William P Goff
3-19-2022
In the book of Esther, we learn of a time when God’s people were threatened with death due to a man name Haman.
In today’s message I want to speak about another threat that is upon all of God’s people today. It doesn’t threaten our physical lives like back in Esther, Haman & Mordecai’s time, but it does threaten our more important Spiritual lives.
It’s a threat that most in the church today don’t even know exists. But it does exist, it is a real threat, and we (as members of the church, the ecclesia) need to be aware of it. It’s called: “The spirit of Antichrist”.
What exactly is this spirit of antichrist the Bible talks about? Most brethren in the church today have little clue about it, even though it permeates (has spread throughout) most of God’s “church” today. And yet, ironically, it’s clearly and simply defined by the Apostle John.
I hope today’s message will help us recognize this threat, and also take the proper action that the Scriptures instruct us to take, to guard against this bad spirit.
In 1 John 4:1 we are admonished by John to try (or test) the spirits whether they are of God. Why? Because (he goes on to say) there are many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This “testing of spirits”, this “spirit of antichrist” pertains to false “teachers” and (as we will see) how to identify them.
And let us not falsely think or believe that the ‘false teachers” are not within the “churches” of God, because they are.
This warning is specifically addressed to the “Beloved”. It concerns false prophets (false teachers) that are inside the church of God.
This threat is not to be taken lightly, because Scripture tells us that many in the church have been led astray by this spirit of antichrist. Now before we go any further, let us refresh our memory concerning what the biggest threat is to every members of the body of Christ, every member of the church concerning being deceived, and being led astray.
What is it that we have been warned over and over, again and again in the Scriptures to beware of? To guard against? To (as our Lord put it: “take heed of”)? The answer is “Men”! “False teachers”!
Our Lord said: “Take heed that no man deceives you, for many men shall come in my name and deceive many”. (And He is speaking “privately” here, to His disciples. And the subject of their conversation? “The signs of His coming” & “The end of the age”. (The times in which we are living.)
Jude says: “Jude (The half-brother of our Lord) warns us “to get back to the faith once delivered to the Saints” Back when our Lord was “confirming the “Word” (the Truth) with those “signs follows” those miracles of healing the sick, casting out daemons etc.
Where are those “signs that follow” today? Why did the church loose that precious “faith” in the first place? Jude makes that very clear. He says:
“There are certain men crept in unawares, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying our Lord.
Jude’s powerful admonition is addressed to a church exposed to false teachers and their false teachings (It’s addressed to us today.) The false teachings come from men who poses that bad spirit, yes, that “spirit of antichrist” also referred to as the “spirit of error” as we will see.
But first, before we define the clear and easy way, we are instructed by John to recognize this spirit of antichrist, let’s go to one more place of warnings. And this place clearly describes much of the cog today (especially the corporate churches) (If we will Believe it, if we will Believe the Word of God.)
(2Peter 2:1-2) And let us drive Peter’s strong warning home, by reading it in the proper tense, because this warning was given 2,000 years ago, and written in the “future” tense. But when we read it in its proper “present” tense, it should make our hair stand up.
“There were false prophets also among the people, even as there (shall be false teachers among you?) No. There were false prophets also among the people, even as there are false teachers among you. who privily (shall bring in damnable heresy?) No, who privily have brought in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Do we comprehend what we just read? It says that there are false teachers in the church who havebrought in “damnable heresy”. That is teachings that if accepted, if believed, if followed, will lead to spiritual death.
And Peter is not talking about a “few” here (in the church) that are following “damnable heresy” he’s talking about many, as he goes on to say in:
(2 Peter 2:2) “And many (not some, not a few, but many) are following their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth (shall be evil spoken of?) No, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of.
Brethren, how many warnings does it take for us to wake up, and comprehend the threat of false teachers and their false teachings and false beliefs?
Many in the church today put too much faith in men, and look to men for Truth.
Too many in the church today don’t take the time to prove and “reprove” their beliefs with the Scriptures, and that leads to belief in false doctrines.
That word “reproof” spoken of here, is very important:
(2 Timothy 3:16-17) “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. The word “reproof” means “evidence”.
Evidence = the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief is true or valid. It takes time to produce evidence. It takes much searching and studying of the Scriptures.
Too often we let men do the studying for us, and become persuaded by them. But we need to realize that Truth doesn’t come from men, deception comes from men.
Following men (no matter who the man is) leads only to the ditch. And besides our Lord told us that it would be the “Spirit of Truth” (not man) that would “guide” us into all Truth:
(John 16:13) “Howbeit when the Spirit of truth, is come, it (not man) will guide you into all truth: for it shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever it shall hear, that shall it speak: and will even show you things to come.
