The history of the church is littered with disputes and divisions. Many whole denominations have resulted from church splits. It is clear why the enemy would like to multiply this kind of damage. However, it can be challenging to keep a clear perspective when you are in the middle of a local situation.

A group had left the church that John was writing to in this letter. They had not departed because of a personality clash or a preference for different worship music. They believed they had a superior spirituality and a higher grasp of truth. They denied the Trinity, rejected the Son and undermined the reality of eternal life itself (vs 20–23).

So John wrote to the remaining group to reassure them that they had the truth and the Spirit of God living in them (v 20). This anointing meant they did not need the ‘super-spiritual’ teaching of the group that had left. If there is a super-anything in Christianity, then it is the presence of the Holy Spirit whom every true believer in Jesus already has to help us abide in Christ (vs 24–27).

Lord, open my eyes to the truth today. Grant me a spiritual gift of discernment to know when lies are misrepresenting you.

We cannot read the phrase ‘this is the last hour’ (v 18) without feeling the weight of its significance today. As I write, the world is emerging slowly from a global pandemic and dealing with a war in Eastern Europe. In both circumstances, the issue of truth and lies has come to the fore. Who can be trusted? When John used the phrase, like other New Testament writers, he viewed the whole period commencing with Christ’s first coming as the last days.¹ The word ‘last’ imparts a sense of urgency and imminence. If that was true then, how much more so today? 

John faces the problem of false teachers tearing at the church and he writes to frustrate their efforts. He identifies the expectation that at the end of time a figure will appear called ‘the antichrist’ (v 18), who will be opposed to Jesus and his people.² This figure is not Satan, but by his lying and deceiving he will act as Satan’s agent in the world. John is concerned that in his day there are many who share the features of a lying antichrist, walking away from fellowship (v 19), denying the deity of Christ (v 22). 

John’s antidote to the poison of these subversives is powerful: the anointing of the Spirit, breathing upon the truth of the gospel (v 20). The Holy Spirit reminds believers of the words and teaching of Jesus,³ so John urges them to remain in all that they had received from the beginning, through the words of the apostles. He is not against teaching, but urges his readers to sift what they hear and to seek the Spirit’s illumination as to what is true and what is false. We have probably never needed that advice more than we do today.

Consider taking a fast from social media for a while as you make space to read God’s Word and consider the truth of the gospel.

¹ Acts 2:17; Heb 1:2  ² 2 Thess 2:3  ³ John 14:26