3. SURE OF THE TRUTH
Question 1:
When have you believed something that
turned out not to be true?
THE POINT
Truth is found in Jesus alone.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
It seems our culture has become less adept at determining what is true and what is not. In a culture of 24/7 news feeds and online opinions masquerading as fact, it should be no surprise that many Americans believe ideas that are just conspiracy theories. In fact, half of Americans believe at least one conspiracy theory.1
For example:
40 percent believe the FDA is withholding natural cures for cancer.2
27 percent believe America is hiding aliens in Area 51.
23 percent believe 9/11 was an inside job.
19 percent believe the government is using chemicals to control the population.3
Typically, conspiracy theories start with a fringe group and then are picked up by a credible source. It’s hard to know what to believe with all the opinions out there. People are confused which produces doubt.
It goes without saying that the struggle for truth is real. However, there is good news! Absolute truth does exist, and it is found in Jesus Christ.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
1 John 2:18-21
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.
Since the coming of Jesus, believers have known they were living in the “last days.” The expression “last hour” is only found here in the New Testament and is synonymous with the idea of the last days. The phrase points to the imminent return of Christ and the final judgment. For believers, this is a day of joyful expectation. However, for the unbeliever, this will be a day of judgment. Every man’s heart will be laid bare before the Lord. All those who trusted in Christ and persevered in righteousness will receive eternal life. But those who persisted in unbelief and acts of unrighteousness will receive eternal death.
John highlighted the reality of the last hour by telling us, “antichrist is coming.” Paul described this same figure as “the man of lawlessness” and “the man doomed to destruction” (2 Thess. 2:3-4). In the future, this man will set up himself to oppose God. In the meantime, “many antichrists have come.” While the last days will involve a central figure who will oppose Christ, multiple antichrists also exist, who even now are working in opposition to the kingdom of God.
These are individuals who are opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture, primarily the doctrine of Christ. John reminded us of their existence so that we would not be caught off guard by them. The presence of these false teachers is a sign of the end times.
Question 2:
How does our culture reflect antichristian views?
How are we to identify these false teachers? We know them by their unwavering commitment to falsehood and their departure from the church. In John’s day, these peddlers of deception gave evidence of their real character by leaving the church. These false teachers were nothing more than wolves in sheep’s clothing. As they persisted in unrighteousness, it became evident that they were never truly a part of the church.
We see the same thing today. Virtually every false teacher leaves the true church in order to start his own. According to these charlatans, everyone else is getting it wrong and they are the only ones getting it right.
Thankfully, true believers “have an anointing from the Holy One, and . . . know the truth.” This anointing is the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, which all believers receive at the moment of their conversion. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate teacher, guiding us into all the truth (John 16:13); therefore, He teaches and leads us as we study the Bible. As we rely on the Spirit of God, we are protected against error.
1 John 2:22-26
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
John also declared that every antichrist is a “liar.” The fact that they are anti—opposed to—Christ means they deny the reality of who Jesus is. The antichrist lies because he denies that Jesus is the Christ. And whoever denies the divinity of Jesus—that He is the Christ, the anointed One from God—ultimately denies the Father as well. A person cannot believe whatever he wants about God’s Son, Jesus, and think he can have a relationship with the Father. To believe wrongly concerning Jesus is to believe wrongly about God. Why? Because Jesus is God. Indeed, He is God who came in human flesh.
The false teachers of John’s day blatantly denied the truth of who Christ is. The particular falsehood that was being taught was called Gnosticism. Gnosticism had two primary errors.
- Docetism. The Gnostics believed the body is evil. Therefore, God, who is Spirit, could not take on flesh. So, according to them, Jesus did not come in the flesh, it only appeared that He did. This is a blatant denial of the incarnation: God becoming man.
- Cerinthianism. Cerinthus taught that Jesus had a real human body, but that He was not the Christ until the Spirit came upon Him at His baptism. Cerinthus taught that the Spirit remained upon Jesus throughout His public ministry, but the Spirit left Him before the crucifixion, since the Spirit could not be associated with suffering.
Of course, the Bible teaches that Jesus is fully God who came in human flesh (John 1:1-5,14). To deny either is defiance against God. Jesus is the eternal God who stepped out of eternity into time, born of a virgin, clothed in human flesh, who died upon a cross, and subsequently rose from the dead.
What believers had heard from the beginning, though, was the preaching of the gospel. They were to let the truth of the gospel remain in them. They were to hold on to it and not be moved away from it. The heart of the gospel message is that all who know the Father through the saving work of His Son have the promise of eternal life. So many people hope for eternal life, but eternal life is a sure promise for every believer in Jesus Christ because the truth is found in Him alone.
