Dan Werts challenges seminary students to grow in their ability to discern truth from error through abiding in Christ and being anointed with the Holy Spirit. He emphasizes that Christians face the ongoing threat of antichrists (false teachers) within the church and must be prepared to recognize and respond to deceptive teaching.
Scripture Text
1 John 2:18-27
Main Points or Ideas
- Discernment is a Must-Have in the Last Hour - The church is in the final stage of God's dealing with the world, set by Jesus' death and resurrection. Many antichrists have come and continue to arise, not just the future capital-A Antichrist. These false teachers deny Jesus' deity, deny their own sinfulness, don't keep God's commands, and may leave the church, proving they were never truly part of the fellowship. The church often gets distracted by conspiracy theories and end-times speculation instead of focusing on current false teaching within their midst.
- We Have Been Given What We Need for Discernment - Believers have received an anointing from the Holy One (the Holy Spirit) who seals them, leads them into all truth, and helps them persevere in the faith. The Spirit enables Christians to understand spiritual truths and recognize lies. Not every antichrist is obviously heretical like Muslims or Jehovah's Witnesses; some teach doctrines that sound biblical on the surface or influence others through their actions rather than their words.
- Discernment Comes from Abiding in the Gospel Daily - Christians must let the truth they heard from the beginning remain at home in them. This requires intentional growth in God's Word, not just believing the gospel at one point and then developing theology based on opinions, other books, or Christian music. Believers must be transformed by the renewing of their minds through Scripture to test and discern God's will. While the Holy Spirit teaches believers and they have no ultimate need for human teachers, God still uses teachers for discipleship and growth.
Conclusion
Students must take advantage of their training time to prepare themselves to answer false teaching and disciple others, using Scripture to graciously speak truth and either root out antichrists or teach them the gospel, bringing them into true fellowship with the apostles' teaching and with the Father and Son.
