1 John 2:18 - Exposition

"Many antichrists."

Connecting link: In the preceding homily we had occasion to remark that the expression, "a last hour," indicated that a great crisis had already begun, and that the apostle declared that the mark of such a crisis was to be seen in the rise of "many antichrists." We then, with the thought of a last hour as the basis, endeavoured to indicate the time-enclosures of Divine revelation. Now we have to expand, as far as our space permits, the apostolic teachings which gather round the expressions, "antichrist," "many antichrists." Topic— Antichrist; a manifold series of negations.

I. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CHRISTIAN AGE , THE SUPREME TEST OF TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD IN RELIGION IS THEIR RELATION TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST . Cf. Matthew 12:30 , where our Lord shows that there is no neutrality in reference to himself. Either for or against. And we know the apostle himself received a sharp rebuke and a touching lesson when forbidding one, who was casting out devils, because he did not follow with them. Our Lord then took occasion to give the converse of the former expression, saying, "He that is not against us is on our part." So that it is no wonder, after such a lesson (which he could not forget), that the one test of truth should be with John—How does it stand with reference to the Master? Does it enthrone or dethrone him? If the former, a wide divergence on minor topics would be allowed. If the latter, however specious its pretence, he would brand it as antichrist. This word (in the New Testament) is peculiar to John. It is found in verses 18, 22; 1 John 4:3 ; 2 John 1:7 . It is not at all improbable that he coined the word, although (so Westcott) the absence of the article in this verse indicates that it had become current as a technical name.

II. BELIEVERS HAD BEEN PREPARED TO EXPECT THE RISE OF ANTICHRISTIAN HERESY . And no one can read the Epistles to the Corinthians, Colossians, and to the seven Churches without seeing how very early, even during the lifetime of the apostles, sundry antichristian heresies threatened to make havoc of the Church. It would be inaccurate to fix the term "antichrist" solely on one individual or one system, even if our knowledge of this or that one were complete enough to enable us to identify it or him as one form of antichrist. For in the prophetic passages referred to such forms are pointed out as manifold. And the apostle declares that manifold are the forms already seen; for, says he, "even now are there many antichrists." So that we are forbidden by the terms of the passage to fasten on any one form of heresy to the exclusion of others.

III. THOUGH PROPHECY AND FACT SHOW MANY ANTICHRISTS , THERE IS ONE FEATURE MARKING THEM ALL , viz. NEGATION . (Verse 22.) "He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son." Thus the apostle himself, if he seems to plunge us into uncertainty as to who is antichrist, when he declares that there are many, speedily relieves us of the uncertainty, by giving us one mark by which antichrist may be distinguished anywhere and in all ages, whatever the name he assumes, whatever the garb he wears. So far, of course, as the word goes, if

IV. THE DEVELOPMENTS OF HISTORY SHOW US THIS ANTICHRISTIAN SPIRIT IN GREAT DIVERSITY or FORM . Obviously, all we have space for is to name some of the more prominent of these forms of error.

1 . The heresies of the apostolic age. £ These are indicated in the apostolic Epistles and in the Apocalypse. Notably, there was Gnosticism.

2 . Sacerdotalism. In the multiplication of priests and mediators the all-sufficiency of the one Priest and Mediator is denied. In the Church of Rome this evil has reached an appalling height. We would not intimate that the Church of Rome is one form of antichrist; but so far as this one point is concerned, or any point of her teaching, which obscures the glory of the Redeemer, she is so far antichristian.

3 . Papal infallibility. When the pope applies to himself the words, "No man cometh to the Father but by me," he is so far, certainly, antichrist.

4 . Socinianism. The denial of the eternal Sonship, and consequently, yea, necessarily, of the Incarnation, is another antichrist.

5 . Deism. Denying revelation is another.

6 . Anti-supernaturalism is another.

7 . Positivism, £ in its denial of all but the phenomenal, and its worship of humanity, is another.

8 . Agnosticism, in denying that God is knowable, or that he has ever made himself known, is another, and the most modern, most attractive, and most perilous form of antichrist existing at the present day. The growing culture of the day has broken off much of the roughness of religious controversy on all sides; but this system, which, under the guise of ignorance, declines all inquiry into religion, as lying beyond all possible knowledge, is about the most subtle fallacy by which men could be misled.

V. THE APOSTLE 'S DISCLOSURE OF THE REAL ANTICHRISTIAN PRINCIPLE IS MOST VALUABLE AND INSTRUCTIVE TO EVERY AGE . It may be made special use of by at least six classes of persons.

1 . By the theologian. Here is indicated:

(1) The point-point of his theology, the central sun which lights up the whole of it.

2 . By the preacher. In his preaching, the Son of God must be all in all; he must be preached as "wisdom from God unto us; even righteousness and sanctification and redemption." And his hearers must be taught to be very impatient of any form of thought which relegates the Christ to an inferior place.

3 . By the Christian. A young man once said to the writer, "I wanted to be right; I wanted to be religious; but my religion wanted a point-point; and now I have it in Christ." Just so. In Christ, the incarnate Son of God, is the immovable point of all we believe and know. All Christian doctrine is what it is because Christ is what he is. When he is denied or dislodged, the whole Christian scheme falls to pieces.

4 . By the inquirer. In the search after Christian truth, let him study the testimony concerning Jesus, his Person, and his work. And if at first he cannot see all in Christ that the matured Christian sees in him, let him "follow on," ready to receive the kingdom of God as a little child, and he will certainly come at the truth concerning his Saviour's glory.

5 . By the student of comparative religion. Such a one sees here the main point of the Christian religion; and it is one with which there is naught in the world to compare.

6 . By the student of prophecy. Since the Person of Christ as the incarnate Son of God is the supreme feature in Christianity, let him not wonder that in the Christian age, while the believer finds his chief glory in Christ, the unbeliever finds in him a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence. "You may say anything you like in praise of Christ," said a noted skeptic to the writer, "if you will but put him on the merely human platform! " Ah! it is here, it is here the great conflict will point, and prophecy leads us to expect that it will grow fiercer and wilder till the end shall come. We know the issue: "He must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet."