1 Peter 2, 18. Little children,
it's the last time. And as you have heard that Antichrist
shall come, even now there are many, many Antichrists. Whereby you know, we know that
it's the last time. These are the last days. Many
Antichrists. Deceivers, Antichrists. Turn to 2 Peter 2. And Peter calls them false prophets
in 2 Peter 2. False prophets and false teachers. He says in 2 Peter 2, verse 1,
that they were false prophets also among the people, that is,
among Israel, even as there shall be false teachers among you.
who privily bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord
that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious
ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken
of. Deceivers, antichrists, false prophets, false teachers, And
then Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11 that these men are actually
tools of Satan. He calls them Satan's ministers. They claim to be God's ministers.
He says in 2 Corinthians 11 verse 13, For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, They transformed themselves into the apostles
of Christ. And that's no marvel. For Satan
himself is transformed into an angel of light. He comes quoting
scripture, claiming to be religious and a help to men. Therefore it's no great thing
if his ministers, his ministers, also be transformed as ministers
of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
So go back to my text. Many deceivers, antichrists,
false prophets, false teachers, ministers of Satan, are entered
into this world. There are many of them. And he
says in the next line, and here's their chief error. They confess not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh. They confess not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh. He doesn't say they confess not
that Jesus Christ is born. But Jesus Christ came. He wasn't born He came into this
world. He came from the womb of Mary,
but he wasn't, like you and I, conceived by man and born. He came, he was already, he came
into this world. Let me show you that over here
in 1 John chapter 4. He says it two or three times.
He came into the world. Beloved, believe not every spirit,
every preacher, Try the spirits, whether they are of God, because
many false prophets have gone out into the world. How be it
know ye the Spirit of God? Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And the
next verse, every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is not of God. This is the chief error. Now here are five vital statements
concerning this person of Jesus Christ and his doctrine. Number
one. He came into the world, but he existed before he came.
You and I didn't. When we were born, that's when
we began. That's when we started. That's
when we took on life. But Jesus Christ already had
life. He is from the beginning. And
he came into the world through the virgin's womb. He came from
heaven through the virgin's womb into this world. He came. He's
the creator of being truly and properly God. I was looking at
that verse that Brother Chuck read a moment ago in John 1.
Did you look carefully at that verse 10? He was in the world. He came into the world. But the
world was made by Him. The world was made by Him. You
see, unto us a child is born, but a son is given. A son who
has already lived is given. He was in the world. The world
was made by Him. The world knew Him not. That's
the first thing. He came, but before He came,
He's God. Whose goings forth have been
from of old, from everlasting. Now the second thing involved
in just coming into the well. Coming into the well. Second
thing is this. He came to earth in true and real humanity. Made of a woman. Made. Took upon himself the form of
a servant. And he was made of a woman. He
became a man, not in appearance only, but actually a real man. Jesus Christ is a man. God came down and took this body,
a body, he said to the father, in the volume of the book that's
written of me, a body you prepared me, and sent him into the world
into that body. That's what they're not confessing.
Here's the third thing. He came being My Father sent
me, he said. He came being sent of the Father
on a mission, anointed by the Father, appointed by the Father
as the Messiah, the only one, as the prophet, priest, and king,
as the only Savior and Redeemer of his elect. He came into this
world, left heaven. God Almighty, thought it not
rightly to be equal with God, by Him the world was made. He
came into this world through the virgin's womb, made of a
woman, truly man. And he came on a mission, on
a mission sent by God. Now here's the fourth thing.
