Exposition of 1 John 2:18-26 (3)
Verse 19 “They went out from us, but they were not of us: for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.”
He said they left because they did not belong to us.
Here, "we" refers to the saints who are in Jesus Christ.
The word "we" implies that there is a group on this side and a group on that side, each claiming to be "us."
Lately, I have come to realize more seriously that faith is not for just anyone.
Some people ask while listening to the sermon, "Pastor, why does prayer stop?"
Of course, it stops.
However, that is when true prayer begins.
Receiving "power" by shouting loudly and spitting out words will cause illness before you even go ten miles, but the power manifested by the Holy Spirit is always present.
Many people seem to mistake the energy emanating from their bodies when they chatter away during prayer for the power of prayer.
That is the power of the soul.
A person with a passive personality becomes depressed and down if they remain silent and do nothing.
When people are feeling down, they are told to "give thanks, rejoice, and praise through prayer." Because this is emphasized, regardless of the power of the Holy Spirit, their mood is lifted, they feel better, and gain strength. I have no idea how many people claim to have "received grace" or "received power" based on this.
The evidence that they do so is that they sing hymns with excitement in their own language, but fall asleep as soon as the sermon begins.
Doesn't that mean they are lying?
Such a person is actually afraid God.
Once God's will is established within a person who has been praying for their own thoughts and needs, who would dare to pester him for anything after knowing his will?
A young child might pester for money when they do not fully understand their parents' wishes, but once they understand the norms of the household, how could they demand money unconditionally?
If the allowance was set at 10,000 won a week, could they demand 5,000 won on Monday, 5,000 won on Wednesday, and 5,000 won on Friday?
A normal head of the household should respond by saying, "Since Father has decided this, let it be done according to Father's will."
That is precisely what it means to discard partiality and enter into a perfect faith.
Therefore, faith is not for just anyone.
One must be someone who goes through that process; if one does, it becomes a truly deep and profound prayer.
It becomes a prayer in which God’s will is fulfilled within me—that is, God’s work is accomplished within me.
It is precisely the Lord’s Prayer.
From that moment on, one becomes a person of power and a co-worker of God doing his work.
However, the Antichrist opposes Christ because they must oppose him to become masters themselves.
Many people are doing just that.
They stubbornly insist it is not true because speaking of the faith in which Christ dwells within them makes them appear fake.
They are just like the Jews who crucified Jesus.
What we must understand is that if He speaks from within us, it is the work of the Holy Spirit, but if it speaks from the outside, it is the work of Satan.
When you pray, do not try to listen to voices from the outside.
You must listen to the voice within your inner self.
Is it the Antichrist? Or is it the Christ?
In this generation, a great, invisible battle is unfolding between these two sides.
A vast forest of tares is now spread out. Christ is disappearing.
Verse 20: “But you have an unction from the Holy One, and you know all things.”
What is the evidence of a Christian?
It is being anointed by the Holy One.
This is the very spiritual privilege.
This spiritual privilege is the guarantee of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit testifies within us that we are children of God.
The Holy Spirit guarantees the fact that I have been cleansed within me.
He also guarantees the fact that I have been justified within me.
The Holy Spirit becomes the power that holds my heart within me.
He becomes the wisdom to know God's will.
This is the privilege of a Christian.
This is the authority of a child of God.
Only the anointing grants the authority of a child of God.
This anointing of the Holy Spirit makes us cling to God.
God bestows spiritual value. That is his glory.
Until one receives this anointing of the Holy Spirit, the word heard can never be confirmed.
This anointing of the Holy Spirit confirms that Jesus Christ is my Lord.
Therefore, no one can call Jesus Christ "Lord" except through the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3).
People say "Lord, Lord" with their words, but if you ask, "Is he truly your Lord?", in reality, they not called "Lord."
They are the masters themselves.
In fact, while visible idols can simply be beheaded, the earthly image that fills me—even though I call Jesus Christ Lord—does not easily allow that image to make Jesus Christ my Lord.
Many people think that calling Jesus Christ "Lord" is a simple matter.
If Jesus Christ is Lord, then one must naturally become His servant.
No one can become a servant of Jesus Christ without the Holy Spirit.
When a person without the work of the Holy Spirit calls Jesus Christ "Lord, Lord," try saying, "Lord, I am your servant," as a test.
If you do that, your conscience will likely accuse you, saying, "Don't lie; your master is some else."
Without the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ cannot be our Lord, and without the Holy Spirit, we cannot obey him.
This is because his existence and ours are different.
Although His existence and ours are different, only the Holy Spirit makes us submit our will, mindset, methods, thoughts, and intentions to Him.
Only the Holy Spirit makes us know everything.
The Word of God establishes our position.
Whether it is "we have received life in Christ" or "we are in Christ, the Rock," the Holy Spirit guarantees and makes known that I am within that position.
That is why it is said that "the anointing of the Holy Spirit makes one know everything and understands the meaning of the Word."
Many people cannot do this.
Therefore, they lack conviction.
They feel as though they have it, yet not, and that it works, yet it does not.
Forgiveness of sins is not something that happens simply because I claim to have received it.
Forgiveness of sins means dying to sin and living again in Jesus Christ.
The question is, who else but the power of the Holy Spirit can perform this on our behalf?
Can I, of my own accord, die on the cross, rise again, and cross over to the other side?
Without the anointing of the Holy Spirit, there is no assurance of the forgiveness of sins, so we cannot love God.
I cannot praise God. There is something that holds me back.
Having a hesitation toward God or toward people is proof that the forgiveness of sins has not been received.
It is forgiveness of sins only in words.
The reason why many people lack spiritual growth, are not devoted to God, and cannot preach the Gospel is precisely because their forgiveness is merely their own version of it, not the forgiveness guaranteed by the Word of the Bible and the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, do not view the forgiveness of sins lightly.From God's perspective, sins were forgiven collectively through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross; however, whether or not this applies to you is a matter for each individual.
Thus, while the fundamental theology from God's perspective is already a settled matter, iconographic theology—that is, subjective theology—varies from person to person.
Only the Holy Spirit applies the atoning grace of Jesus Christ to me.
No matter how loudly we proclaim that we have received forgiveness, we cannot deceive our conscience.
We cannot overcome the accusations of Satan that accuse that conscience on our own.
Just because I believe does not mean I can approach God directly.
No matter how well I believe, I cannot overcome the power of Satan on my own.
I must possess the authority to become a child of God through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
And we must be able to boldly walk the new and living way to God, the path opened through the veil by the body of the Lord (Hebrews 10:19-20).
To obtain this blessing, you must earnestly desire the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
If you follow the grace of Christ’s atonement on the cross to the place of forgiveness of sins through repentance and baptism, the Holy Spirit will come into you.
And then, by obeying the truth in the Holy Spirit, you become acceptable to God.
Regarding this, Peter says that the end of faith is the salvation of the soul (1 Peter 1:9).
The Holy Spirit leads you to the end (theros).
(2026. 06.11)
Written by Pastor. Yohan Kim
Translated by Missionary Sookyung Chung
COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION
TO GOD BE THE GLORY