Question 3:
What are some truths about Jesus that are
difficult to grasp or believe?
1 John 2:27-29
27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
The proof of true salvation is not just believing the right thing. Conforming to the doctrine is not enough. Our belief should translate into right living. We are to pursue righteousness in light of the imminent return of Christ. John mentioned the return of Christ to motivate his readers to righteous living. Our attitude toward Christ’s second coming says a lot about our spiritual state.
Question 4:
How does the Holy Spirit help us discern truth?
John urged his readers to “remain in Him.” We are not to be moved away from the hope of the gospel. We are to hold to the Christ of Scripture, while living for the glory of God. John mentioned two of the benefits of remaining in Christ.
- Confident. This could also be translated boldness. God desires that all will be prepared to meet Him and will have solid confidence in His return.
- Unashamed. Sadly, many people do not have confidence; instead, they carry the weight of guilt and shame. However, God desires that His people would remain in Him and thus have no reason to be ashamed when Jesus returns.
Because many people don’t see the return of Christ on the horizon, they may not see a need to change their routines or live with His return in mind. For the Christian, however, the right belief must be consistently supported by the right ethic. We look to Christ and in response to the new birth He offers, we seek to live right in His power. “If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him” (v. 29). That practical righteousness is proof of genuine salvation. We can be sure of our salvation, and we can be sure of the truth found through a relationship with Jesus.
Question 5:
What role does our group play in helping
us remain in the truth?
TO TELL THE TRUTH
Fill in the blanks below. Then offer a prayer to God for help in discerning the truth.
Describe how you can tell the difference between a lie and the truth:
A lie is known by:
_____________ ____________ ____________
Truth is known by:
________ __________ _________
Offer a prayer that the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth to you about something you are struggling with.
My Prayer:
________________________________________
Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
JOHN 14:6
LIVE IT OUT
Truth is found in Jesus alone. Choose one of the following applications:
Examine your life. Have you genuinely embraced the truth by trusting in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Look at your life. It will tell you everything you need to know. If you’re not sure of your relationship with God, there’s help on the inside cover of this book.
Prioritize your life. In light of Christ’s imminent return, are your priorities in the right order? If not, what changes need to be made to rearrange them? This week do a thorough evaluation of your priorities and be honest with yourself. Ask God to help you with these priorities.
Invest in someone’s life. Do you know someone who needs to hear the truth? Perhaps a neighbor, a coworker, a classmate, or a friend? If so, then share the truth of the gospel with them this week. Take it a step further and buy them a Bible, if you believe they may not have one.
There are many ways to be misled these days. But the truth of God’s Word will lead us to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Teacher Notes:
Sure
of the Truth: Video: Searching for the Truth
What’s
the wildest conspiracy theory you’ve heard?
For
example:
40
percent believe the FDA is withholding natural cures for cancer.2
27
percent believe America is hiding aliens in Area 51.
23
percent believe 9/11 was an inside job.
19
percent believe the government is using chemicals to control the population.3
People
are confused which produces doubt.
It
goes without saying that the struggle for truth is real. However, there is good
news! Absolute truth does exist, and it is found in Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:18-21
18
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have
come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They
went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had
belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that
none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy
One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not
know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the
truth.
What
is the last hour John is talking about?
- Since the coming of Jesus, believers have known
they were living in the “last days.” The expression “last hour” is only found
here in the New Testament and is synonymous with the idea of the last days.
- 2:18-23 John is talking about
the last days, the time between Christ’s first and second comings. The
first-century readers of 1 John lived in the last days and so do we. During
this time, antichrists (false teachers who pretend to be Christians and who
lure weak members away from Christ) will appear. Finally, just before the world
ends, one great antichrist will arise (Rev. 13; 19:20; 20:10). We do not need
to fear these evil people, however. The Holy Spirit shows us their errors, so
we will not be deceived. However, we must teach God’s Word clearly and carefully
to the peripheral, weak members among us so that they won’t fall prey to these
teachers who “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious
wolves” (Matt. 7:15).
I
thought there was just one antichrist, why does John say many have come?
How
can you recognize an antichrist today and could they be in the church?
- Anyone who opposes Christ is an antichrist.
- Those who voluntarily leave the fellowship of
believers in Christ and reject Him as Christ are giving evidence their
so-called profession of Christ was only pretense.