Truth comes directly from our Father and His Son, via His Holy Spirit. (John 6:45) It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
(1 John 2:27) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him. Yes, directly connected to Him, through His Spirit.
Sad to say, I just heard another “leader”, stating to his large audience that God reveals truth to him, and he passes it on to us. What is sadder is that so many believe it. Oh, our Father does give us teachers to help us, but our head teacher is our Lord. He is the one we have to be directly connected to.
It’s good to hear when men talk, but it’s of utmost importance to be those Berean’s and search the Scriptures to see if the man’s words are correct.
It’s also very important to understand what “heresy” is. Heresy is not necessarily a bad thing; Hersey is just a teaching that is contrary or differs from what is normally taught or believed. Paul was said to preach heresy, and he was proud of it, as noted in: (Acts 24:14).
Its “damnable” heresy that we have to be on guard against. And caution is needed here, not to get your heresies mixed up, because (as Peter said) we are living at a time when some “damnable” heresies are being taught and accepted as truth, and the way of Truth is evil spoken of.
Now I’m not going give a list of the doctrines here that Scripture clearly shows are false doctrines, false beliefs. But I do strongly suggest that when you hear someone raising red flags about some of our beliefs, we should hear them out and search the Scriptures for Truth. (Let us not reject knowledge.)
(Hose 4:6) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Now before we move on, let me mention one more thing:
Many in the church today don’t seem to realize that our Lord is alive and well, and quite capable of heading and directing His church.
The culture (or what’s common) in the “church” today, is to let men have the lead. Many look to men instead of to God for direction. We see this everywhere in the “church” today. So many of the splinters like to refer to various men as the “head” of the church. Brethren, there is only one church, and there is only one head. And it’s not any man, it our Lord
I was reading the recent right up about the retirement and the accomplishments of the long-time leader of the largest “splinter” cog. And there are many good fruits produced by him and his wife. But the article refers to him as “the one at the helm”.
Let me tell you something, I spent three years on a ship, there’s only one helm. And in God’s True church that helm is not operated by any man.
Many in the church today are too complacent, too lackadaisical, lukewarm to say the least, and in need of waking up, thinking we have it all, that we have all the truth, and in need of nothing, when in realitywe are still very much in need of studying, proving, and as I hope we will see today, testing spirits to discern false teachers and their false teachings.
Now we know that we can discern men by their fruits “You will know them by their fruits” and we know we can discern men by whether or not they have Love – Agape Love “all men know they are my disciple if they have love, one to another.
But there is another very important way to discern men, to know who is of God, and who is not. We have to ‘try the spirits. So, let’s see how we are instructed to do that in 1 John 4.
Now as we read this passage, let’s understand the simplicity here. There are two spirits spoken of here by the Apostle John, the Spirit of God, and the spirit of antichrist. First, He identifies the Spirit of God, and then He identifies the spirit of antichrist:
(1 John 4:2-3) “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth (or acknowledges) that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth (acknowledges) not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
So, if one acknowledges that our Lord has come in the flesh, they have that Spirit of God. But if one does not acknowledge that our Lord came in the flesh, then he has that “spirit of antichrist”.
Acknowledge means = accept or admit the existence or truth of, or to recognize the fact or importance of.
So which spirit one is of, whether of God or antichrist, hinges on whether one believes that our Lord came in the “flesh” or not.
Now if you ask the members of God’s church if our Lord came in the flesh, most will quickly answer “yes” But many (especially many pulpits in the cog) don’t believe it. They feel that the “flesh” that our Lord came to this earth in was different than the “flesh” of the rest of us.
They feel that our Lord could walk this earth upright, and refrain from sinning, but that it is impossiblefor us (mere men) to walk totally upright, and completely change from our sinful ways and refrain from sinning.
Brethren, let us not be fooled by men. We are instructed to be “perfect” even as our Heavenly Father is perfect. And we are instructed to be “Holy” even as our Father in Heaven is Holy. That word “perfect” means = complete, full grown in mental and moral character. And that word “Holy” means = pure, morally blameless, saint.
Well, how about our Lord, was He “perfect” fully grown in mental and moral character? Was he “Holy” pure, morally blameless?
Yes, we know He was. But how did He achieve being “perfect” and “Holy”? How did He overcome temptations, refrain from sinning, and walk this earth upright? Was His “fleshly” existence different than our flesh? In (John 1:14) we are told: “And the Word was made “flesh” and dwelt among us.”