He came for the purpose of completing a perfect righteousness and a
suitable and sure atonement for covenant people. He came to do
that. He said the first words recorded
in this Bible, spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ when he came
into this world, was to his mother. And he said, Wist ye not I be
about my father's business? I came to do the will of him
that sent me. And when he died on that cross,
he said it's finished. That purpose for which he came,
that work, He came to accomplish that covenant of which he as
the divine servant is accomplished. That's the fourth thing. He's
coming to this world. And the fifth thing is that that
being done, he arose from the grave and he ascended back to
the Father. He said, I came from the Father,
I go back to the Father. As the victorious Savior, God
raised him from the dead and exalted him a prince and a savior. And that's the vital thing and
the error that these deceivers, antichrists, and false prophets
do not confess. If you turn to John 17, our Lord
speaks about this in John chapter 17, his high priestly prayer. John 17, verse 4. He became God. He became a man. He came being sent. He was sent
for a purpose, the completion of a covenant. Having finished
that work, he went back to the Father. And here's what he says
about it. In John 17, verse 4, I have glorified thee on this
earth. I have finished the work you
gave me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou
me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee
before this world was." Isn't that beautiful? Not to them. One other scripture, John 10.
John chapter 10. You know, you say, well, everybody
believes Jesus Christ lived on this earth. I know that. But
they don't confess this. Who came? God. How did he come? As a man. Why did he come? He
was sent. What was he sent to do? Redeem
a people. Did he do it? He did. Where is
he now? He's gone back to the Father. And that's confessing
that Jesus Christ came. Now look at John 10 verse 26. He said to these Pharisees, you
believe not because you're not of my sheep. As I said unto you,
my sheep hear my voice, and they follow me, and I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand, my Father which gave them me." Now you can't
separate the person of Christ from the work of Christ. You see, his person is what makes
his work effectual. His work is made effectual by
his person. My father gave these people to
me. He's greater than all. No man can pluck them out of
my father's hand. I am a father of one. And they
took up stones to stone him. And he said, now, he answered,
there are many good works have I showed you from my father.
For which of these works do you stone me? Ah, they said, for
a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy. Because you
being a man, that gives him God. They understood exactly what
he's saying, and I know you understand what I'm saying. Many deceivers,
antichrists, false teachers, Satan's minister that come into
this world who do not confess what we've just gone over. But Jesus Christ, God, came into
this world as man. being sent of God on a mission
as a surety of a covenant and having completed it, fulfilled
it. And Edward John 10 went back
to God, sat down at the right hand of the majesty of God, a
victorious redeemer. Now, look at the next line in
our text, 2 John. This is a deceiver. This is an
antichrist. And what he's saying is this,
listen carefully to this. No matter what a person may believe
about Jesus Christ, they may say he's a good man.
Truly he was and he is. They may say he's a prophet,
and that he is. They may say he's a godly example
in word and deed, and that he is. They may say he's a man of
power, but so was Moses. They may say he was a man of
great miracles, but so was Moses and Paul. They may say he was
a man who was crucified, so was Peter, upside down. They say he's a man who rose
from the grave, so did Lazarus. They may say he's now in heaven,
so's Elijah. But you can say all these things
about Him and you haven't said anything unless you say, He's
God. And you can't say that about anybody else. He's the Son of
God as no man's the Son of God. He's God incarnate. He's God. And this is what we're saying
here. No matter what you say about Him, unless you say what's
true of Him, which is not true of anybody else, you haven't
confessed Jesus Christ. Now who is he? I'll tell you
who he is, plain simple language, he's God. Under us a child is
born, a son is given, government's on his shoulders. He has absolute
authority in heaven and earth over all flesh. He quickens whom
he will. He has the keys of hell and death.
His name's Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father. I'm a Father of One. He's the Prince of Peace. What
did He do? As the God-Man, He suffered once,
the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. By
Himself, He purged our sins, and is sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on high. The only one who can purge the
sins of so many people, one person, that's God. It's not, it's who
died. It's not how much blood was shed,
it's who's blood. It's not how long he suffered,
it's who suffered. It's Christ that died, that's
what he did. He suffered the just for the
unjust to bring us to God. That's what he did. Why'd he
do this? Let me read it to you in Romans 3. In Romans 3 verse
25 and 26. He did it. Yes, he died for us,
he died in our stead, he died in our place, but he died in
order that God might be just and justify the ungodly. In Romans chapter 3, you see God can't forgive sin
without that sin being paid for. Not in be God, God can't justify
or be guilty. The guilty has got to become
not guilty. And it says here in Romans 3, 25, whom God hath
set forth to be a perpetuation, a covering, a mercy seat, through
faith in his blood, to declare God's righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past. Old Testament saints, they're
saints. through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at
this time, God's righteousness, God's holiness, God's justice.
Christ died that God might be just and justify him that believeth
in Jesus. That's why. Who died? The God-man. God reconciled us
with his own blood. What did he do? He reconciled
us. He saved us. He redeemed us. Why did Christ
die that God might be just and justified? Where is He now? Isaiah
says, I saw the Lord. I lifted up. The train filled
the temple. That's the Lord Jesus. And the
seraphims cried, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Turn to Hebrews 1. This is who
we're talking about. Now if a man doesn't preach Christ
the God-man, If he doesn't preach Christ, the Justifier, our Righteousness,
if he doesn't preach Christ, the victorious, reigning Redeemer,
he doesn't confess that Jesus Christ is coming to flesh. In
Hebrews 1 verse 1, God, who at sundry times and in divers manners
spake in time past unto the fathers of the prophets, hath in these
last days spoken to us by his Son. Now listen, by his Son. Who is the Son, whom he appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the world, who, being
the brightness of his glory..." You know where the glory of God
is seen? In the face of Jesus Christ. That's right. "...upholdeth all..." He's the
exact image of his person. "...he that hath seen me hath
seen God," Christ said. The exact image of his person.
He upholdeth all things by the word of His power. He holds everything
together. That's the reason it doesn't
fly apart. It's held together by Him. When He had by Himself,
without the help or aid of anyone, and by Himself, by the sacrifice
of Himself, by the giving of Himself, by the offering of Himself
in our stead, He purged our sins. And he sat down on the right
hand of the majesty on high. This pitiful, powerless, impotent,
sad reformer called Jesus that people are preaching today is
not our Savior. Our Savior is God, the victorious,
almighty, eternal God. Who does what? He was in the
heavens. Who does what he will, when he will, with whom he will.
When he was on his way to the cross and the women were following,
weeping and lamenting, he stopped. And he turned and said, don't
weep for me. Weep for yourselves. Weep for
your children. Don't weep for me. Don't weep
over the cure. Weep over the cause. Don't weep
over the remedy. Weep over the disease. Don't
weep over the king. Weep over his enemies. Weep for
yourself and for your children. God came to earth. God came to
earth. God as a man. That's verse 7. I don't know how to make it clear.
Many deceivers entered into this world. They're religious men,
preachers, antichrists, and they confess not that Jesus Christ
is come in this, in the flesh. God actually come in the flesh.
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Christ
is God, reconciling the world unto himself. Feed the church
of God, which he purchased with his own blood. Thy throne, O
God, is forever. Let the angels of God worship
Jesus Christ. Any less Savior can't save. Salvation
is of the Lord. So verse 8, look to yourselves
now. Look to yourselves. Beware of
these false preachers. Beware of these religious people.
They're smooth. Don't you lose, look to yourself
that you lose not those things which we have wrought, which
have been preached to you. which you've heard, which you've
learned. You see these false preachers
come along and they promise certain rewards, but they reward here. What does religion promise you?
It promises you a better life. It promises you recognition. It promises you the praise of
men. It promises you social fellowship. It promises you righteousness.
It promises you family and children benefits. The family prays together,
stays together. You have rewards here. Turn to
Matthew chapter 6 and see if that's not what the Lord is saying.
Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6, look at verse
1. Rewards here. Take heed that
you do not your alms before men. to be seen of them don't get
in this religious game otherwise you have no reward of your father
which is in heaven don't get in this rewards business plural
rewards you have no reward singular of your father now therefore
when you do good deeds when you do alms don't you sound a trumpet
before you as a heathen do in the synagogue this is what they
do in the synagogue Their people recognize you. I went to the
church not long ago to a special thing. They had the Saints Hall
of Fame out in the vestibule. Pictures of all the members out
there and all the accomplishments they've done and the things they've
given. Hall of Fame. Recognition. That's what they
do in the synagogue and in the streets, that they may have glory
of men. I say unto you, they have their
reward. They have a reward. Recognition. Praise. advancement, a sad conscience. I'm doing good. I'll get good
in return. Social fellowship. We got get-togethers
all the time, dinners, potluck suppers. I've cleaned up my act. I'm a respectable member of the
community. That's their reward. They have
it. Look at verse 5. When you pray,
Don't be like the hypocrites are. They love to stand praying
in the synagogue, in the church buildings, in the temples, in
the corners of the streets, as they may be seen of men. Barely
ask them to hear they have their reward. When men see them, when
the preacher brags on them, praises them, exalts them, when they
get together in these social fellowships and call it worship,
that's their reward. To be careful, look back at my
text, look to yourself, look to yourself, that you lose not
those things which we have wrought, but that we have a full reward. Oh, what are we talking about
here? A full reward. In Christ there's a full, what's
the word full mean? Perfect, a perfect reward. You know that one of the first
times, I believe the first time that word reward is used in the
Bible is Genesis 15. I believe that's the first time.
Not sure, but I think so. Singular, reward, in Genesis
15, verse 1. After these things the word of
the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am
your shield, and I am your reward. I am your great reward. And in
the last book, the Lord said, I'm coming. I'm coming. And my reward's with me. You
don't have it here. It's with me. I'm bringing the
reward. I'm your reward. In this world,
you'll have tribulation. In this world, you'll have trouble.
You'll be of good cheer. I've overcome this world. You'll
be different. You'll be persecuted for my sake.
You'll be hated for my sake. You'll believe what other people
don't believe. You'll exalt Christ. But I'm coming. And my reward's
with me. And John says here, look for
yourselves. Don't lose that. Don't swap it. Don't exchange him for this. Look at Colossians 3. That's
a bad deal. I know a bad deal when I hear
one. I know a bad deal, and that's a bad deal, exchanging him for
the praise of men, for the applause of men, for
the rewards of men, to be seen of men, to have a good time here,
to avoid persecution for the gospel, to avoid the offense
of the cross. Watch it. Look to yourselves.
Now listen, Colossians 3, 22, 23 and 24. Servants, obey your master in
all things according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men
pleases. We're not in a men-pleasing business.
But in singleness of heart, fearing God, And whatever you do, do
it heartily, full bore, all out, as to the Lord, not to men. Be careful. Be careful. To be seen of men,
they have their reward. For the praise of men, they have
their reward. You do what you do heartily.
without compromise unto the Lord, not to men, knowing that of the
Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. You serve
the Lord Christ. Oh boy. You serve the Lord Christ. Don't,
don't lose that. Religion looks like fun. The
way it's carried on in this day. Turn to Hebrews chapter 2 verse
1. There's not a better way than
Christ. There's not a better way than salvation of the Lord.
There's not a better way than looking and depending on him.
