate sign or indication or fruit of the genuineness of a believer. They don't run outside the bounds of the apostolic faith. When I'm talking about the apostolic faith, I'm talking about the testimony of Jesus that has been handed down to us in the written record. We are connected to him through those words.

23:04But those who are of the antichrist theology do not stay within the bounds of what has been handed down to us from the apostles. In fact, remember 2 John 1, the only chapter, verse 9. You remember we looked at this. John is speaking to the elect lady. He says, Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. So he's speaking of the one who goes too far. Well, these individuals, these Antichrists that John is speaking about in verse 19, they went out, they went beyond the bounds of what the apostles or the testimony of the apostles.

24:02Those who remain in the faith, they are the ones who are in union with Christ. And those who depart never were. Go to John 4. Had they been of us, they would have remained with us. But so that it would be shown that they, they went out, so that it would be shown that they are not of us. That's why they went out. A revelation showing who they really are. Listen, there's coming a revelation when we shall be revealed for who we really are. And if you are born of God, you will overcome the world.

24:45That's going to be John's testimony. The question is, are you going to believe what he has to say or not? But that is, they will overcome their defection from the faith. And we see it all the time. We see people defecting all the time. Why does God allow defection? Why did he allow these to defect from the faith? He did so to unmask their apostasy. Their defection is their unmasking of who they really are. Listen, there is the visible church. There are many gathered here today, and I'm afraid that even among us, That there may be those who do not know Christ, who have succumbed to Antichrist theology because they do not want to give to Christ what God has given him.

25:45And you're part of the visible church, but the day is coming when you will be revealed. And so, through the proclamation of this morning, I appeal to you to abandon your Christlessness and embrace the Christ of Scripture. Repent of your sin, believe in him, and just go with him. He is Christ. A few observations at this point I just want to make about Antichrist theology. As a movement, if you think about it, just in the time period, Antichrist theology had to get started among the apostolic churches. It had to be close enough to hear and understand the terms of the apostolic faith in order to deny them, right? It's hard to deny something that you have no clue what they're even saying. And so, of course, Antichrist theology is going to develop out of the church, the visible church.

26:54As a movement, second, antichrist theology had to grow in its skill of opposing Christ. Yes, there's a spiritual side that's been there from the beginning, but there is a development among humanity. Here are the claims of Christ, and then here are the counterclaims to Christ that come out of the deniers of Christ. And so that, like any school, has to develop. They have to become more articulate in their positions, more articulate in their argument, the rise of greater teachers, more persuasive teachers. All that has to happen. They have to grow in their ability to argue against Christ and to move people away from the Christ revealed in Scripture.

27:44And it had to be Christian enough to deceive. Third observation I want to make about Antichrist theology is that God allows Antichrist theology to run its course, not just in John's generation, but throughout the period, to unmask false converts. The Advent Antichrist theology. Looked at the rise of Antichrist theology, but then John goes on to show us two defenses against Antichrist theology. Two defenses. Verse 20, but you, notice, but you, but you, in contrast to they who have departed. Now, John is speaking about those who have remained, but you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Two defenses that true believers have that will keep them from being swept up in the delusion of Antichrist theology. And he's going to go more into them in verse 27, so I don't intend to spend a lot of time on them this morning, but very powerful, very, I look forward to going deeper with these.

29:10But it's important to quickly mention them here. The first defense against Antichrist theology is an anointing from the Holy One. Look back at verse 20. But you, y'all, collectively, y'all, that's important too. Y'all have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. What is the anointing here? It's the word prisma, charisma, prisma. What is it? Well, anointing here, it's not about the act of being anointed, it refers to that which is applied. So think about it. The ointment, it's the oil. It's not the act of anointing, it is the oil, it is the anointing, it is the ointment.

30:10Jesus Himself was anointed by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. What is this charisma? It's the Holy Spirit. For anyone to remain in the truth, they have to be taught the truth well enough to understand it. They have to remember the truth and they have to obey the truth, right? And we're not going to do that on our own. And Jesus knew. I mean, I'm doing well too. I mean, you can see how I'm trying to learn everybody's names, but it takes me a while, doesn't it? Sometimes I can't remember if I'm coming or going where I left my phone and all that kind of stuff. How in the world am I going to hang on to something so important as obeying the commandments of Christ? I'm not going to get there on my own. And Jesus, witnessing the disciples, knew exactly that they weren't going to get there on their own either. And so, what does he say? In John chapter 14:15, he says, If you love me, you will keep my commandments. You will obey my commandments. And then he says, Right, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another helper. In other words, yeah, I know you love me, you're going to keep my commandments, but you need to. helper in this that he may be with you forever that is the spirit of truth when the world can whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him but you know him because he abides with you and will be in you then he goes on in john 14 26 but the helper who is this helper the holy spirit whom the father will send in my name jesus tells us who the helper is the holy spirit who the father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that i say to you so do you see the ministry of the holy spirit is going to cause you to walk to help you walk in his ways and to obey his commandments by teaching you all things and bring to your remembrance all that i said john 15 26 jesus begins when the helper comes whom i will send to you from the father that is the spirit of truth who proceeds from the father he will testify about me and you will testify because you have been with me from the beginning so the very thing that the spirit of truth is going to do he's going to lead the disciples into the truth so that they can remember the truth so they can understand the truth remember it and obey it and then that they can testify to the truth and in subsequent generations the holy spirit is going to take that truth that he revealed to the apostles that was enscripturated and Is through those words that he is going to bring us into union with the very Christ that the disciples walked with. That is the ministry of the Spirit of truth. And it is why this first generation that John, probably this time, this may be the second generation, John lives so old, but it's why they didn't, that's why they remained, they had an anointing. So the first defense against being swept away in Antichrist theology is that the church has been given an anointing from the Holy Spirit. And you all know. You all know what? Look at the end of verse 20. And you all know. Not that you all know all things, but that you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. You know. What? Know what?

