I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the book of 1 John, chapter
2. 1 John 2. We started in 1 John
a while back, and it's been a while since I've spoken out of it,
but I'm going to take up right where I left off. 1 John, chapter
2. I'm going to actually be looking
at verses 18, 19, John the Apostle was the last
of the surviving apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ and writing
from first-hand account of his ministry with the Lord. He said in verse 18, little children,
it is the last time. Now we're living, these are the
last days. We're living in the last days.
This is the truth concerning scripture. Now, I realize that
ages have passed. since these scriptures were penned
and someone could say, well concerning John writing that when he said
it's the last time, well it couldn't have been the last time then
because look how long it's been since he, but the last time began
with the death, the burial, the resurrection, and the ascension
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that last time, the last
time, actually it's the time nearest the coming. We are closer this morning to
the second coming of Christ than we've ever been. That's pretty
understandable, isn't it? Just before the Lord gave up
the ghost and committed His Spirit unto the Father, this is what
He said. It is finished. It's finished. He meant that
all things have now been accomplished that had been prophesied, that
had been shadowed, typified, or promised in the Scriptures
concerning Him. He has now finished the work
that the Father gave Him to do. He was sent. He was anointed. He was chosen by the Father. to be God's lamb and he willingly,
everlastingly stood as the surety of God's sheep. I will answer
for them. I will, I will come into this
earth. So now nothing remains concerning the fulfillment of
God's promise to his people. And in this fleeting world, nothing
is left except the second coming. That's what's left. This is the
last time. That glorious moment when the
Lord Jesus Christ shall appear to gather His own unto Himself.
So according to God's Word, we're just right now, last days. This is the last time. This is,
I mean, at any moment. You know, we ought to be considering
that, shouldn't we? This could be the last time you
ever hear the gospel preached. Whether the Lord comes and takes
you home by death or whether He comes in His glorious second
coming, this could be it. This is it. This is the only
message that the Spirit of God blesses to the salvation of God's
elect. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of
it. I'm not ashamed of this gospel. It is the power of God and salvation.
the gospel, the declarations. I've said before, this is not
an invitation. I'm not giving an invitation.
This is not an invitation. Somebody says, how does anybody
get saved? Don't y'all give invitations?
I said, we declare what Almighty God has done in the electing,
redeeming, regenerating grace of God. And we have a promise. He's going to save his people. This is the only message that
we are assured has results. You wait on somebody to exercise
a free will that they don't have. You wait on a spiritually dead
man to do something. You're going to be waiting a
long time. Why? They're dead. They're dead. When
Almighty God is pleased to call out His elect, and He shall,
we behold then as we have the grace of God. John writes again
in verse 18, little children, it's the last time, as ye have
heard that Antichrist shall come Even now are there many Antichrist,
that is, adversaries to the Messiah whereby we know that it is the
last time. Now John teaches that which was
obviously well known to the people, that Antichrist would come. But he corrects a thought that
many had then and I'm convinced now that Antichrist would be
one person That's what everybody said. We were looking for one
person. Now, I want you to look right
at verse 22. John, 1 John 2, 22. Who is a
liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist that denieth
the Father and the Son. Whoever stands and proclaims
that Christ, denies Christ, denies the Father. That is refusing
to accept the truth of Almighty God revealed in Scripture concerning
the salvation of God's elect totally by grace apart from any
works on man's part. Whoever denies that salvation
is of the Lord, that salvation has nothing to do. Whoever denies
that salvation is by the grace of God, whoever proclaims that
salvation is by a man's work, he is Antichrist. That's Antichrist. Antichrist. Exalting the will
of man over the will of God. Now you listen. Putting the will
of man over the will of God is Antichrist. And the scripture
says, who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ. Now let me tell you what he just
said. He that denies that Almighty God purposed before the foundation
of the world and chose a people in Christ, in the Messiah. and
in time sent Him, a man, the God-man, mediator, whoever denies
that salvation is totally in God's choosing, Christ redeeming
of the sheep and the Spirit of God regenerating the sheep, whoever
denies that is a liar. He's a liar. Antichrist he reduces
salvation to man's work and denies God's Sovereignty look at first
John 4 3 First John 4 3 every spirit is Every preacher, believe not every
spirit, that's what he's talking about. Every preacher that confesses
not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. I'm
not talking about whoever says, well, I believe that he came
into this world. I believe that devils believe
that. But why did he come? What was the purpose of him coming?
Call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people. from their sins. He shall save. Not desires to save, though He
does. But He saves His people from
their sins. Look at 2 John. 2 John 1 chapter
verse 7. For many deceivers are entered
into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in
the flesh. This is a deceiver and antichrist. Have you ever noticed how many
times it says that they deny that Jesus Christ has come in
the flesh? You think, well, everybody believes that. Not according
to these scriptures. Ask them why he came. If he came
in their opinion to make salvation possible, they're liars. They're
deceivers. And the scripture says they're
Antichrist. Now, the reason that back in
1 John 2, that so many people think that there would be but
one man referring to the Antichrist may have come from the Holy Spirit's
revelation of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2. Hold your place in 1 John.
