Living God's Way in an Ungodly World
In a world that makes up its own rules, it is important for Christians to stay focused on the One who still rules...Jesus Christ. Come and listen to the great Gospel message, learn about the love Jesus Christ has for you, and know what God's word, the Holy Bible, has to say about overcoming the challenges of following Jesus in a world that no longer wants Him.
Living God's Way in an Ungodly World
Recognize and Resist Spiritual Deception
Are you prepared to recognize the signs of the times and fortify your faith against subtle deceptions? In this enriching episode of Living God's Way in an Ungodly World, we embark on a journey through 1 John 2:18-23, shedding light on the urgent message for "little children" in faith. You'll gain insights into the "last hour" that began with Jesus' resurrection, defining the Church Age we live in today. See how the presence of many antichrists calls for heightened vigilance and spiritual growth among believers. Discover how you can equip yourself to navigate these challenging times with a deeper understanding of Scripture and a commitment to daily engagement with God's Word.
Unlock the spiritual armor needed to identify and resist the deceptions of antichrists, who often mislead through false teachings and deceptive religious practices. We tackle the complex issue of how certain rituals and confessions can stray from the essence of true faith. Gain clarity on why some denominations may falter in their interpretation of scripture, tolerating behaviors contrary to Christian teachings. I pray this episode will help you discern and fortify your faith. Join me for a thought-provoking discussion that prepares you to stand firm in a world rife with spiritual challenges. God bless.
Be a part of my team! With your prayer, passing along the message, and financial support you can help get these messages in the hands of all those who need them! And remember, you can text me questions and comments by clicking on "Send Us a Text Message". Until next time! God bless!
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B.R.Maul:Hello and good day. I am BR Maul and you are listening to Living God's Way in an Ungodly World. Thanks for joining me. Today.
B.R.Maul:We are in the book of 1 John, we're in chapter 2, and we'll be studying verses 18 through 23. As usual, I will read these verses and then we'll turn right around and go over them as we break down the meanings behind them. This is the reading, verse 18. This is the reading. But they were not of us, for if they had been of us they would have continued with us. But they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar? But he who denies that Jesus is the Christ, he is antichrist. Who denies the Father and the Son? Whoever denies the Son, does not have the Father either. He who acknowledges the Son has the Father also here ends the reading.
B.R.Maul:When we go back to verse 18, john starts us out little children. Now, this is referring to not little children, as in, of course, a five or six year old, but little children as in, of course, a five or six year old, but little children spiritually. And these are, more than likely, even though, baby Christians. But they have been for quite a while. They just haven't moved on. They haven't moved forward. And that's what we are all called to do as born again Christians. We need to move forward in God's Word. Coming to the Lord, becoming a child of God by believing in Jesus Christ, that His blood shed for our sins and that we believe in our heart that God, the Father, raised Him from the grave, does indeed make us a child of God, because we don't have to jump through any hoops. There's nothing else that we need to do. There's no other name under the sun in which we have to believe in. The only name is the name of Jesus Christ.
B.R.Maul:So, john, when he says little children, then these are Christians who are stuck in the basics. How do we get beyond the basics? We read God's Word, and not because we have to, but we should read God's Word every day. So John says little children. Then he says it is the last hour. The last hour? Now, let's think about this, because he said it is the last hour. Wow, well, let's just comfortably round it to 2,000 years ago. Hmm, seems like a pretty long hour, doesn't it? But looking at time itself, we are still in that last hour.
B.R.Maul:And the reason we're still in that last hour is because all other prophecies through the Old Testament that were held unto the name Jesus, when it comes to his birth, his death and resurrection, have all been fulfilled. So when Jesus was raised from the dead, a new age began, and we often refer to that age as the Church Age, because God, the Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ, focuses on the body of Christ, that is, the church. And the church is made up of the saints, those who are born again. The next thing to happen when it comes to prophecies, then would be the rapture. And there's nothing that needs to be fulfilled in order for the rapture to take place, because that will be the rapture. And there's nothing that needs to be fulfilled in order for the rapture to take place, because that will be the removal of the church. And do you see how that begins now. A new period after that, because we are in the church age where right now, god's people are still here on earth. We are living out. We should be living out what our Lord told us to do go out to all nations and make disciples, and in doing that we are fulfilling the church age. But it's still the last hour because once the church is raptured, the tribulation begins.
