The message continues in 1 John chapter 2, approaching the end of the chapter. Last week covered antichrists in verses 18–20. John writes that it is the last time; antichrist will come, and even now many antichrists have gone out from the assembly. They were not of the assembly; if they had been, they would have remained. They went out so that it might be made plain they were not all of us. Believers have an anointing from the Holy One and know all things.
John has not written because they do not know the truth, but because they do know it, and no lie is of the truth. The liar is the one 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; the one who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Therefore let that which was heard from the beginning abide; if it abides, they will also abide in the Son and in the Father.
The focus is verse 21. The audience already possesses the information needed to identify these liars. John does not give new information; he reminds them that the ones they heard were coming are present, and they already know how to recognize the lie. Verses 26–27 add that some would try to deceive, yet the anointing received from Him abides and they need not that any man teach them; the same anointing teaches all things, is truth and no lie, and they will abide in Him.
Ephesians 1 shows salvation as the work of the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed believers with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, chosen them before the foundation of the world, marked them off for placement as sons through Jesus Christ, given redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins, made known the mystery of His will, and granted an inheritance. After hearing the word of the truth, the gospel of their salvation, and believing, they were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the guarantee of the inheritance. Believers hope and believe after these things have already been accomplished by God. Those who deny the Father and the Son undercut the very provision of that salvation.
“The truth” with the article points to something specific determined by context; it is not identical in every passage. In some places it refers to the doctrine necessary for victory over the sin nature. Romans 6 asks whether believers should continue in the sin nature that grace may abound. Those who died to that sinfulness cannot live in it. They were immersed into Christ’s death, co-buried with Him, and are to walk in newness of life. The old man was crucified with Him so that the body of that sinfulness might be destroyed and they should no longer serve it. He who has died is freed from sin.
2 Corinthians 4:2 speaks of the manifestation of the truth, not walking in craftiness or handling the Word of God deceitfully, but commending themselves to every man’s conscience. The truth affects visible behavior.
Galatians 1:6–7 marvels that the Galatians were so quickly removed to a different kind of gospel, which is not the same. Some would pervert the gospel of Christ by adding that something must still be done about sins or that the law must be brought in for righteousness. That is not believing Christ died on behalf of sins and paid the price; it is believing He died but. Galatians 5:6–7 states that in Christ neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails, but faith working through love. They ran well; who hindered them that they should not obey (be persuaded by) the truth?
1 John 1:5–8 declares that God is light and in Him is no darkness. The one who claims fellowship yet walks in darkness lies and is not doing the truth. Walking in the light brings fellowship and cleansing by the blood of Jesus Christ His Son. The one who says he has no sin deceives himself and the truth is not in him. The truth here is meant to change behavior: in Christ believers have died to the sin nature. 1 Peter speaks of purifying the soul by obeying the truth, because the sin nature campaigns against the soul; victory over it positively affects the soul.
1 John 2:4 states that the one who says he knows Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. Whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God is perfected. The old commandment is the word heard from the beginning. Verse 24 again calls them to let that which was heard from a beginning abide, so that they abide in the Son and in the Father.
John has already linked the truth to not denying the sin nature and walking in darkness (chapter 1) and to keeping His commandments (chapter 2). At the end of chapter 2 he contrasts it with antichrists who deny the Father and the Son. Most Christians already have the information needed to recognize that denial. The implications of what God has done in salvation are past, present, and future: not only a past moment of belief and a future heaven, but present freedom from the sin nature and present effects.
Ephesians 4:14–24 exhorts that they no longer be children tossed by every wind of teaching and the cunning of those who lie in wait to deceive, but speaking truth (truthing) in love they grow up into Christ the Head. They are not to walk as the Gentiles in the uselessness of the mind, darkened understanding, and alienation from the life of God. They have learned the Christ; truth is in Jesus. They are to put off the former manner of life, the old man corrupt according to deceitful lusts, be renewed in the spirit of the mind, and put on the new man created after God in righteousness and true holiness. Denial of the Father and the Son creates fundamental issues for doctrines already stated in 1 John, including living free from sin.
