“Stay connected to the Truth”
1John 2:18-27 (NIRV) New International Reader's Version
18 Dear children, we are living in the last days. You have heard that the great enemy of Christ is coming. But even now many enemies of Christ have already come. That’s how we know that these are the last days. 19 These enemies left our community of believers. They didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by leaving they showed that none of them belonged to us.
20 You have received the Spirit from the Holy One. And all of you know the truth. 21 I’m not writing to you because you don’t know the truth. I’m writing because you do know it. I’m writing to you because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. The person who says this is the great enemy of Christ. They say no to the Father and the Son. 23 The person who says no to the Son doesn’t belong to the Father. But anyone who says yes to the Son belongs to the Father also.
24 Make sure that you don’t forget what you have heard from the beginning. Then you will remain joined to the Son and to the Father. 25 And here is what God has promised us. He has promised us eternal life.
26 I’m writing these things to warn you. I am warning you about people trying to lead you astray. 27 But you have received the Holy Spirit from God. He continues to live in you. So you don’t need anyone to teach you. God’s Spirit teaches you about everything. What he says is true. He doesn’t lie. Remain joined to Christ, just as you have been taught by the Spirit.
The war of misinformation (e.g., fake news, conspiracy theories).
1. The bad news: The Rise of enemy of Christ (vv. 18-23)
The key characteristics of false teachers:
Denying the Father and the Son
Denying Jesus's humanity
Spreading division
Discussion: Do you know any false teachers nowadays? How can you identify false teachers?
2. The good news: The protection by the Holy Spirit (vv. 20-21)
The Holy Spirit gives us discernment and teaching in truth.
Discussion: Have you experienced the guidance in truth by the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit teach us truth.
3. The union in Truth: Remain joined to God and know Him directly (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) (vv. 24-27)
A deep, intimate, and ongoing personal relationship with God.
Application: Cultivate a deeper relationship with God and knowledge of Him through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship.
Pray for discernment, protection from deception, and a deepening relationship with God.
