April 1920
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
220
Outline Studies in the Epistles o f John / T. C. Horton The First Epistle of John Outline of the Epistle: (1 ) Introduction (1 :1 -4 ). (2) God is Light: Fellowship with God in light (1 :5 to 2:28). ( 3 ) God is Loye. The Sonship of the believer (2:29 to 3:24). (4 ) Source of Sonship: Possessed by the Spirit (4 :1 to 5:12). (6) Conclusion. The law of love (6:13-21). Outline of Chapter 2: ( 1) The Mediatorial W o r k of Christ, vs. 1, 2. . . person of Christ,— His virgin birth, blood atonement, physical resurrec tion, second coming. (2) Signs of the Antichristian Spirit. Any one who professes to be' Christ (Matt.24:5): «F o r m any shall come in my name saylncr. I am C h rist; and shall deceive many.” Any one, under the guise of a prophet, oppbslng Christ (Matt. 24: 11): “ And m any fa lse prophet* .b a ll vine, and aball deceive many.” . Sonship of Jesus Christ. Deism—-a denial of any revelation from God. Anti-supernaturalism— a denial of the supernatural. (4) Origin o f Antichristian Error. Its origin, of course, is of the devil, but he works from within, with those identified with the professing church, but who have never really been "born again;” those who are typified by the “ seed on stony ground” (Mark 4:5; 16, 17), having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof (2 Tim. 3 :5 ). (5 ) The Unction by Which We May Discover Error.
(2) Profession and Practice, vs. 3- (3) Safeguarding the Saved, vs. 12- 17. (4) Christians and Anti-Christians, vs. 18-29. LESSON EIGHT Last month we considered the first part of the last division of the second chapter, (4) CHRISTIANS and ANTI-CHRIS- TI a NS, v s . 18-29, dwelling particularly upon the obliga tion of Christians, in view of the cer tain coming of Antichrist and the Anti christian spirit, to "walk even as He walked” (v. 28) : "A n d now , little children, abide In hlm» that, when he shall appear w e m ay have confldrnce and not be aahamed before blm at hla com ing.” This month we will look at some of the prophecies concerning the Anti christ and • the rise of the Antichris tian spirit.^ (1 ) The Antichrist Foretold. His anti-type is found in the Old Testament prophecies, particularly in the book of Daniel. Coming to the New Testament, we find the coming of the Antichrist foretold by our Lord (Mark 13 :6 ): “ F or ninny shall come In m y name, say in g. I am C h rist; and shall deceive many.” (John 5 :43 ): « I am come in m y F ath er’s name* and ye receive me not» If another shall come in his own name* him ye w ill receive. The term “ Antichrist” is used only by John and by him only three times. It means “ One opposed to Christ; com ing in the name and guise of Christ; professing to be Christ." The apostate Jews and the unbe lieving Gentiles crucified Christ and nailed Him to the cross. The apos tate church and the unbelieving Jews will set the Antichrist on a throne. The' former age ended with the re jection of Christ. This present age will end with the 'iReception of the Anti- ' christ. The Antichrist is the opposite of Christ and the opposite of Christians. An Antichristian spirit is the spirit of opposition to the essential doctrines of Christ. Antichristian heresies were foretold and arose early in the history of the .Church (2 Tim. 3:1-9; 1 Tim. 4:1-3). The supreme test of truth and error in the believer, in the Scriptural sense, is to be found in their relation to the
Any one pretending to be a follower of Christ, who denies the atonement (2 John 7,9): “ F o r m any decelvera are entered Into tbe w orld, w bo confeaa not tb a t Jenun Cbrlat 1» come In tbe Uenb. Tbla t a t de ceiver and an antlcbrlnt. • • • W b p o o - ever tranagreaaetb, and abldetb not In tbe doctrine o f Christ, bath not God. H e that abldetb In tbe doctrine o f Cbrlat, be hath both tbe F ath er and tbe S o n .’ Any one openly opposed to Christ. (3) Special Work of the Antichristian Spirit. The special work of the Antichris tian spirit is to deny that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, as Just Quoted from 2 John 7, 9. This doctrine in volves the incarnation of Jesus Christ — God manifest in the flesh; the rev elation of Jesus Christ as the Saviour of men, and His mediatorial work; the link between God and man. The Jewish Antichristian spirit re fused to receive Him as the Messiah, declared Him to be an impostor and denied His incarnation. The Gnostic Antichristian spirit, in the early church, denied His Deity, and taught that He was specially anointed for His ministry during the period from His baptism to His pas sion. Other manifestations of the Anti christian spirit are found in Sacerdot alism— a multiplication of priests and mediators. Papal Infallibility— a hu man being assuming to speak for God. Socinianism— the denial of the eternal Don O. Shelton, President of the Na tional Bible Institute, speaking at the Institute’s Bible hour recently in the Church of the Strangers, New York City, took issue with the theology of the Very Rev. W. R. Inge, Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral, who is returning to London after an American lecture tour. . . “ The Christian Gospel,” said Mr. Shelton, “ not only claims to be a super natural message, but wherever it is received and believed it demonstrates its divine origin. The suggestion of Dean Inge that the defences of Chris tianity must no longer rest upon the old foundation of miracles, cannot be approved by those who accept the plain teaching of the New Testament. The very beginnings of the Christian Church were miraculous.
The Holy Spirit is always giving out truth concerning the person of Christ (v. 20): “ But ye bave an unction from tbe H oly One and ye know a ll th in s«.” (John 16 :13 ): «H ow b elt when he, the Spirit o f troth , is come, he w ill sn id e you into nil truth* for he «hall not «peak o f him self fi but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak i and he w ill shew you th in s* to come.” The believer needs no man to teach him the fundamental truths concern ing the person and work of Christ. There is no room in the Scripture for "rationalistic evolution”— no room for “ progressive truth.” The preparation for Antichrist’s coming is found in all phases of social, political,, commercial and church life; the tendency to unite in opposition to Christ; the formation of trusts, etc., tending to the control of all trade; the forsaking of foundation doctrines; the ready acceptance of Antichristian statements. Through all these agen cies all classes are being prepared to accept the Antichrist when he comes. (0 ) The Remedy. Abide in Him. Abide in the funda mental doctrines. Depend upon the Holy Spirit. Be found faithful at His appearing. (Next month “ The Sonship of Be lievers,” 3:1-3). “ One hundred and twenty men and women, without wealth or any earthly patronage, and with no prospects be fore them but hardships and opposi tion, were entrusted with a work that was to regenerate the world’s civiliza tion. The influence of that small group is felt throughout the world to day. In its moral and spiritual gran deur the message was proclaimed. Their achievement was indeed mirac ulous. “ If Dean Inge could visit some of the Gospel mission halls in New York, he would find, in the present lives of men and women who have been saved from degeneracy and profligacy, many evidences that the supernatural power with which the early Church was ac quainted is still at work.”
Jib, Alfe. .Alfe. I l i CHRIST’S MESSAGE SUPERNATURAL
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