Tag Archives: 1 John 2:18-3:6

Daily Bible Study

December 2, 2015 Bible Study — The AntiChrist Is Already Among Us

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN9622

Proverbs 28:27-28

    If you give to the poor you will find that you have all that you need. However, those who ignore the needs of those less fortunate than themselves will never have enough. When the wicked are in charge, everyone seeks to avoid the notice of the government because everything is a crime. When the wicked suffer for their wickedness the righteous prosper.

DSCN9613

Psalm 121

    I will not look to the mountains or the sea for help. I will look to God, because He is the only one who can always aid. He does not slumber nor sleep. Whenever trouble comes, whether by day, or by night, He will be watching and ready. Remember this psalm and read it whenever you are feeling afraid.

DSCN9614

1 John 2:18-3:6

    The writer tells us that the idea that the AntiChrist is a single individual is mistaken. The antichrist is anyone who denies that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Those who refuse to acknowledge the Father and the Son are antichrists. Such people are liars and many of them had once been in fellowship with the Body of Christ. Many of them had associated with the Church in order to pursue their own selfish interests, not out of any genuine interest in serving God.
    The writer proceeds to remind us that we are God’s children if we do what is right. We do not yet know how God will change us when Christ returns, but we will be like Christ for we will see Him as He truly is. Therefore we purify ourselves so that we will pure as He is pure. If we truly live in Christ we will not keep on sinning because there is no sin in Christ. The degree to which we do keep on sinning suggests the degree to which we are apart from Christ (since there is no sin in Him). I strive to put such sinning aside so that I can become ever closer to Christ.

DSCN9623

Daniel 9:1-11

    Daniel offered up a prayer for the people of Israel. He recognized that the people of Israel were punished for their sins as a group. I think we can easily make too much out of this prayer and the concept of corporate guilt which it presents. Nevertheless there is a degree to which we will suffer because of the sins of those others who belong to the same groups which we do. If we do not wish to be punished along with those around us we must separate ourselves from them and from their sin. And we must acknowledge the sin which the society we live has committed and is committing, recognizing that it is sin and seeking to make recompense for that sin to the best of our ability.

Daily Bible Study

December 2, 2014 Bible Study — There Are Many Antichrists

For today, One Year Bible Online links here.

DSCN4563

Proverbs 28:27-28

    Giving to the poor is making a loan to God. Our debt to Him already exceeds what we could ever hope to repay, yet we can be assured that He will more than repay us all that we give to the poor.

DSCN4566

Psalm 121:1-8

    My help does not come from the mountains and the high places. My help comes from the Lord. It is God who watches over us and He does not slumber, nor does He sleep. What more can I say than what the psalmist writes.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

I love this psalm, it fills me with joy.

DSCN4567

1 John 2:18-3:6

    The writer informs us that the Antichrist is not singular. There is not a single individual who will appear who is the Antichrist. He tells us that there are many antichrists. Anyone who denies that Jesus is Lord, those who claim that it is possible to have salvation without Him, are antichrists. As I was reading this I realized that there is a question one should ask those arguing that it is Christian to accept controversial teachings (such as support for legalized abortion, or gay “marriage”). That question is this; is it possible to come to God without faith in Jesus? If their answer is “Yes”, there is no need to listen to any more of their arguments. They are rejecting the basic message of Christianity.
    This is an important point made by John in this letter. Those who deny Jesus, who claim that it is possible to be righteous and good without faith in Him, are not Christian and are not serving God. It is only possible to know God and approach Him through faith in Christ. When listening to those who claim to speak on behalf of God, this is the most important thing to know about what they teach. It is not possible to follow God without first acknowledging Jesus. Those who truly follow Jesus will also know the Father.

DSCN4569

Daniel 9-11:1

    Daniel acknowledges that God was in the right to bring judgement against the people of Israel for their sins. He does not ask God to act because he, or the people of Israel, deserve God’s mercy. Daniel acknowledges that they do not deserve God’s mercy. There is a lesson here for us. We should not think that we deserve God’s mercy. When we call on God to rescue us from trouble, we should do ask that He do so in a way which will bring honour to His name. We do not deserve God’s mercy, but He will show it to us because He loves us.

Daily Bible Study

December 2, 2013 Bible Study — Sin Is Lawlessness

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

DSCN4371

Daniel 9-11:1

     In studying the writings of Jeremiah Daniel discovered that Jeremiah had prophesied that Jerusalem would remain abandoned for 70 years, at which time God would restore the people of Israel. Upon learning this, Daniel turned to God in prayer and fasting. Notice that Daniel does not turn to God and “claim” His promise to restore the people of Israel. Rather Daniel turns to God with remorse and confesses his sins and the sins of his people. He begs God to restore His people, not because they deserve it but because God is merciful. At the end of his prayer Daniel lays out the order in which God does things. God forgives, listens, and acts, in that order. A bit of thought on that tells us something about how we should approach God. Let us therefore confess our sins, repent of(turn from) our sins, and pray.

