1 John 2:18-29 ~ you have been annointed by the Holy One

1 John 2:18-29

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us —eternal life.

26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Looking for the perfect church? Just as there are not perfect believers, there just isn't a perfect church. Paul started many churches and spent a lot of time writing to them about mending their ways. We can perfectly say this isn't just for churches, but us. As individual believers.

Jesus said:

Mark 13:28-37
²⁸"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. ²⁹Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. ³⁰I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. ³¹Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

³²"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. ³³Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. ³⁴It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.

³⁵"Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "

One thing about the beloved disciple, he is not going to teach what Jesus did not. John was upfront what he believed. Some of the churches today are not. There are churches today that tell us to do away with whole parts of the Scriptures. 5 years ago, it was only parts of the New Testament, now they have started to condemn the Old Testament. There are churches today who deny Jesus died, in God's plan, to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. There are churches today who say there is no personal salvation, we are only saved as a corporate community. There are churches today who tell us the Jews no longer deserve Israel. An important statement. No one has ever deserved Israel. God gives us gifts out of His mercy and His word.

I know of a church in the Houston area, the congregation was pleased with their head minister. Upon leaving the church, after being in the church almost a decade, the man took a job & pledged to restore a seminary, one of the most liberal in our country which had fallen into nothing. His old congregation was pleased the seminary would hear Scripture believing lessons. Not so, he made the headlines promising to fill the seminary with very liberal, partial scriptural students. He had been a paid shepherd, not a soul who had been transparent.

There are different parts of the body of Christ, fulfilling different Christian needs. It is not needed to condemn another part of the body of Christ until Christian basic principals are denied. But, remember, we are getting to be in turbulent waters when Scripture is denied and Christ is re-defined to be certain characteristics instead of all of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures. Christ honoring, Scripture believing Churches need to support one another.

May God bless His Churches honoring all of the Scriptures, wanting to know all about Jesus Christ. May we support one another as we encourage one another to grow in the Holy Spirit. Father, please grant your Churches to be an oasis for the Love and mercy You give us. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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