The Last Hour: Facing the Antichrists

Introduction

Stéphane Guillet opens the first epistle of John at chapter 2, verses 18 to 27, and lands on a line that unsettles: "It is the last hour." Some will perk up at the word "antichrist," others will be tired of the usual debates. But following the biblical text sometimes means arriving at a subject you wouldn't have chosen yourself. The pastor offers neither dramatic revelations about a final antichrist, nor a timeline for the Lord's return. He keeps Jesus' warning clear: "But of that day and that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." What John invites you to do is to locate yourself within the last hour and to hold on to three marks that make you a Christian.

Message Outline

1. We already live in the last hour

John doesn't use the word "hour" the way Jesus does in the gospels. He isn't pointing to an exact moment but to a period, the whole stretch of time from Christ's ascension to his glorious return.
For the New Testament, this period, which has already stretched over 2,000 years, is already "the last day," the time of the end.
This time will last as long as God's patience toward the world lasts, a God for whom a thousand years are like a day.
John adds that even in his own day, many antichrists had already come: proof enough that we are in the last hour.

2. Three marks for recognizing an antichrist

They come out of the church (v. 19). They are "wolves in sheep's clothing," as Jesus announces in Matthew 7. Be careful: John isn't calling you to unmask antichrists or launch a witch hunt. They will unmask themselves. A brother's doubt, a theological disagreement, a sin, none of that makes someone an antichrist. The church is a place of unconditional welcome for those seeking God.
They deny that Jesus is the Christ (v. 22-23). They deny that Jesus of Nazareth truly is the Messiah sent by God, the Son who took on flesh, who died on the cross to secure forgiveness. This isn't aimed at those who hesitate or whose faith is weak, but at those who reject this teaching and teach others to reject it too.
They seek to lead Christians astray (v. 26). Their intention is to influence believers so they abandon the faith. Between them and the church, the opposition is total.

3. Three marks that make you a Christian

You have received an anointing from the Holy One (v. 20). What marks you out as a Christian isn't, first of all, your professed faith, still less your good works. It's the word by which God declares you righteous on the basis of your faith in Christ. And that declaration is expressed through the gift of the Holy Spirit, God's seal marking you as his own.
You know (v. 20-21). John isn't talking about religious instruction or preaching. He's talking about an assurance that lives in you: you know you are loved by God, you know you are saved by him. That doesn't mean your faith will always be at its peak. But deep down, even when doubt overwhelms you, you know you can turn to your Father and recover the assurance you lacked, like the psalmist who called God "my God" even in the silence.
You stand on what has been from the beginning (v. 24). For John, "the beginning" points back to Jesus' earthly ministry, of which the apostles were the privileged witnesses. Returning to what was heard from the beginning means returning to apostolic teaching, which is Christ's own teaching. That is what builds your faith and your identity, and it alone is enough.

4. How these three marks help you discern

If your salvation is God's work alone, you don't need a guru, however charismatic. No go-between is required: God alone is enough.
If the Spirit alone teaches you, be wary of anyone who tries to force your conscience, push you to adopt their own belief, pressure you to leave your church or your loved ones, or to give away your money. Keep your distance from anyone who refuses all pushback.
If the teaching of the Word given from the beginning is fully sufficient, then anything added to it comes from the evil one. The new revelations that regularly land in pastors' inboxes, the pull of novelty that antichrists of every stripe play on: caution is called for.
Today many such voices show up online and are skilled at trapping those who lack discernment. The Lord's Word, the one that has been there from the beginning, remains your compass.

Key Takeaways

We already live in "the last hour": the whole period between Christ's ascension and his return.
The church will always have to face antichrists, those who oppose Christ or seek to take his place.
The true Christian's first task isn't unmasking others, but remembering what God has made of them: anointed, knowing, rooted in apostolic teaching.
No human intermediary can substitute for God, for the Spirit, or for the Word given from the beginning.
Discernment doesn't come from a witch hunt but from a life anchored in what God has already said and given.

Personal Application

When you hear "it is the last hour," does that wake you up or worry you? How does this perspective change the way you live today?
Have you ever been tempted to label someone in your church an "antichrist" too quickly, over a disagreement, a doubt, or a sin? How does the text call you to a different kind of welcome?
What does your assurance of being a Christian truly rest on: your own efforts, a felt sense of faith, or the anointing of the Holy One?
Is there a voice today (an online ministry, a teacher, a charismatic figure), trying to come between you and God, or pushing you to leave your church, your loved ones, or to give your money? What should you do about it?
How do you concretely feed on this "beginning" (the apostles' teaching, the Word you received), so that it shapes your faith rather than the novelties of the moment?

Scriptures Cited

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "the last hour" that John speaks of?

It isn't an hour in the sense of a precise moment, but the whole period stretching from Christ's ascension to his glorious return. For the New Testament, this period, which has already lasted 2,000 years and will go on lasting as long as God's patience lasts, is already "the last day." We already live in this time of the end.

Who is the antichrist according to 1 John 2?

The word "antichrist" comes from Greek and means either "one who opposes Christ" or "one who takes his place." John gives three marks: he comes out of the church, he denies that Jesus is the Christ (the incarnation, the death on the cross, salvation by faith), and he seeks to lead Christians astray. John makes clear there have already been, and will always be, many antichrists throughout the last hour.

How do you guard against antichrists without turning it into a witch hunt?

John doesn't call you to hunt down antichrists within the church, they will unmask themselves. Instead, he points you to three marks that make you a Christian: you have received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, you know you belong to God, and you stand on the apostolic teaching given from the beginning. If someone tries to come between you and God, force your conscience, or add a "new revelation" to the Word, keep your distance.

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