DSCN4372

1 John 2:18-3:6

     John reminds us that we have heard that “the Antichrist” will appear sometime in the future. He tells us that the antichrist is not a singular being, rather there are many antichrists. Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ is the antichrist. It is not possible to be in communion with God if we deny His Son. On the other hand if we are in communion with the Son we are also in communion with God. John tells us that we must watch out for those who are trying to lead us astray. The Holy Spirit lives within us and will teach us the truth. We do not need anyone to teach us the truth.
     As I read this I think of those around us who argue that we should not and cannot impose our morals on others. By this they mean that we should not ask others to live according to our moral code. However, they then turn around and demand that we live by their moral code. This happens in many ways. One of the more recent examples is related to the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Supporters of the Act argue that the owners of Hobby Lobby should not be allowed to force their moral opposition to abortion and contraceptives in their employees by refusing to pay for those as part of the health care coverage they provide their employees. Yet on the other hand, they claim that it is a moral duty of the owners of Hobby Lobby (and every other business) to pay for health care coverage for their employees. They are incapable of seeing the contradiction between these two positions. I hate to use such a politically charged example, but it is important to recognize that the secular world constantly attempts to impose its morals upon us while telling us that we must not even ask others to except our morals. They deny that Christ is the Son of God, then attempt to claim the moral authority of God.

DSCN4373

Psalm 121:1-8

     I look at the mountains in their majesty and the forests in their glory, but that is not where my help comes from. When I am in need, my help comes from God. God watches over me and will not let me stumble. What a wonderful thing to know that He is watching over me and He never sleeps, not even a short nap. This is as true for you as it is for me.

The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.


This is true, whether we wish it or not. God is watching over us, let us willingly allow Him to guide our steps.

DSCN4374

Proverbs 28:27-28

     If we give to the poor, God will provide us with all that we need. However, if we ignore the needs of the poor and turn a blind eye to their existence, curses and trouble will fall upon us. When the government is run by the wicked, everyone attempts to stay out of sight. When the wicked fall from power, those who do not attempt to exploit others will flourish.

Daily Bible Study

December 2, 2012 Bible Study

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them. I hope that the Spirit is moving in others through these posts as the Spirit has definitely been convicting me.

Snow out the Kitchen Window

Daniel 9-11:1

     Daniel was reading the scripture when he read Jeremiah’s prophecy and realized the time for Jerusalem to be abandoned was almost complete. He began to fast and pray. He acknowledges that God’s judgment on the people of Israel and Jerusalem was just and righteous. Daniel confessed his own sins and those of his people. He then prayed for God to restore Jerusalem, not for the sake of the people of Israel or because of their righteousness, but in order to glorify God’s name. Daniel did not request this on the basis of either himself or the people of Israel deserving it, but on the basis of God’s mercy.
     Daniel records that the angel Gabriel came to him with a message. The message is very cryptic, containing references to seventy sevens and sixty-two sevens. The passage does not tell us if those “sevens” are days, weeks, months, years, or some other unit. What it does tell us is that the Anointed One will come after Jerusalem is restored. The Anointed One will die without seeming to accomplish anything. Then a ruler will arise who will destroy Jerusalem and the Temple again. This is a clear prophecy of the first century to me. Jesus was born and lived His life. He died without seeming to accomplish anything. A generation after His death (more or less) a Roman emperor attacked and destroyed Jerusalem, including the Temple.

Christmas Lights

1 John 2:18-3:6

     John writes that we are in the end times. We have heard that “the Antichrist” is coming in the end times. John tells us that there is not one antichrist, but rather many and they are already among us. There are those who have gone out from the Church and preach against it. John tells us that if they belonged to God’s Church, they would not have gone from it. This is a difficult statement because not all Church splits (even ones that create new denominations) involve people who deny the true Christian message. Fortunately, John tells us how to recognize when someone has gone beyond just a personality conflict run amuck to the point of being an antichrist.
     John tells us that he did not write to us because we do not know the truth but rather because we know the difference between truth and lies. Anyone who denies that Jesus is the Christ (Anointed One) is a liar. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is a liar. If you deny the Son, you will not have the Father. Anyone who falls into any of these categories, falls into all of them and is an antichrist. We have received the Holy Spirit who will teach us what is true. We need to remain in fellowship with Christ the Son and by doing so we will be in fellowship with God the Father. It is not written here, but I believe it is consistent with John’s writing here. Any religious group that has “scripture” which supersedes what is written in the Bible has left the Body of Christ.

More Christmas Lights

Psalm 121:1-8

     I can look to the mountains, but that is not where my help comes from, my help comes from the Lord. He watches over me and will not let me stumble or fall. God does not slumber or sleep. He watches by day and by night. There is never a time when He is not watching over me to protect me from danger. He watches me when I am at home and when I am away, when I am in one place and when I travel. This is both a blessing and a warning. It is a blessing because it means that God is always there to keep me from harm. It is a warning because it means that God is always there to see when I do what I ought not do. Of course, that second part can be a blessing as well because I will be happier if I never do what I ought not do.

OK, I Like Christmas Lights

Proverbs 28:27-28

     Those who give to the poor will have plenty, those who try to pretend that the poor do not exist will be cursed. Oh Lord help me to find the time and resources to help the poor. Show me how to change my life so that I have more to help those with greater need than myself.