There's not a better way than preaching his word. It's not
a better way. It's the only way. Therefore,
chapter 2 of Hebrews, verse 1, we ought to give them more earnest
heed to the things we've heard. You've heard them. You've heard
them a thousand times here. Less than any time you let them
slip. Don't let them slip. So that, go back to my text,
a lot of deceivers Antichrist, false preachers gone out into
the world. Their error is who is Christ? What did he do? Why did he do
it? Where is he now? Christ. That's
where they are. These are the sins. Now look
to yourself. I can't look to anybody else. I got to look to
myself. You can't do anything about them. I can do something
about myself. That you lose not those things which have been
wrought We receive a full and perfect
reward. Now watch verse 9. Whosoever
trespasseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ. Whosoever
transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ. I
have been preaching now the gospel of God's grace for 49 years. And I have seen some people do
this very thing, who abided not in the doctrine
of Christ. That's what I just said. I'd even bring it down, reduce
it to three things, this doctrine of Christ. One, the doctrine
of Christ is the truth concerning his person. His person, God the
Son, the man Christ Jesus, The union of the two natures, divine
and human in one person. The doctrine of his person. That's
the doctrine of Christ. Secondly, the doctrine of his
offices. He is the Messiah. He is the
messenger of the covenant. He is the only one who's prophet,
priest, and king. He is the high priest. He is
the sacrifice. He's the altar. He's the mercy
state. He is the mediator, that's his
office. He alone holds it, occupies it,
nobody else. And the third thing, his sacrifice
is effectual. He lived perfectly, he died in
the stead of his own, he arose, he ascended, he's interceding,
he'll come again to receive those whom he purchased. His sacrifice
is effectual. His blood cleanses. He didn't
try to save anybody. He saved those for whom he suffered. He died in their stead. And if
any man abides not in that, his person, his office, his victorious
effectual substitutionary work, now watch this. He hath not God. Now that's serious. He doesn't have
God. He's without God in this world. Doesn't matter how pious he is,
or how educated he is, or how experienced he is, he does not
have God. Whosoever transgresseth and abides
not, does not continue in this doctrine of Christ. The doctrine
of Christ is his person. It can't be compromised. His
office, it cannot be compromised. Here's a sexual substitutionary
sacrifice that cannot be watered down. Victory is in his blood. If he
didn't save us, what will? And a man who doesn't continue
in that does not have God. What do you mean he doesn't have
God? Well, let's see what Christ said, John 8. He doesn't have
God. He hath not God. What does that
mean? Well, chapter 8, verse 42 says,
Jesus said unto them, chapter 8, verse 42 of John, if God were
your father, if he were your father, you would love me. I
proceeded forth and came from God. I didn't come of myself. He sent me. Now, you don't confess
that and believe that. He's not your father. That's
what it means not to have God. He's not your father. He's not
your father. Call him father all you want
to, but if you don't abide in the doctrine of Christ, God's
not your father. Secondly, you don't know God. A man doesn't know God. Turn
to Matthew 11. Listen to what the Lord says
here in Matthew 11 about this. He doesn't, he doesn't, God's
not his father and he doesn't, he doesn't know God. In Matthew
11 verse 27, listen to this. All things are delivered unto
me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son but the Father, neither
knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he whom shall the
Son reveal. If a man doesn't abide in the
doctrine of Christ, God's not his father, and he doesn't even
know God. And here's another point. He
has no communion with God. Christ said, I'm the way, the
truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. He doesn't have any communion
with the Father. There's one mediator between
God and me, and that's the man, Christ Jesus. This man, preacher,
Whomever who does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, his person,
his office, his victorious sacrifice, God's not his father, doesn't
know God, and he can't have communion with God. Don't listen to this.
But he that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he abides in the doctrine of
Christ. You know, I understand what Spurgeon
said. I didn't understand it when I
read it almost 50 years ago. He's already dead when I came
along. But he ministered for 38 years. That's how long he
pastored. And in his 38th year as a pastor,
he said this. My message and the gospel I preach
has not changed one I over, from the day I began preaching this
gospel. I didn't quite understand what he meant. I know now, my
gospel, what I believe about Christ. Everything I know about
Christ, I learned in kindergarten. Who he is, what he did, why he
did it, and where he is now. I found out more about him, but
that's the essence of his person and work. And it hasn't changed
one drop. Not one iota, not one time has
it changed. So you've heard the message in
this pulpit that many years too. And we've learned more about
ourselves and more about His word and more about His kingdom
and more about His grace. But Christ is Christ. Christ is God. I can't put him any higher than
he was when I met him. When I met my dad, he was my
dad. I wasn't any higher to a butterfly, but he was my dad.
And when he died, he was my dad. We didn't change our relationship.