- 2:19 The antichrists were not total strangers
to the church; they once had been in the church, but they did not really belong
to it. John doesn’t say why they left; it’s clear that their reasons for
joining in the first place were wrong. Some people may call themselves
Christians for less than the best reasons (a family tradition, social/business
contacts, a long-standing habit). They never really stop to ask themselves, why
they do it.
John
says those anointed by the Holy One know the truth – what is he saying?
- When a person becomes a Christian, he or she
receives the Holy Spirit. One way the Holy Spirit helps
the believer and the church is by communicating truth. Jesus is the
truth (John 14:6), and the Holy Spirit guides believers to him (John 16:13).
People who are opposed to Christ are also opposed to His truth, and the Holy
Spirit is not working in their lives. When we are led by the Spirit, we can
stand against false teachers and the antichrist. We should ask the Spirit to
guide us each day.
1. Truth
keeps us anchored in the faith.
1 John
2:22-26
22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is
the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying
the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever
acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, see that what you have
heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in
the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life. 26 I
am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
What
kinds of lies is the world currently telling us?
- The truth of God is revealed in the Person of
Jesus Christ.
- To say that one can be in right relationship
with God apart from Jesus Christ is a lie; hence, the one who declares it is a
liar, who is to be shunned.
- To deny Jesus is the Christ is to call God a
liar.
Apparently,
the antichrists in John’s day were claiming faith in God while denying and
opposing Christ.
Do we
see any of these antichrists today?
- To do this is impossible because Jesus is God’s
Son and the Messiah, to deny Christ is to reject God’s way of revealing Himself
to the world. A person who accepts Christ as God’s Son, however, accepts God
the Father at the same time. The two are one and can’t be separated. Many
cultists today called themselves Christians, but they deny that Jesus is
divine. We should expose these heresies and oppose such teachings so that the
weak believers among us do not succumb to their teachings.
- No truth will ever contradict the Bible.
2. Truth
is grounded in who Jesus is.
1 John
2:27-29
27 As
for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not
need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and
as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in
him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may
be confident and unashamed
before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that
everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
How
does belief in the truth translate into everyday actions?
- The visible proof of being a Christian is right
behavior, not just believing the right thing.
- Those who are born of God into new life in
Christ will show proof of it by living in ways that correspond to His will and
purpose. Our belief should translate into right living.
- Many people do good deeds but don’t have faith
in Jesus Christ. Others claim to have faith but rarely produce good deeds. A
deficit of either faith or right behavior will be a cause for shame when Christ
returns. Because true faith always results in good deeds.
- John mentioned the return of Christ to motivate
his readers to righteous living. Our attitude toward Christ’s second coming
says a lot about our spiritual state.
How
does the Holy Spirit help us discern truth?
- He guides us to the truth: The bible teaches
that Jesus is Truth, and the Truth can set us free; free from sin, death,
loneliness. Free from anything that is contrary to His word. We find the truth
by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us to the truth about Jesus; that is, He
came to be our Savor.
John
mentioned two benefits of remaining in Christ – what are they?
Confident. This
could also be translated boldness. God desires that all will be prepared to
meet Him and will have solid confidence in His return.
Unashamed.
Sadly, many people do not have confidence; instead, they carry the weight of
guilt and shame. However, God desires that His people would remain in Him and
thus have no reason to be ashamed when Jesus returns.
3. Following
the truth leads to righteous living.
Jesus
answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through me.’” JOHN 14:6
There
are foundational truths that are non-negotiables. Regardless of whatever else
they may get right; a denial of these key truths separates non-Christians from
true Christ followers.
1. The
Bible is God’s revealed Word and contains all we need to know for life and
salvation.
2. God is
one, but also three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus
is fully human and fully God.
4. Humans
are created in the image of God, but we are sinful, fallen creatures.
5. Salvation
is possible because of the death and resurrection of Christ. We receive
salvation when we trust in Christ and confess Him as Lord.
6. Jesus
will return one day.
Close: Truth is found in Jesus alone.
Examine
your life. Have you genuinely embraced the truth by trusting in
Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Look at your life. It will tell you
everything you need to know.
Prioritize
your life. In light of Christ’s imminent return, are your priorities
in the right order? If not, what changes need to be made to rearrange them?
This week do a thorough evaluation of your priorities and be honest with
yourself. Ask God to help you with these priorities.
Invest
in someone’s life. Do you know someone who needs to hear the truth?
Perhaps a neighbor, a coworker, a classmate, or a friend? If so, then share the
truth of the gospel with them this week. Take it a step further and buy them a
Bible, if you believe they may not have one.
There
are many ways to be misled these days. But the truth of God’s Word will lead us
to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life.
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