Even now many antichrists have appeared.

1 John 2:18-3:6 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

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. 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 evident that they all are not of us. ²⁰ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. ²¹ 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. ²² Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴ As for you, see that what you heard from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.

²⁵ This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ And as for you, the anointing which you received from Him remains in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you remain in Him.

²⁸ Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not draw back from Him in shame at His coming. ²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness also has been born of Him.

3 See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. ² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

⁴ Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. ⁶ No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him.

Throughout history people have tried to identify the antichrist, often speculating that the evil leaders of their time might be the antichrist. Today’s text says: 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.  Even as John wrote this two thousand years ago, many antichrists had already appeared. John says: 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. Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. Surely then by that standard, there are many antichrists throughout our society and culture today, many who deny the Father and the Son.

In Matthew 16:13-19 it says: Now when Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you yourselves say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”  It is upon the revelation of the truth, from God the Father, that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, that Jesus builds His church. It is upon that revelation and truth that the church can stand against the gates of Hell. Those who knowing the truth, reject or deny that Jesus is the Christ, are liars. If they deny Christ, they are of the antichrist.

In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”  Today’s text says: Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin. No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him. Practice is defined as: repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.  It is those who practice sin and lawlessness, those who choose to sin continually who do not know Jesus, nor will they be known by His work of redemption. In Matthew 24:12, when Jesus describes the circumstances that will exist before he returns, He says: “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold.” Surely, we can see the increase of lawlessness in our society and culture, and we also see the corresponding lack or coldness of love. 1 John 4:19 says: We love, because He first loved us. Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Those who deny the love of God, demonstrated through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, lack the ability and capacity to practice true love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says: Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Amen. We can also substitute God and Christ for love and it still holds true.

The text says: See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Amen.