33:54The truth. Verse 21, which brings us to the second defense. You have an anointing as the body, Christ, as individual members of the Christ, of the church, an anointing, and you know the truth. The second defense. An anointing, the spirit of truth, to lead you into the truth. And the two are related. Light is about truth, right? It's the metaphor. I have written to you, verse 21, because I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

34:42Two things that these churches understood. They understood the truth because they had been given the Spirit of truth to lead them in truth, and they also understood the nature of truth. The truth shows us reality, doesn't it? It reveals things as they really are. And those who are in union with Christ understand that he speaks the truth. Jesus Himself, I am the Christ. He is the Christ. Jesus, Peter Himself, says, You are the Christ, the Son of the Most High. Blessed are you, Peter. For this was revealed to you, not from flesh and blood, but from my heavenly Father. You have a connection with my heavenly Father, Peter, because you understand this. You understand the truth.

35:40But they also understood the nature of truth. Look back. And because no lie is of the truth, you also know the truth, but you know the characteristic of the truth. No lie comes out of the truth. There isn't truth, and then it gives birth to lie. Lies. No lie is of the truth. When you hear of a lie, you understand it originated, not from truth. So John wrote to them because they knew the truth. They knew the spirit of truth. They had been anointed by the spirit of truth.

36:29Which brings us to the teachings of the Antichrist theology. Teachings of Antichrist theology. We've looked at the advent and the rise of Antichrist theology. We've looked at the defenses against Antichrist theology. Now I want to look at the teachings of Antichrist theology. And this is where we get to the test of the doctrine itself. John comes to the doctrinal test. And again, Antichrist theology is described by what it's against or who it's against. Two denials. Two denials. The first denial involves Jesus' relationship to humanity. The second denial involves Jesus' relationship to God. So we'll just take them one at a time. The first denial. Look back at verse 22. Who is the liar, but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Who is the liar?

37:30One who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Listen, after all that John had witnessed, he knew that Jesus was indeed God's anointed one over humanity. The word Christ is Greek for the Hebrew Messiah. Same word, God's anointed, God's ruler, God's king, God's supreme one over all humanity. John had witnessed Jesus' authority displayed in every realm of human existence over the human body, over demonic spirits, even death itself. Listen, we need a king that can march right through the doors of death, right, and come right out. That's the Messiah.

38:22That's the king. That's the one God wants enthroned on your heart. That's the one that God insists will be over all humanity. And Jesus unquestionably saw himself as such. He clearly presented himself as Israel's king. He rode in on a donkey in accordance with the scripture, as if to say very loudly, Here I am. I'm not coming in to pound you into submission. I'm coming to lead you in the truth and in righteousness. I'm here to lead you to your Father's throne. I'm here to lead you in holiness and goodness and to put away your sin forever so that you can have a relationship with your Heavenly Father forever. And the first thing he did, what does he do? He goes right up to the temple, right? Because the very first thing this king is going to do is clear up, clean up Israel's worship. And that's the first thing the Messiah takes care of, right? He's going to take care of our sin so that we're not destroyed for it. But he comes to clean up our worship, to arrange the things in our hearts and lives so that our worship would be acceptable. Because what you worship says everything about who you are.

39:56And it is God's insistence that you worship what is right and what is good because it is right and good for him to insist upon it. So it's clear that the disciples proclaim Jesus as the Christ. And what John is saying is: who is the liar? Who is the granddaddy of liars? Who is the liar par excellence? The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. They either have not looked at the testimony of what the apostles are saying, and there are many. Schools of thought today that will look at the scripture and say, no, John didn't say that. John didn't mean that. Jesus never claimed it. Wrong, wrong, wrong. That is Antichrist theology, the manifestation of it.