Look at 2 Thessalonians 2. 2 Thessalonians 2 verses 3 and
4. Let no man deceive you by any
means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling
away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God
or that is worshipped, so that he has God sitting in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God. So we know that There's
no contradiction of scripture. I know that. I know that there
can't be two scriptures opposing each other. So knowing that the
Holy Spirit reveals in 1 John 2, verse 18, the scripture declares,
there are little children, many antichrists, whereby we know
that it is the last time. Whenever we read in the book
of the Revelation concerning the great harlot, Mystery Babylon,
the great whore, it says, here's what it says, Revelation 17.4,
the woman, arrayed in purple and scarlet color, decked with
gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in
her hand, full of abomination and filthiness of her fornication. Now obviously that does not refer
to one woman. I mean it's all written in one
singular, but it doesn't mean one woman. That is the emblem
and type of all false adulterous Therefore, when the scripture
declares there are many antichrists, you know what that does? It ends
the thought that there's just one. The scripture says that
there are many. That man of sin, the son of perdition,
that is the son of eternal punishment, That's what it means. Who opposeth
and exalteth himself above all that is called good, right, honorable. I hold you place again there. Let me show you something. This
son of perdition. They say, well I've always heard
that it's some man that's going to come. Look at John chapter
17. The son of perdition. He's going
to be that one man that's going to come up. Look at John chapter 17 verse
12. Here's the Lord's high priestly prayer. While I was with them
in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me
I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition
that the scripture might be fulfilled. Well now if there's going to
be a son of perdition it was Judas. But the scriptures declare
that the son of perdition is that title, those that shall
be forever under the judgment of God, those that are Antichrist,
Antichrist. So again John says, even now
there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time. They deny the revealed Messiah. They deny the truth. So John
gave the attitude then, the characteristics, the manifestations of these Antichrists,
these many Antichrists. You know, the scriptures are
very plain. I know that there's a thinking
where we're all working together. You know, we're all, we're just
kind of a, you know, we're just a spoke. You know, all the spokes
come to the hub, and we're all working together for the, you
know, the joy of Christ. But that's not true. Any man
that preaches not this gospel, now this is in Galatians 1, 8,
9, He that preaches another gospel,
let him be accursed. Can you grasp with me, can we
realize what is being said here? Someone says, you know, well
it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe. Believe
what? It doesn't matter where you go
as long as you go. The Lord says, be cautious, beware
what you hear. Beware, beware. So John says
in verse 19 that here is the characteristic of the Antichrist,
those false preachers and believers. Verse 19, Who? False professors. They went out
literally or figuratively. Now listen, listen to what I'm
saying. You know, you always think, well they'll always leave.
They'll always leave. The word there, I looked it up.
They went out, it is literally or figuratively. From us, that
is an actual departure or a departure in heart. 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." Now
you know, here again, I mean I would read that and I think,
okay, that means that they'll always leave. They'll always
be gone, and often that is the case. There's no doubt about
that. But listen to this scripture, 1 Corinthians 11, 19, for there
must be also heresies among you that they which are approved
may be made manifest among you. It is needful concerning the
Lord's scriptures. that there be heresies among
you. When the tares were sown among
the wheat, and the service asked the householder, wilt thou then
that we go and gather them up? But he said, nay, lest while
you gather up the tares, you root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest. And in the time
of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first
the tares, bind them in bundles, and burn them, but gather the
wheat into my barn. Here the scripture sets forth
that false professors, Antichrist, will be found in the midst of
God's people, in the brethren. Brother Henry, I read a comment
he made on this, he said, they occupy a place among the wheat
and for a while. keep up a masquerade, acting
under false pretenses, being counted and considered to be
among the number of the godly. But sooner or later, the Holy
Spirit reveals that there will be an evident departure, literally
or figuratively. from the fellowship of Christ
and the hearing of the gospel, revealing that they never were
part of the body, never regenerated or in love with Christ. They
went out from us, either literally or figuratively. but they were
not of us. Jude says this, Jude 1, verses
12 and 13, these are spots in your feast of charity. When they
feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, clouds they are
without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth
without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves
of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to
whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." So when
the scripture says they were not of us, he said, for if they
had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us
because the Spirit of God would have kept them. kept them by
power through faith onto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time. So listen, no believer, no believer, no believer in the
Lord Jesus Christ never leaves, abandons the preaching of the
gospel in body or spirit. Never, never, never. They may
go somewhere else where the gospel is preached, but they do not
forsake the assembling together of God's people. They don't do
it. It just doesn't happen. Why? Because God keeps them.
