Jesus Christ Coming in the Flesh
It was so important that John instruct us as Christian to confess Jesus Christ came in the flesh. John, in his writings, tried to strengthen the Christians under his care to resist the deluge of heresy of Gnosticism that was rising against the church.
It was so important that John instruct us as Christian to confess Jesus Christ came in the flesh. “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”(2 John 1:7). The deceiver is an antichrist is a liar who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22). The deceiver is an antichrist who denies the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. This is the spirit of the antichrist which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3). John wanted us to know it is the last hour as we have heard the antichrist is coming, even not many antichrists have come, by with we know that it is the last hour. (1 John 2:18).
Paul tells us about the man of lawlessness, or the wicked one. We are not to allow anyone to deceive us by any means. That day will not come unless except there comes a falling away first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition will seek to be worshipped. Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders. (2 Thessalonians 2:8-9).
John, in his writings, tried to strengthen the Christians under his care to resist the deluge of heresy that was rising against the church. Gnosticism often maintained that Jesus could not have been God and man at the same time. Gnostic believed that all matter was evil and only spirit was good. Their false teaching strived to drive a wedge between the body and soul. (MacArthur. 2003. Pg 507).
Gnosticism was a group of Gnostics who followed a variety of religious movements. They stressed salvation through gnosis or knowledge. They opposed the idea of a difference between the spiritual world and the evil material world. The church fathers regarded Gnosticism as being heretical perversions of Christianity. (Hawthorne, 1993. Pg. 350).
Gnostics believe they know and understand the deep secret meanings of what they confess and read in church. Gnostics divide humanity into three classes: 1. Gnostics, who eventually will rejoin the spiritual divine realm; 2. regular Christians, who will not experience ultimate salvation but will enjoy some level of salvation; 3. and all other people, who lack any part of the divine within them and will be destroyed with the rest of the Demiurge’s world. Demiuge is a Gnostic subordinate deity who is the creator of the material world. (Longman. 2013. Pg. 675).
The Gnostics believe that Christ was the divine revealer. They believe they are imprisoned spirits, and need special knowledge to awaken their divine spark so that they will know their need of liberation. Among other things, it involves revelation so that they can have self-knowledge, to know their situation, the situation of the world, and how it came about. The Gnostics believe that Jesus was a divine revealer and He came to impart liberating knowledge. They see Christ as a divine being who inhabited a righteous man, Jesus, starting at his baptism. They believe Christ, departed from the man Jesus. Gnosticism’s radical cleavage between the material world and the spiritual world results in salvation and Christ only relating to Gnostics regaining their purely spiritual existence. Jesus’ death lacks any traditional atoning significance according to Gnosticism. The Gnostic Jesus, though, is quite a different person from the Jesus of the NT. Christ’s incarnation and his death and resurrection were downplayed, often rejected, and emphasis was placed on Jesus as a teacher. (Haykin. 2011. Pg. 479).
2 John 1: 8 tells us of the dangers of the deceivers it tells us to look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things which we have worked for, but that we receive a full reward. We are to Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck. (1 Timothy 1:19). There are those deceivers who have erred saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his. And, Let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:18-19).
It does not matter how knowledgeable we are or how sound we believe our faith is we still need to be watchful and always on. John reminds us of the warnings of Jesus that there would be many deceivers and to take heed that no one deceives you. “For many will come in my name, saying, “I am he,” and will deceive many. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed.” (Mark 13:5-6, 22-23).
Paul also warns us about the man of lawlessness, or the wicked one: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s Temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3ñ4).Paul also gave a similar warning to the leaders of the church at Ephesus. They also were to take heed because false teachers would arise from outside and from within the church itself to draw away the disciples after themselves. (Acts 20:28ñ30). Peter also warned that there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways. (2 Peter 2:1-2). Peter also warned to beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked. (2 Peter 3:17). Christians must take these warnings seriously and not allow ourselves to be led astray, ruining our testimony and losing the reward from the LORD.
References:
Hawthorne, Gerald F. Martin, Ralph P. and Reid, Daniel G. eds. (1993). Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Haykin, Michael A. G. (2011). ìGnosticism,î ed. Glen G. Scorgie, Dictionary of Christian Spirituality. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Longman, Tremper III; Enns,Peter Enns; and Mark Strauss, eds.(2013). The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
MacArthur, John. (2003). The MacArthur Bible Handbook. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Jesus Christ Coming in the Flesh:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Oct 2014.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1462,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014, October) “Jesus Christ Coming in the Flesh:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1462 ,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014) “Jesus Christ Coming in the Flesh:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (October), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1462, (accessed).
