November 1, 2023

Passage Read: 1 John 1-2
Meditation Verses: 2:18-19

Thought

There are those who are sent out and there are those who go out. In John's third letter, he mentions those who have been sent out. They still represent John and so remain a part of him and partners with him. But here he talks about men who have become antichrists: They went out from John, but we're not partners with him. They deserted John, as Paul would put it. They abandoned John and his teachings. In fact, they distorted and changed John's teachings, setting themselves up as rivals instead of partners and remaining loyal to him. They denied Jesus was the Christ, but still wanted to teach and draw off John's followers. They became deceivers, captivating believers and destroying their faith.

Application

I certainly want to be faithful to John and his message, though I've never met him and have no way of being personally trained by him. So at the least, I need to accept and believe and obey all he teaches. He was an eyewitness of Christ and was personally trained by Him. There is no better teacher than the apostles. I need to guard against anyone who comes, claiming to have been trained by great believers, but who change their message, even in small ways. Would the original apostles have gotten some things wrong about God or Jesus or how we're supposed to live in Him? Impossible! Their teachings can't need revision and correction. So anyone who comes, having changed a clear and plain teaching needs to be avoided. Neither can I change something that is plainly and clearly set forward, otherwise I become an antichrist too.