They're kept. I guarantee you, I know for a
fact, I'm not the one who keeps me. I promise you, I promise
you, I'd leave. I'd have been gone. Why are any
of us here that believe? Because God's kept us. That's
the reason. And the reason they leave, the
reason that they're not kept, the reason they're gone in body
or spirit is that they might be made manifest, that they were
not of us. If their hearts have been regenerated,
if they had a new heart before God, they will remain steadfast
in the faith. Listen to Job 17, 9. The righteous
also shall hold on his way. And he that hath clean hands
shall be stronger and stronger. They will grow in grace as a
believer grows in grace. Let me tell you what he does
concerning the attitude of himself. Down. Down. Oh, wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? Right here. I know just enough
about myself to know if the Lord didn't keep me, I'm gone. I have no chance. Listen to Jeremiah
32 40, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will
not to turn away from them, to do them good, but I will put
my fear, my respect in their hearts that they shall not depart
from me." What if a man or a woman departs, leave, literally or
in spirit? They just, you know, I'm not
interested in that anymore. What is that evidence? They were
never the Lord's. Well, they made a profession
of faith. Well, they weren't regenerated. Because I'm telling
you, God keeps his own. But listen to this, in closing.
Verse 20. But. Now here's a, you know. How many times have we seen that
word, you know. But, but God, but, but. They went out, verse 19. Why? Because they were not of us.
If they'd been of us, they would have no doubt have continued
with us. They went out that they might be made manifest that they
were not of us. But, but, ye have an unction
from the Holy One and ye know all things. Ye have a sacred appointment. That's what unction. You have
a sacred blessing, a sacred anointing of the Spirit of God being found
in Christ. You have an unction from the
Holy One, from Almighty God. You have an anointing You have
a special blessing. 2 Thessalonians. I love this. You know, you don't
even have to turn if you want to. I'm going to read it to you
because I just, I love to look at it. 2 Thessalonians 2.13. But we're bound to give thanks
all the way to God for you, brethren of the Lord. I know my heart
is made tender, especially today, with this day of us witnessing
as we've talked about these baptisms. But I think we're bound. We're bound to give thanks. I
thank God for you, David, and for you, Mary, and Joanna, and
Doris, Larry. I give thanks. I give thanks. What? To my ability to preach. Oh, are you kidding me? How many
times have I gone home? I've told you this. First thing
out of my mouth, go home. I'm on my way home. And I'll
say, Glenda, did that come out? Did it? You know, Neil, you know
what I'm saying? We're bound to give thanks all
the way to God for you. Brethren, beloved of the Lord,
Because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, setting
apart by God's spirit, giving you a heart, granting you faith
to believe what God's done, who hath saved us eternally. and called us. We've been saved, being saved
right now, Joe, and by the grace of God in that day, when He separates
the sheep from the goats, in that day we'll be saved. You have an auction from the
Holy One, and you know all things. Someone would say, oh my, I know I can't be found in that
group. You know all things? I'll read something that I've
read and read and read, and all of a sudden I see it. And I thought,
I never realized that. Am I so foolish to think that
I know everything that there is to know? Nope. Brother Henry
said, he said, the older I get, he said, the most stupid I see
myself to be. And I thought, boy, I'm so glad
you said that. You know, because that's how I feel. You know all
things. Let me tell you everything that
a believer knows. And this is all you need to know. Number one, you know by that
unction, By that sacred appointment, by that anointing and blessing,
you know that you are a helpless sinner. I know that. I know that. There is no possible
way that I can satisfy God. Without the shedding of blood,
there's no remission of sins. I know that. I know that I need
a Savior. I know that. Let me tell you
the second thing you know. You know, I just read it in 2
Thessalonians 2.13. You know, you know that Almighty
God the Father chose a people before the foundation of the
world. You know that. Let men say what they will concerning
election, if the Lord had not left us a remnant. We'd all be like Sodom and Gomorrah.
Election, the most glorious, blessed truth that God Almighty
chose to show mercy. I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. You know that. You know you're
a sinner. You know God chose you to salvation. I'll tell you the third thing
you know. You know when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross,
according to His Word, He said, I laid down my life for the sheep. You know what? You know that
not one drop of His blood was shed in vain. You know that.
You know that He accomplished the will of the Father in the
redeeming of His people. You know that. You know that.
You do not believe that He died to make salvation possible and
left it up to man to do. You know that. You know that.
And I tell you the fourth thing you know. You know that the Spirit
of God is going to call out God's sheep. I prayed this morning
that Almighty God be pleased to call more. expect that God's
going to bless his word. He said he was. He said he was. He might do it again today. I'm
amazed in my stupidity that there's five. He might be pleased to. Would
it surprise me? I'd be thankful. I don't want
to expose too much of my stupidity, but I'd be thankful. You know
that the Spirit of God, all that the Father giveth me shall come.
You know that. And then lastly, you know this. Almighty God is going to keep
you. He's going to keep you. In that day, in that day, You
will have been kept by the power of God. You know that. You know
all things. You know that you're a sinner.
You know God chose you. You know Christ redeemed you.
You know the Spirit of God's gonna call His elect. And you
know God's gonna keep you. Now let me ask you this. What
else do you need to know? What else? Therefore, if one
forsakes, leaves the gospel, He tires of hearing the glorious
truth of God's saving grace, and goes and looks for a place
where he can be told that salvation is a direct result of his own
works of self-righteousness. That man has never been taught
of God. Never. He knows it, but for the grace
of God, he'd do the same thing. Psalm 37, 28, For the Lord loveth
judgment, and forsaketh not his saints. They are preserved forever,
but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. May the Lord bless
this word to our hearts for Christ's sake. Amen.