B.R.Maul:So John goes on to say, still in verse 18, little children, it is the last hour and, as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now, many Antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. So we have two different references. Here is the last hour. So we have two different references. Here we have the Antichrist and in this case capital A Antichrist. Even now, many Antichrists plural, lowercase a have come. So we have yet to see the Antichrist come into the picture, and when that happens, that will be after the church is gone. The church, god's people, will not be present into the picture, and when that happens, that will be after the church is gone. The church, god's people, will not be present on the earth. However, even now John says many Antichrists have come, so they're already here. They were present during the time that John was alive and walking on this earth and they're still present today. In fact, they're growing in number. There are many of them and that number, I'm sure, will just continue to grow until Christ himself returns and rules. Okay. Now it's interesting because we can use the very fact that there are many Antichrists to understand that it is the last hour. So, because there are many antichrists to understand that it is the last hour, so because there are many antichrists, that tells us John is saying that we're in that last hour. That's why we know that. It surprises me in no way that antichrists here on earth continue to become abundant, because I believe that's the closer we get to the tribulation, the closer we get to Christ's coming.
B.R.Maul:Satan himself and his army of fallen angels are doing everything possible to detour people from either becoming born again, which means they are saved for all eternity, or, if they are saved, well then they have a target on their back to make them as useless as possible to the kingdom of God. In verse 22, he defines what is an antichrist. He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Okay, so anybody who is teaching and preaching God's Word, but they all deny that Jesus is the Son of God. That makes them an Antichrist.
B.R.Maul:We need to wipe out of our minds, beloved, this image that an Antichrist is somebody who is physically, or maybe I should say visibly, seen as an Antichrist, somebody who looks evil, somebody who their behavior is atrocious and easily identifiable as somebody who is against God. Because, for starters, antichrist that is one meaning is to be against. Anti can mean against, so in this case, using it as antichrist, being against Christ. Those, I believe, may be easier for us to spot, because if they are against Christ, well then they're the ones who are easily identifiable, in the sense of not necessarily their outward appearance, which that could be too, but in all honesty, their practices.
B.R.Maul:Now, the most noticeable Satanism comes right on out and opposes, is against Christ. So, instead of working to better the kingdom of God, so instead of working to better the kingdom of God, Satanists work to better their own selves, their own individual. And that's because, well, Satan, who cares nothing about those who follow him, who are Satanists. Satan and the fallen angels already know that that's an easy way to destroy the lives of people is to get them to follow their own ways, to do everything possible to better their own life. That would be labeled as anti-Christ or against. But anti can also mean instead of. Okay, that's a little different and that's going to be more difficult for us to identify, but it's still an antichrist. So there's those who are against Christ, but there's also those who put themselves in place of, instead of. So they look the part very much. They look like a Christian, they will act like a Christian, they will do all kinds of stuff that is Christian-like in nature, but like Judas Iscariot, the one apostle who betrays Jesus, he would be a prime example of Antichrist.
B.R.Maul:Judas did not oppose Christ. We know that. He wasn't against Jesus. On the contrary, he followed Jesus. In fact, according to God's word, he was also doing miracles in the name of Jesus Christ. When Jesus sent out his apostles, two by two, well, Judas was among those at the time, if you recall. So Judas was out doing the miracles, like the other apostles, but his heart was never with Jesus. He never loved Jesus for who Jesus is, but he would have wanted to be with Jesus for what Jesus gave and that's sad, because we see that a lot in the New Testament People who were following Jesus. They were able to see him walk the earth. They were able to hug him or shake his hand. They were able to see him would follow him. Many after the feeding of the 5,000, wanted to see more miracles. So Judas is among those who would fall into the instead of Christ.
B.R.Maul:So he was an antichrist and when we read through the Bible, there's no way of us easily picking that out of Judas. There's telltale signs and the only reason I believe that we can truly even identify those is because, well, we know how the story ends. We know Judas is the one who betrays Jesus. If we didn't know that, I think very few people would even pick up on some of the signs that Judas would eventually betray Jesus. Why is that? Well, because he's following him. And not only that, but Judas was the treasurer in the group of apostles. They trusted him with the money. The group of apostles they trusted him with the money. So John here is identifying the fact that there are many of these antichrists out there.
