Daily Office Reading – NT ( 1 John 2:18-29 )
When I was growing up, one of the things that seemed to be on everyone’s mind was this notion of the Antichrist, since, according to some big names, the rapture was supposed to happen sometime during the 80’s. People were looking for every sign to indicate that the Antichrist was coming and what particular events of the era were a direct indication that the End Times were upon us.
It was all very exhausting.
And, since none of these multi-million dollar selling books ever came to pass, it was all a bunch of meaningless hype after all.
As I got older, I discovered that the word Antichrist was never used in the book of Revelation, and that the very concept of the Antichrist was one that was generated through much interpretation of scripture, particularly by the Reformers, with the primary intention being to paint the Pope as the one opposed to Christ, rather than representing him.
But in truth, the only place where the word is mentioned is here in 1 John, and again in 2 John. And this passage is exceedingly clear who the Antichrist is.
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:22
Basically, the Antichrist is anyone who doesn’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah.Or, rather, one who has heard that Jesus is the Messiah, but actively denies it. There’s a difference. One doesn’t understand, or hasn’t heard, while the latter has heard, but says that this statement is false.
Like many others before me, we eventually grew tired of this fear-based mania regarding the future, and focused instead on the words of Jesus: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). By focusing on the fact that we cannot know anything, we focused instead on trying to live our lives according to his teachings.
And that’s what John is telling his fellow believers in this letter. Continue to believe what you already have; do not be discouraged by the naysayers; live according to God’s word, and you will never have anything to fear:
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he is revealed we may have confidence and not be put to shame before him at his coming.
1 John 1:28
I personally believe that if anything in our religion causes us to fear, then we most likely are engaging in a faulty interpretation. John, in chapter four states as much: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). The only time where we should maybe experience fear is if we are being willfully stubborn on a particular issue of sin, and the Holy Spirit convicts us of our own little version of antichrist: willfully denying that Jesus is the Lord of our life. But even then, we know that we are loved; if we terminate the behavior, then we know that we are forgiven.
Mike was called to be the Vicar of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Wickenburg, AZ, and started this call on February 1, 2024. Before taking a call as clergy, Mike worked in IT for almost 25 years, variously working as a back- and front-end web developer, database developer and manager, and as a business analyst. If he’s not engaged in the work of the church, you can find him on a motorcycle, enjoying the ride, or training for an upcoming BikeMS ride.
Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical History from Seattle Pacific University, and a Masters of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary. He attended Sewanee School of Theology for a year of Anglican Studies in the Fall of 2022, and graduated in May of 2023. Mike was ordained as a Transitional Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona on January 20th, 2024, and will be ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 2024.