What does John mean when he says the last hour is here? And who is the antichrist? In this episode of The Tree Church Bible Study, Pastor Stacey Crawford is joined by Pastor Chris Reed and Pastor Mary Johnson to study 1 John 2:18-19. Pastor Stacey shares that all three of them learned a lot preparing for this conversation.
A Lighthearted Start
The episode opens with a question about AI. Pastor Chris is somewhere in the middle and is careful how he uses it, especially with sermons. Pastor Mary uses it as a brainstorming partner, and Pastor Stacey uses it to plan meals. Pastor Chris also teases Pastor Stacey about tying the icebreaker to today's topic, the antichrist. She laughs and assures everyone she is not saying AI is the antichrist.
Reading the Passage Together
Pastor Stacey recaps last week's study on not loving the world while keeping an eternal perspective. Then she reads from the New Living Translation. "Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us. Otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us."
What Is the Last Hour
Pastor Mary admits she was confused about why John said the last hour was here when thousands of years have passed. Pastor Chris explains that the Greek word John uses means last things. That is where we get the word eschatology, the study of last things.Pastor Chris says this theme runs through the whole Bible. The Old Testament often speaks about the day of the Lord. The New Testament applies that idea to Jesus and his return. God has an end in mind, and he is working history toward it. Many people hear eschatology and think of the Left Behind series, but Pastor Chris notes that is just one perspective within a much bigger idea.
Living in the Last Days
Pastor Chris explains that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are the turning point of this story. Most of the early church believed Jesus began the last days. That means we have been living in the last days since the time of Jesus.He adds that the word hour can also mean a season or a set amount of time. So John was right. They were living in the last hour, and so are we. Each day we move closer to Christ's return.Pastor Stacey says this is a great reminder that Christ could come back at any time. Pastor Chris agrees. Jesus himself said he did not know the day or time, so we are called to live ready.
What It Looks Like to Live Ready
Pastor Stacey asks how we can live ready. Pastor Mary says it means being aware and prepared, with faith that is real and active. She does not see it as fear. Everything in our lives does not have to line up perfectly. Our focus simply stays on Christ and on what we were created for. Pastor Stacey adds that this gives us confidence for when that day comes.Pastor Chris says living ready also drives our mission. We are meant to live in a way that bears witness to who Jesus is, with a sense of urgency. His biggest critique of the Left Behind approach is that it creates fear instead of hopeful anticipation.Christ could return today or in another thousand years. Either way, Pastor Chris says we should anticipate and hope, because his return will bring the fullness of salvation for us and for the world.
What John Means by Antichrist
Pastor Stacey shares that she has heard her whole life that the antichrist is coming in the end times. But as she read this passage, a light bulb came on. Anti means against. An antichrist is someone who is against Jesus. She says moments like this are a gift, because "the Bible comes alive to us at just the right time when we need it."Pastor Chris explains that John is the only New Testament writer who uses the word antichrist. Other writers share similar ideas. 2 Thessalonians speaks of the man of lawlessness. Matthew and Mark speak of false christs. Revelation describes the beast.
What the Greek Text Says
Pastor Chris says we should always start with the world of the text and not read in what is not there. The NLT capitalizes the Antichrist, but the Greek does not include the word the. It could read that an antichrist is coming. Anyone who sets themselves up in opposition to Christ fills this role.Pastor Chris does not think the NLT is wrong. Scripture does point to the idea of one ultimate enemy of Christ, and we can hold that there may be such a person someday. But he believes what matters more is seeing the many ways people take up the flag of what is opposite of Christ.
Holding End Times Views With Humility
Pastor Chris notes that we are often shaped by the views we grew up with. Throughout church history, there have been many perspectives on these topics. He encourages listeners to approach them with an open mind, because it is not clear-cut.The Bible does not give us this so we can figure out who the antichrist is. It gives it to us so we can recognize what stands against Christ and go the other way. Pastor Mary agrees. "anything that is in opposition to Christ should be something that we're very cautious of and flee from." She adds that this is not only about one big antichrist. It is about the danger of anything that opposes who God is and the truths he presents.
Those Who Left the Church
Pastor Stacey shares that the team often talks before recording, and one of those conversations shaped this part of the episode. Pastor Mary had asked whether John was saying that everyone who left the church is an antichrist.Pastor Mary explains her thinking. Leaving one church to find another does not make someone an antichrist. Neither does disagreeing with some things and looking for a better fit for your family. But she wondered whether John meant people who leave the body of Christ altogether because they think they can do faith on their own.Pastor Chris says the New Testament does not show a private faith. It shows individuals who are part of a body, and that is the only model we have. If you do not associate with Christ's people, you do not associate with Christ. Paul talks about this when writing to the Corinthians.Pastor Chris would not go as far as calling those people antichrists. But he says they are embracing an anti-Christian idea. He also cautions against staking claims that are not biblically based, because that leads to dangerous situations.
Believing False Things About Christ
Pastor Chris explains that John's main focus is people who left because they believed false things about Christ. Some claimed Jesus only appeared to be human, which was the Gnostic error the group discussed earlier in the series. Others claimed he was not truly divine and did not come from the Father. John tells them they are now standing in opposition to the things of Christ.Pastor Stacey says this thought struck her deeply. She does not want to stand in opposition to Christ. She wants to keep pursuing God and living the way he has called us to live.
Seek Christ and Do What He Commands
Pastor Chris connects this back to what Pastor Mary said about living ready. It is not more complicated or more simple than this. "We want to seek Christ and we want to do the things that he commands."That includes loving others, being part of a church community, and living the way God calls us to live. Pastor Chris says we should feel some tension in our hearts if we say no to those things.God's grace is big enough to forgive when we repent. But when it comes to the things God has commanded, like obedience, community, and serving, our preference does not play into it. Different preferences do not justify going our own way.
A Closing Prayer
Pastor Chris closes in prayer. He thanks God for having a plan for history and for bringing all things to their fullness. He prays that God would confront anything in our own hearts that stands in opposition to him. He asks for courage to live differently, so we can bear witness to God's goodness and the hope of his return.
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