B.R.Maul:Are you seeing a theme beloved in a lot of the scripture that we are studying together, as you read through the New Testament in particular? There are so many verses like these here that continue to point out the fact that there are many people who look like they're followers of Christ but are not. So this is very dangerous because for those of you who are indeed born again, you know that you love the Lord, you have no doubt in your mind that you are heaven bound because your spirit is sealed. So, with that said, it's those people who are questioning. They are listening to this program and other programs and hopefully reading God's word, searching to know for sure. If you don't know for sure, there's a very good reason. You're not born again, but you've been living a Christian-like existence through your family, maybe growing up. I was brought up that way in a Lutheran family, so for me our family looked very Christian-like and in America that's often the case.
B.R.Maul:Now there are many who are departing from their faith, so it's becoming more evident and people are speaking out more and more against Christianity. But there was a time in America where it was the other way around. If you didn't go to church, if you didn't call yourself a Christian, then you were the outsider and people kind of looked at you like well, what's wrong with you? Why are you not going to church? But that's where the enemy once again played his card so smart because he has convinced and continues to convince millions of people in denominations around the world that are Christian-like in their demeanor, christian-like in their doctrine and even Christian-like in the sense that they follow much of God's word.
B.R.Maul:And I say much because, in the case of Antichrist, they always leave information out, and the most important information they leave out, as John says here, is he is Antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son. That there needs to be more. Now, some are very savvy, because they don't completely deny the Father and the Son. They deny Jesus as the Son in the sense of yes, he did die for our sins. In other words, that was very nice of him. He went through that painstaking situation of hanging on a cross, and you do need to believe that.
B.R.Maul:But and then that three-letter word right there negates everything else, and they become an antichrist at that point, because they'll say you need to worship this way, though, or you need to renew your faith. You need to take communion. That way you can continue to grow in your faith. You need to confess your sins to another person and a person who is in authority. That way they can forgive you, of course, through God himself, through the power of God, through the power of Jesus. No one's that stupid to actually say well, just on our own ability, we can forgive. No, these antichrists are very brilliant, very smart, and I truly feel that many antichrists themselves are fooled and they do believe that they are following the way.
B.R.Maul:Do we truly believe that Satan is going to make it that easy to identify false religion? Is Satan going to make it that easy to identify Antichrists? Because Antichrists are doing his work. They are keeping many away from being saved. They're keeping many coming to churches in the name of Jesus. They're keeping many coming to churches in the name of Jesus. But, as we have read and learned in the past, jesus even said many will come to me and on that day say Lord, lord, did we not prophesy in your name, which isn't like making prophecies, but preaching, teaching, speaking God's word in your name? Did we not cast out demons in your name? Did we not do great works, all in your name? These are people who could even be running missionary work, collecting money to support missions, feeding the poor, helping the widows, the powerless, the widows, the powerless all in the name of Jesus.
B.R.Maul:But Antichrist will go out of their way to make sure that, even though it is in the name of Jesus that these people do not come to love Jesus, that they don't confess to Jesus Christ himself, that they need him as a savior and denounce their own sinful ways and they don't believe in their heart that he truly is raised from the dead. How do we know that? Because there are religions out there now, tens of thousands of denominations, that are under the cloak of Christianity, but they pick and choose what they want in God's word. They want to accept people sinning because they don't want to tell another person that you are stuck in sin. So, whether it's LGBT, whether it is addiction to drugs, whether it is alcoholism, whether it is addicted to pornography, whether it is chasing the almighty dollar, that's a huge one that in many countries around the world, including America, if you're chasing success, if you're chasing to become wealthy, that's good, that's really good, and the world cheers the people on. But to truly know Jesus Christ is to know him, and that isn't the life that we pursue. That in and of itself is sin. We cannot worship God and money or, as the Bible says, mammon, which isn't necessarily just money, but belongings, things that can get us what we want.