I didn't deny him. When I met Christ, I met Christ. That's who I met, the king, the
victorious, conquering general and lord and commander and king
and president with all preeminence. And he never has changed. Never
has. People are always changing. They're
either leaving the gospel or just getting to it, I don't know
which. Isn't that right? But you don't change. That he
that abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has the Father and
the Son! I'm telling you. I'll show you
what that means in John 17. He has the Father and the Son.
This is what thrills me because I come in right here without
any embarrassment or shyness or timidity. This is
my inheritance right here. This is my reward. and yours
too, if you abide in the doctrine of Christ. In John 17 verse 21,
listen, verse 20, He said, Neither pray I for these alone, these
disciples. I pray for them which shall believe
on me through their words, listen, that they may be one, that they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they may be one in us. Boy, listen to me. One in us. As the Son is one with the Father,
every believer here is one with Christ and one with the Father.
The one. Secondly, one in glory. Listen to verse 32. And the glory
which you gave me, I've given them that they may be one. One in glory. Think of that. Thirdly, verse 23, I in them
and thou in me that they may be made perfect, one in perfection. That the world may know you sent
me and you love them as you love me, one in love. Now listen,
this gets bigger and bigger doesn't it? One in God, one in glory,
one in perfection, one in love with Him. Listen, one more. Verse 24, Father, I will that
they also who you've given me be with me where I am, one in
heaven. That they may behold my glory
which you gave me, for you loved me before the foundation of the
world. And listen to the next one, verse 25. O righteous Father,
the world hath not known thee. They don't know you. I know you. And these have known that thou
hast sent me, one in knowledge. Now that's awesome. He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ. He has the Father and the Son. One in us, in God, one in glory,
one in perfection, one in love, one in heavenly abode, and one
in knowledge. What think ye of Christ? Let me give you this, verse 10. Now
this, listen carefully to me on verse 10. If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine of Christ, receive him not into your house,
neither did in God's feet." Now, he's talking about preachers
and teachers of religion who come to you. You're not talking
about your next-door neighbor who doesn't believe what you
believe. He's not coming there as a preacher. He's not coming
there as a promoter of religion. He's not coming there as a proselyter. He's coming there as a next-door
neighbor, or your son or daughter who doesn't believe. You don't
turn them away, or anybody else who comes your way, a stranger.
But when one comes, a preacher, a teacher of the Scripture, a
representative of religion, or the purpose of conveying to you
his false doctrine, don't let him in your house. That's what
he's saying. If one comes in the character
of a preacher or a teacher of the scriptures and brings not
this doctrine of Christ, if he comes and brings, he's bringing
a doctrine, he says. All preachers and teachers bring
a doctrine. That's what they're coming to,
bringing a doctrine. They're bringing a false doctrine. Well, when
one comes or two or three comes and doesn't bring this doctrine
of Christ, don't give him any entertainment, don't even give
him a sandwich. Don't even give him a cold Coca-Cola.
That's what he's saying. Don't give him any. Avoid him. Don't receive him into your house
and don't receive him into the house of God. Don't let him pray. Don't let him in a pulpit. Don't
even bid him God's peace. Don't even give him the usual
simple form of salutation such as good day to you or good morning
to you or the Lord be with you or the Lord bless you. Don't
give him any encouragement, lest he come back. Don't give him
any encouragement, lest he thinks you accept him and approve of
him. Show him the door. You know what that says? If he
doesn't bring the doctrine of Christ, bring any other doctrine.
That's what... For listen, verse 11. He that
bideth him God's speed, he that wishes him well, he that buys
his books, He that shows him a friendly conversation encourages
him and supports him. Instead of reproving him, he's
aiding and abetting him. And he's a partaker with him
in his evil deeds. That's strong, but let me tell
you something. The danger, the deadly error that they bring,
that's serious too. They're dealing with the character
of our God. The Scriptures teach us to be
kind to everyone, to feed those who are hungry, and clothe those
who are naked. Be not forgetful or entertain
strangers, to love our neighbors, and as much as within us live
peaceably with every man. But John's telling us plainly
in verse 10 and 11, those false preachers and teachers are dangerous
men. They're anti-Christ. They're
anti-God.