That word “flesh” that our Lord was made, is Strong’s # 4561 human nature, human being, carnal. It’s the same exact Greek word used for the rest of us. (Human nature, human being, carnal). Our Lord emptied Himself and came to this earth in the likeness and form of a man. (Philippians 2:7-8) (not turning)
(Hebrews 2:17) The NIV reads like this: “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
Our Lord tells us numerous times that: “of and by Himself, He could do nothing”. But by the Power of His Father, by the “Spirit” of His Father, He accomplished everything, even to rule over sin, and refrain from it.
And it’s the same with us brethren. Of and by ourselves we cannot overcome sin. Of and by ourselves we cannot walk this earth upright. BUT we are not by ourselves; we have been given the same powerful Spirit of our Father that our Lord possessed.
(Some will say: “Yeah, but Scripture says our Lord was given the Spirit without measure. Yes, that’s true, But Scripture also says if we want more of His Spirit, all we have to do is ask.) (Luke 11:13).
Brethren, the “spirit of antichrist” is a spirit that doesn’t believe that our Lord came to this earth in the same flesh as you and I. They believe His flesh was different. But Scripture doesn’t support Him being different. On the contrary, Scripture consistently supports that He was a man like you and me.
(James 1:13) says: “God cannot be tempted with evil.” Our Lord was tempted constantly. After our Lord healed the man with the palsy, Scripture says the people “marveled”: (Matthew 9:8) “The people marveled that God (God the Father) had given such powers to mere men.
(The Greek here for “men” is human being.)
In (Hebrews 2:9) it says: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels (same as us, as David said in the Psalms “man was made a little lower that the angels”). (A God being is not lower than angelic beings.) This Scripture says our Lord was made lower than angels.)
Many pulpits in the cog today preach & teach that we cannot refrain from sinning. One man gave an entire sermon dwelling on why we all sin. He said we sin because we have sinful natures. (And it is true that we all came into this world with sinful natures, and yes, we all have sinned. BUT the story doesn’t stop there.
What the speaker failed to mention, (never even hinted at) and many if not most pulpits also fail to mention in these “end time days” in which we are living”, is that our Creator is in the process of changing our sinful natures. And most importantly, He makes it very clear, that the process has to be completed (a very important word as we shall see) used in ( Leviticus 23:15) while we are still in the flesh.
Most pulpits in the cog today falsely teach that the leaven in (Leviticus 23:17) that the wave loaves will be baked with represents sin. But nothing could be further than the truth, there is a good leaven as shown in (Matthew 13:33)
“Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, (you cannot say the Kingdom of God is like unto sin, the Kingdom of God will have no sin.) which a woman (church) took, (took is same Greek word used in Acts 2:38 for ”receive” the Holy Spirit) and hid (word means “incorporate”) in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Yes, until the whole church is filled with God’s Spirit.)
(Let’s make some bread) (Physical shows us the Spiritual.)
We put in the ingredients, the flour, the salt, the leavening (God’s Spirit) then we begin to knead the dough (our trials & tribulations) and the dough begins to rise. Now we know it is the leavening agent that is making the dough rise, but do we understand why? Do we understand what the leavening agent is doing to the dough? It’s changing the nature of the dough.
That is what God’s Spirit is doing in us, changing our sinful natures. His Spirit is the only thing powerful enough to do it. Now those with the spirit of antichrist do not believe that our Lord can accomplish changing our sinful natures while still in the flesh. They seem to think there is a magic wand at the end of the day that will instantaneously create the Father’s Holy Righteous Character in us.
Brethren, there is no magic wand at the end of the day, but there is an axe. Let’s go to: (1 Kings 6:7)
“And the house (the church, God’s temple) when it was in building, was built of stone (that’s us) made ready (perfect, whole, complete) before (at the quarry) it was brought thither (to the other side): so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.”
The stones of the physical Temple (which reflects the Spiritual Temple, us) were completely cut and shaped, and even polished at the quarry, before brought and erected on the other side. They didn’t even need mortar when erected, because they fit together perfectly.
In John 14 we are told that or Lord has gone to prepare a place for us in His Kingdom. He is also preparing us for that place.
You can also see this “completion” of us, of the church, before entering God’s Kingdom while still in the flesh in: (Leviticus 23:15-16) And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days.
That word “complete” is usually only used when referring to our Lord, like in Exodus 12 where it says to pick a lamb “without blemish” and in (Numbers 19:2) a red heifer “without spot”.
But here in Leviticus 23 that exact same word (without blemish, without spot) is referring to us, the church, the first fruits. And notice that we have to be “complete” unblemished like Christ on day 49, the day before we are baked. Before day 50, before the day of Pentecost.
