1. Everlasting Mercy Fellowship

2.  1st John 2:18-27
 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that
antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.
Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from
us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would
have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become
plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by
the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not
because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and
because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies
that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the
Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father.
Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you
heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the
beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in
the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us— eternal
life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to
deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him
abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach
you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is
true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

4.  Throughout human history, many men have had the
dubious honor of being considered candidates for the
position of Antichrist. Among the candidates are:
 Emperor Nero
 Napoleon
 Hitler
 Stalin
 Henry Kissinger
 Mikhail Gorbachev
 Ronald Wilson Reagan
 William Jefferson Clinton
 Bill Gates
 The Pope

5.  The focus of much of the world and the church has
been in who is the Antichrist with little to no attention
paid to the topic of what is an antichrist.
 The Apostle John acknowledges the conversation of
the day but focuses his epistle on the topic of what.
Likewise, we too will look at what as opposed to who.
By studying this way, we remain in context with
scripture.

6.  Verse 18 – hours and days are not always used as a
literal measure of time in scripture. They instead are
often used to mark an age ie. Matthew uses similar
language.
 Matthew 24:34-37
 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation
will not pass away until all
these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but
my words will not pass away. 36 "But concerning that day and hour
no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the
Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming
of the Son of Man.
 Verse 19 – Let’s examine the phrase… “From us but
not of us…”

7.  Verse 20 – We are all anointed but for what? We all
have knowledge but of what?
 1st Peter 2:4-5
 4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the
sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living
stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy
priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ.
 Hebrews 13:15–16
 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise
to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do
not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such
sacrifices are pleasing to God.
 Acts 4:32
 32Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart
and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to
him was his own, but they had everything in common.

8.  Verse 21 – Truth vs. Lies
 Verse 22 – Antichrists deny Christ’s deity; they also
deny God as Father
 Verse 23 – The Father and Son are 1. The trinity is not 3
individuals but 1 collective.
 Verse 24 – We don’t just yank our own interpretation
and teaching from the air but we instead observe a
tradition – a lineage that can be trusted traced back to
God who gave us His son.
 Verse 25 – Jesus promised us eternal life
 John 16:33-John 17:3
 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world.“1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he
lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come;
glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have
given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom
you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

9.  Verse 25 – Jesus promised us eternal life. See John
16:33-John 17:3
 John 16:33-John 17:3
 33 Ihave said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world.“1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he
lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come;
glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have
given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom
you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
 Verse 26-27 –You know already and have no need of
additional teaching.

10.  Verse 25 – Jesus promised us eternal life. See John
16:33-John 17:3
 John 16:33-John 17:3
 33 Ihave said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world.“1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he
lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come;
glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have
given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom
you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you
the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
 Verse 26-27 –You know already and have no need of
additional teaching. Is John contradicting his Apostolic
authority? Is he saying we don’t need Pastors?
Preachers? Leadership of any kind? No. John meant 2
things…

11.  John was reinforcing the teaching of Christ in John
16:13-14
 John 16:13-14
 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the
truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he
hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are
to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and
declare it to you.
 John was also invalidating and attacking a group of
heretics called the Gnostics.

13.  The Gnostics were in essence the “Old School” New
Age Movement. They believed that they were called
to teach “the secret things of God”. The “secret
things” included the belief in
 All taught that the body was something to flee from and served
only as an entrapment for the human soul.
 Some taught abstinence from foods and sex; others taught
indulgence. None taught balance and holiness.
 Duality meaning that God was both good and evil.
 Emanation meaning that the Jewish God was but a weaker God in
a long line of divine creatures which included Jesus who they
claimed had not body or footprints and the serpent in the garden
which was an emanation as well.