40:472 John 1:7, John says, For many deceivers have gone out into the world. These who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ is coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist. You see, the greatest liar is the one who deceives you on the most important issue of all. Is Jesus Christ or not? Two schools of thought. One may be ignorant of the facts of Jesus and not be of the person of the Antichrist, but those who are not ignorant of the facts or the testimony of the facts, these are of the Antichrist.

41:32Second denial in this test of doctrine, the unique relationship between Father and Son. Teachings of the Antichrist. First, they deny that Jesus is the Christ. This strips Christ of his proper place among humanity in relationship to all of us. The second attack is a denial of the relationship between Father and Son. And this is an attack against Jesus' relationship. To the Father, his unique relationship to God. You see, John and the other apostles knew that Jesus was more than just a man God had anointed for some special task.

42:19They came to understand that to behold Jesus was to behold their heavenly Father. Remember, Philip in John 14, 8, said, Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him, Have I been so long with you, yet you have not come to know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, show us the Father? What do you think all this has been about, Philip? I have been showing your heavenly Father. To see me is to see your Father.

42:57No, Jesus was not at all silent. John 5 is all about Jesus' equality, claims to equality with God. In fact, the Jews were seeking to kill him because he was referring to God as his Father, making himself out to be equal with God. And instead of backing down, Jesus goes right into it in John chapter 5 and says, Look, I do only the things that the Father does. Believe the testimony of the works. The miracles that I am doing.

43:33I am the author of life, just as the Father raises the dead, so I give life to whoever I wish. And he says this in verse 22 of 5:4 judges anyone, but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Now, for Jesus to say such things as that and not believe he was equal with his heavenly Father would be blasphemous. In fact, that's the way the Jews took it. Blasphemous.

44:12No, Jesus is eternally the Son of God. Antichrist theology denies Jesus his unique relationship both to humanity and to God. But here's the question: Who says that God cannot take upon human flesh and walk among us? Who says? I mean, there's so many schools of thought, and certainly that John was dealing with, God is too holy to take upon flesh. Even today, you'll hear that he's too holy to take upon flesh. That's anathema to think that God actually came down and walked among us.

44:55Who says he cannot take upon human flesh and walk among us? John has already answered that question. Only the granddaddy of liars. Why would you limit God in such a way? Who says he can't walk among us? He did. He came. He walked among us. And who are you to limit God? He walked among us. He did the things that only God can do. He went through death and came out. And we live in this period of Antichrist theology that denies that Jesus is the Christ and denies his unique relationship as son to his heavenly father. These are overtly objective tests. You can test any school of theology. This is a test of doctrine.

45:56Final verse here. I want you to see the reason why, reason behind such denials. Why do they deny these things, these Antichrists that left? Verse 23, whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. That's why. There is no relationship between these Antichrists that left and their heavenly Father. There was no relationship, and because there was no relationship, they rejected his Son. Likewise, to Day. If you reject the Son, whom the Father has sent to you, you're not just rejecting the Son, you're rejecting the One who sent him to you. God has walked among us, He has come so that you would be properly related to Him, so that you would understand Him. And to deny Jesus is to deny the One who sent Him.

46:59And if you deny Jesus, it's evidence that you do not know your heavenly Father. This is what John is saying. But look back. The one who confesses the Son has the Father also. Confessing is the opposite of denying. Confessing is that public declaration: I profess Him, I confess Him, I assure that Jesus is the Christ, Son of the Most High. Well, just as there is the evil spirit that seeks to deny Jesus His rightful place, there is the Holy Spirit that gladly welcomes Him. Of what spirit are you?

47:50Do you gladly welcome Jesus? Or do you deny Him His rightful place? Throughout the centuries, these two schools of thought have grown, systematized. They have birthed religions, denominations, cults, and movements. What does atheism, secularism, all the brands of unbiblical Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and you just go on down the list, what do they all have in common? Two things. They deny that Jesus is the Christ, and they deny the relationship, his unique relationship as son to his father.

48:46Do you belong to the school of Christ or the school of Antichrist? Is Jesus your Christ? King? Is he your king? Is he his? Have you received him as such? Is he your Christ? Is he your God? Can you say with Thomas, Jesus, my Lord and my God? Be sure that if that is you, that has been revealed to you by your Heavenly Father, not anything of earth. And this very proclamation this morning is your invitation to receive him as Christ and your God. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you again for the truth of your word that gives us clarity in very chaotic times and even gives us clarity into the thoughts and the issues that we struggle with in our own hearts.

50:04Such a variety of thoughts. Father, but we really do come to Christ this morning. We want your Christ to be our Christ. We want your Son to be our God, our King. Father, we recognize it is beyond our ability to fully understand, but we do know that you walked among us. Father, divine will sent your Son, the expression of complete obedience to Father's will. We understand that you are Spirit, and all this is done by you, through you, for you, and for your glory. So, Father, we desire to worship you and give you what is due. Please forgive us and help us. Help us in our unbelief. In Jesus' name, amen.