B.R.Maul:Okay, verse 19,. They went out from us but they were not of us, for if they had been of us that's the Antichrists they would have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us. Antichrists love getting attention. They do it because they want attention and more so the popularity and the money. They want all this stuff and it's for them. It might not be that obvious. It may be subtle enough. Remember, beloved Antichrists are not walking around wearing black garb and all those who are righteous wearing white garb, because Satan himself can appear an angel of light. Demons are not what Hollywood makes them out to be. Our enemy. Satan would love for us to believe that he has a long tail and horns on his head, red glowing eyes and his demons look similar and that the Antichrists who are out here are the same way. They're very shady looking. He would love that, because then people would walk around, and I should say people are walking around thinking that he loves that. People think that, but because they are among us, it doesn't mean that they are with us, because John says they went out from us, out from us.
B.R.Maul:Eventually, antichrists leave their faith Now. Did you catch that Antichrist will eventually leave their faith, which means they were never born again, because you cannot be unborn. You cannot be unborn physically, you cannot be unborn spiritually. You cannot be unborn physically, you cannot be unborn spiritually. So if somebody leaves their faith, it's their faith, their way of drawing up what God is supposed to be like. And you hear it quite often oh God would never condemn somebody because they're gay. He would never condemn them because they're pursuing success and money. Well, when people say that they're not talking about Yahweh, they're not talking about the God of the Bible, they're talking about their own God. Denomination upon denomination helps to write all this stuff in. So these antichrists that look just like us eventually depart from us because they are not of us, they are not a child of God Verse 20,.
B.R.Maul:But you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things To have an anointing from the Holy One. Every born-again believer is secured by the Holy Spirit. So when truly born again, the Bible way not what one's church says or what one believes, because they just want to believe. This is how it can be done. Infant baptism is a huge one. Just because people believe in infant baptism doesn't mean it's biblical, it just means they have incorporated it into their religion. But John is saying you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things. That's from the Holy Spirit. And he's not saying we know all things, like now we know everything. That would be nice, but that's not the case. Once the Holy Spirit seals us, we are given the ability to go ahead and as we read God's word, the Holy Spirit, as our counselor and our guide, will decipher the meaning and speak through God's Word to our spirit, as our spirit continues to grow and learn through God's Word. That's two different things. Here we have the Holy Spirit and we have God's Word beloved.
B.R.Maul:Going back to verse 18, little children. The little children are those who, yes, they have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, but they are not regularly or at all reading God's Word, pursuing that relationship, and so they're not growing, they don't understand and they are easily deceived by the enemy. And especially as we get closer to the Day capital D, we are told by Jesus himself to be very mindful and let no one deceive us. And if you are a baby Christian, if you have been born again but you are not in God's word, if you are not reading it for yourself, even if you struggle. Maybe you don't read well, but do it and remember.
B.R.Maul:Over the ages, many people by hearing God's word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Well, in ancient times few people could read, and even if they could read, few people had scripture to actually read. So they would have to go to the synagogues and they would listen to those read and that is how they grew in their faith. But it must be a reading that is directly from God's Word, so be mindful of that. Another fun way of doing that would be, if you struggle to read, open up your Bible and start up an app that reads that same version of the Bible and follow along. It's a great way to absorb God's Word and to help become a better reader.
B.R.Maul:Verse 21, I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it and that no lie is of the truth. So no lie is of the truth. Why does he even mention that? That's because of the antichrists. Remember the antichrists, especially those that are very savvy, are not going to openly oppose God's word. No, they are going to agree with a big percentage of God's word Deceiving. They will take out the important parts, the parts of salvation and their teachings. If you look carefully, some are very obvious, but some you have to look very careful that it still undermines the blood of Christ, and I see it in many denominations that they just add to it. They don't take and say it's not the blood of Christ, no, that would be too obvious. But no, no, it's the blood of Christ. And and then of course, they put that on there. Why? Because they want their followers to keep coming to church as often as possible and put money in the plates Beloved.