(Seven Sabbaths [seven weeks] [seven churches] shall be complete unspotted, unblemished, before Pentecost.
Let me say this so there is no misunderstanding here. As long as we are flesh and blood, we will always have the potential to sin (just like our Lord did). And we can never say we don’t sin, because that would be sin itself, pride. But we are commanded throughout the Scriptures to stop sinning. And we have the power to accomplish that.
Paul stated in the letter to the Romans that he does what he doesn’t want to do, and doesn’t do what he wants to do. At that time Paul had a ways to go in the conversion process. Ones nature doesn’t change overnight, fermentation (the changing of one nature) takes time.
But later in life, when he was about to die we find him converted. He told Timothy: “he fought a good fight, and had a crown waiting for him. And not just for him, but for all that love His appearing. Brethren, let us not forget, we are a work in process. (“Fermentation” or changing natures takes time.)
Our Lord is soon to return. And He will be returning to a “Glorious church, yes a Holy one without “spot” or “wrinkle”. (Ephesians 5:27.) “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
He is looking for that perfection (spiritual growth) in us now, while we are still in the flesh. We need to have the Father’s Holy Righteous Character developed in us now. And in order to achieve that, we need to comprehend this “spirit of antichrist”. Because that bad spirit, has led many astray, and into believing that our Lord was different than us, that He could overcome sin, but we cannot.
The Scriptures not only say we can change from our old sinful ways and become ‘pure” like Him while still flesh and blood human beings but command us to do just that. (1 John 3:3)
(1 John 3:6-10) The NIV puts it like this: “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He (our Lord) is righteous. The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love his brother and sister.”
All seven churches are told: To him that overcometh will I grant this and give that. Just “trying” to overcome doesn’t cut it with our Creator, we have to succeed. (Revelation 2:7) (Revelation 2:11) (Revelation 2:17) (Revelation 2:26) (Revelation 3:5) (Revelation 3:12) (Revelation 3:21)
Brethren, if we have repented, been baptized, and had the laying on of hands (which is the procedure given by the Father to receive His Holy Spirit) then we also have the ability to overcome and walk this earth totally upright just like our Elder Bother walked when He was on this earth in the flesh. We don’t need any magic wand; we have His Spirit, which gives us the Power to accomplish.
(Philippians 2:13) The International Standard Version reads like this:
“For it is God who is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him.”
We are “First Fruits” We have been called to come out of this world, and to stop practicing its sinful ways. And those who accomplish that, those who overcome, will soon be meeting our Lord up in the clouds, up on the Sea of Glass. (Time is of the essence here.)
Let us conclude in (Revelation 15:1-2) This passage not only tells us “who” will be meeting Christ in the air and standing on the Sea of Glass with Him, but also tells us “when” this will transpire.
Verse one gives us the time frame. It will be after the Great Tribulation ends, and just before the “Day of the Lord begins, when the angels will have the seven last plagues; filled with the wrath of God. The two witnesses’ will be raised from the dead after their dead bodies lie in the street of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days.
(This is the 1st resurrection; all the first fruits will be resurrected at this time, and be taken up to the Sea of Glass.) Verse two tells us “who” will be there. “Them that had gotten the victory” will be standing on the Sea of Glass.
Those six words come from only one Greek word “conquer”, “overcomer”. Yes, those who fulfill their High calling, and overcome the sinful ways of this world, and walk this earth upright like our Lord and Master walked, will be there with Him.
Brethren, the “spirit of antichrist” is a bad spirit, it is a spirit that many (too many) in God’s church today are harboring in their minds. Thinking that we humans (although made in His image) can’t learn to walk like He walked, Upright! Can’t overcome and become like Him, while in the flesh. Don’t believe that lie. We have received the same Powerful Holy Spirit. And if used, if flowing, it’s all the power we need to change our bad ways, and learn and walk in His Good ways.
Let us recognize this bad spirit, let us test the spirits, and make sure the Spirit that is in us, is of God, and also, that the Spirit that is leading us, is also of God.
Much caution is needed here, much anointing with the “eye save” of the Laodicean’s is needed today, why? Because according to the Scriptures, many in the church are being led astray by false teachers, and their false teachings.
Wake Up “Church” of God, the “Midnight Cry” of Matthew 25 is coming. It’s the same “Cry” spoken of in Revelation 10:3. That Cry is coming, and He’s looking to find us walking in His ways, walking in scriptural truth.
First Peter deals with problems from the outside; but Second Peter deals with problems from the inside. Peter writes to warn the believers about the false teachers who are peddling damaging doctrine, false doctrines that are being believed today by many brethren as truth.