One of the key elements in political campaigns today is deception. Many candidates hide the truth, exaggerate, and even openly lie to gain popularity. Each candidate tries to make you believe that you will be greatly benefited if he or she is elected. While there may be a few exceptions, most politicians are deceivers.

The Bible word translated “deceivers” in 2 John 1:7 describes one who is, “wandering, roving, misleading, leading into error, a vagabond, tramp, impostor, a corrupter, deceiver,” thus, a false teacher who leads others into heresies. (Wuest)

Transition

This evening, I want to identify the deceiver’s denial, his description, and his doom and what we must do about it.

Their Denial

  1. Deceivers enter into the world
    1. When John said that these deceivers “entered into the world”, that means they came out of the church. They had previously professed to be Christians. Now, I believe that a person who has truly repented and placed his faith in Christ is eternally saved. Jesus said he is born into God’s family (Jn 3:3). In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” To this, Jesus added in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” However, Jesus also stated that many will profess salvation without dealing with their sin God’s way. (Matthew 7:21-23) “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” I believe this is one of the reasons we read in (2 Corinthians 13:5), “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
    2. John warned of the same deceivers in 1 John 2:19. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
    3. Jude tells us that such deceivers creep into church membership unawares. (Jude 1:3-4) “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
  2. Deceivers deny the incarnation and deity of Christ
    1. They confessed not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.
      1. The word “confess” means to agree with or to say the same thing.
      2. In other words, they denied that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. They did not believe this fundamental truth. They did not lose salvation. They had never truly believed this fundamental truth of salvation. They had never truly been saved.
    2. The fact that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is fundamental to our faith.
      1. “In the flesh” means that Jesus Christ (God’s anointed one), took on a human body. He became the God-man. To deny Christ’s incarnation or deity is a denial that Christ came in the flesh.
      2. If Jesus Christ was not the eternal Creator God, he could not have died to pay an eternal debt for all humanity. Only an eternal sinless being could possibly pay an eternal sin debt for billions of sinners.
    3. These deceivers were spreading their lies about Jesus. Peter mentions this too. (2 Peter 2:1-2) “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” Deception spreads quickly. I think it was Mark Twain who said that a lie runs around the world while truth is putting on her shoes. (Wisesbe)

Their Description

  1. These deceivers are antichrist.
    1. John was not saying they were “the” antichrist mentioned of the Tribulation period, but they were nonetheless antichrists. They were against Christ.
    2. Cult followers who deny the deity of Christ are antichrist. They may be sincere and nice people, but they are sincerely wrong.
    3. A good question to ask a religious teacher is “What do you think about Christ?” If he does not clearly state that Christ was the eternal God the Son who came to earth in human flesh, he is an antichrist. Jesus was not “a” god. He was the second person of the Trinity and equal with God the Father.
  2. They are thieves
    1. Their deceptive work is robbing Godly Christians of reward. They were keeping prospects from truly believing the truth of the gospel unto salvation. They were confusing weak Christians and leading them astray.
    2. I believe John is speaking of the reward of God’s faithful servants. Note what Paul said of the Thessalonian believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:19) “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?”
    3. Simon Kistemaker made a helpful point about this reward when he said, “It does not mean salvation which, because it is a gift, cannot be earned (Eph 2:8-9). We merit a reward for faithfulness, obedience, and diligence.”
    4. John commanded Kuria (and us) to look to or discern for yourselves. Question these deceivers and guard yourself.

Their Doom

  1. Such deceivers did not abide in Christ’s doctrine
    1. They professed to know Christ at one point, but they never truly possessed Christ.
    2. They did not abide in the doctrine or teaching of Christ. They embraced His teaching for a brief time, but then walked away unconverted. This was true even during Jesus’ ministry. (John 6:66) “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”
    3. The doctrine of Christ includes all that Christ taught about salvation during His ministry, not just the fact of his deity. (John 7:16) “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” If we reject Christ’s teaching on salvation, we have no hope. (Hebrews 2:3) “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;”
  2. Such deceivers do not have God
    1. They were like the seed in Jesus’ parable that fell on the stony or weedy ground and never produced fruit. While God’s Word sprouted and began to grow in their hearts, it did not last. They produced no fruit. They did not get saved and then lose it. They never were saved, though they looked like it from a human perspective.
    2. They do not have God. They did not lose God. They never had Him. God is not their Saviour. God is not their Lord. They are doomed.

Conclusion

Beware of Deceivers! They deny the deity of Christ and the teachings of Christ. God describes them as antichrists because they are working against the truth. Their future is not heaven but doom in hell.

John’s warning to “look to yourselves” is a warning to be on guard. Be Bible-wise so you can spot deceivers. Do not listen to deceivers. Treat them as if they had a deadly contagious plague.

Song: I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, 397
—
Deceivers
26 June 2016 PM – 2John 1:7-9 – 2Jn2016 – Scott Childs