B.R.Maul:I am not against Christians coming together to worship, but I am fully convinced these days that there is a huge difference between those who go to church and those who are the church, and the Antichrist have been using going to church to their advantage for hundreds of years. We are told we are the church, we are the temple of God, not just any human being. No, those who are born again are the temple. So we don't go to church to worship our Heavenly Father. We have access to him anywhere, anytime we come together as the church to worship. That's the difference. You may be thinking sounds like the same thing to me, but it's not Because, to come together first of all, where we come together, there's nothing in God's word that says we have to have it set up a certain way. The building must look like this, or have crosses in it, or have stained glass windows. There's nowhere in God's word that we are told this is how you're going to take communion and this is how you're going to worship. This is the kind of music that you need to have.
B.R.Maul:No, these are denominations. These are people in robes who love having their control and tell people how to do things. And there are some of those, I'm sure anyway, that truly are born again and love the Lord. And if they do, I know from personal experience that those things they are doing, that their denomination, their leadership, is telling them on some level, makes them uncomfortable. But many are not born again. They themselves have been deceived by the great lie from the great liar himself. And my heart goes out to all of these people, including antichrists, who are oblivious to what they are doing because they themselves are deceived.
B.R.Maul:Now, verse 22,. Who is a liar, but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? Seems so obvious, doesn't it? Who is a liar, but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Think of the Pharisees in the New Testament. Beloved the Pharisees. They weren't walking around thinking, oh yeah, we are anti-Christ, we are opposing, we are either against or putting ourselves instead of Jesus, but that is what they were doing. It is exactly what they were doing. And for those Pharisees and Saducees, those people who spent years studying God's Word, their life was dedicated to God's Word, but they never became dedicated to God's Son, the Word, capital W, and so they are in hell. They are not among those that were born again. Why? Because they denied that Jesus is the Christ. Think of the apostles how they were martyred. I mean, they were killed, they were slaughtered, and it wasn't by just a bunch of people running around black cloaks, red eyes, and people were saying there goes another Antichrist. No, these are people who looked very godly in nature. In fact, many people follow them to this day.
B.R.Maul:The second part of verse 22,. He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. So I spoke on that because I jumped ahead so we could get the definition of what an Antichrist is who denies the Father and the Son. Now, it's denies the Father and the Son, because let's take a look at verse 23. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either. He who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. So for all these religions out there Christian-like religions that are out there that, oh, they have the Father, they have God. They agree that he created everything, he spoke everything into existence, but there are religions out there that say there's no way God has a son Nope. Well then, verse 23,. Whoever denies the son, whoever denies Jesus, does not have the Father either. They may think they do, and that's where they're deceived.
B.R.Maul:Antichrists. There are those who are against Christ, but many of them are putting themselves instead of in place of Christ. So they're not trying to deny that God, the Father, exists, but they either want to deny altogether that Jesus is the Son of God, or they admit that Jesus is the Son of God. But you still have to do this, or you have to do that, or you have to go to purgatory and you have to be washed clean. You have to have people pray for you and pay for you, and that'll usher you into the kingdom.
B.R.Maul:All of this blasphemy, and none of it is true, and I'm horrified at the fact that so many people everywhere buy into this stuff. They read these very same passages but don't see that it is the Antichrist, not the Antichrist. It is an Antichrist that is teaching them the wrong messages, that are deceiving them when it comes to Catholicism, for example. Catholicism in and of itself is not Christianity. Why is that? Because, again, they deny the full power of Jesus Christ, his blood. They only want to give him partial recognition for our sins.
B.R.Maul:Because, look at it, you can pray to a saint.
B.R.Maul:If you want help with something, you can pray to Mother Mary, because apparently, mother Mary, she's a little more understanding, she's more passionate and caring.
B.R.Maul:Where, if you're looking for righteousness, then pray to Jesus, but if you're looking for forgiveness on your own part, then well, mother Mary's a good way to go. So even just those parts right there, but the fact that they also believe that Christ is crucified every time they have communion, that is taking away from the power of Jesus once and for all, for all sin hanging on the cross, all sin of all time before he hung on the cross, during he was hanging on the cross and until the end of time itself, which can't come fast enough. So John does a good job here of opening up our eyes and I hope he has opened your eyes to the truth that we have antichrists all around us, and they are abundant. But the day is coming where the antichrist will come onto the scene and I fully believe the church won't be here for that. But that is for another day. Thank you so much for joining m an until next time, God bless. Than yo.
