Flip the Switch: 4th Quarter

Read 1 John 2:18–29


Introduction

John begins by again referring to his readers as "children" and issues a warning. What was something your parents warned you about as a child?


Scripture Discussion

v. 18 - Why does John emphasize a sense of urgency ("the last hour is here")? How does this apply to us reading the Word today?

What is an antichrist? Who are they?

v. 19 - Who are these who "went out" and what does that mean? Can they be considered believers? Are we to call people heretics if they stop going to our church? What is the application here for us?

v. 20-21 - What does the Holy Spirit have to do with our understanding of truth and doctrine? How does the Spirit protect us from false teaching? How do you know if someone is a falser teacher or not?

v. 22-23 - What does John call someone who denies that Jesus is the Christ? How can we deal with this strong word in our culture of tolerance today?

Who was the first liar? Why does our enemy use lies as his chief weapon against believers? What makes this effective?

What are some of the lies the enemy uses?

How can we avoid being deceived into believing the enemy's lies?

v 24-25 - What does John mean, "what you have heard from the beginning? When you receive that, what do you have and for how long?

v 28 - What reason does v. 28 give you for having a close relationship with Jesus? Are you ready for Him to come back? Ideally, what would you like the state of your earthly life to be when He returns? What stands in the way of that?


Next Steps

Pay close attention to what friends, pastors, leaders, the media, etc. say about your family, humanity, society, and God. Consider statements and evaluate whether they are wholly true, partly true, or completely false.

Identify people in your life that you can trust to teach and show you the truth. Let them know that you want them to hold you accountable, and that you will do the same for them.

The last hour is here. What next step has God called you to move forward with?


How To Pray This Week

Pray that the Holy Spirit would give you greater discernment to detect and combat false teaching in your daily life.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you remain in fellowship with Christ and be full of courage.