Who is a Christian?

By Robert Rosskopf

Although the word "Christian" isn't defined anywhere in the scriptures, we have a very good definition of an "antichrist", and by extension a Christian, given to us by the apostle John in his first letter to the church. He starts this letter with a dire observance:

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."

(1 John 2:18)

John has lost hope as he mourns that they are in "the last time", literally the last hour, and that the antichrist were already among them.

What could this mean, if not the churches' last hour? He fought against the lies of the antichrist just the same. Where did these "antichrist" come from? He tells us in the very next verse.

"They went out from us..." (1 John 2:19)

The antichrist were members of Christ's own church. It is of little wonder that John was without hope. Never-the-less, John is not writing to the antichrists, but to the true believers.

"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. "

(1 John 2:20)

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."
(1 John 2:27)

Not all members of Christ's church had been taught "all things". Those who left the church, certainly hadn't been taught "all things". This is almost certainly a reference to the higher ordinances of the gospel, that were only taught to the worthy. I believe these verses are referring to the sacrament or ordinance known as the Chrism, which means literally "anointing". The Chrism was only given to those who had proven themselves. Those who had received the Chrism were made to take an oath, not to divulge it. The initiates were very good at keeping that oath, for very little knowledge of the Chrism has survived to present. It appears that the other Christians - which John calls the "antichrist" - had not received it. Later writers commented on various aspects of the Chrism, which was central to being a true Christian. As part of the Chrism, an initiate was taught the "meat" of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing both the milk and the meat of the gospel, an initiate would "know all things". Paul called this sacred ordinance a "mystery", and in his letter to the Corinthians, lamented that they were still not ready to receive it. A mystery was a drama, that was acted out. The Christian mysteries were only given to those who were deemed worthy.

John goes on to call these "antichrist" liars.

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. " (1 John 2:22)

So an antichrist is someone who denies that Jesus is the messiah, the son of God. He elaborates because he doesn't want anyone to misunderstand.

"Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father:" (1 John 2:23)

In other words, if you don't know the father, you won't know the son.

John is clearly preaching that Jesus and his father are two separate individuals. Apparently the antichrist were teaching either that they were one individual or that Jesus wasn't the literal son of God.

"...If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. " John 2:24

In other words, the apostles taught from the beginning that Jesus and God were separate individuals; Jesus was God's son.

John also points out that righteousness is the test of a true believer, one who is born of him.

"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. "

(1 John 2:29)

So the true believers, who believe that Jesus is the messiah, the Son of God, have received an anointing where they are taught all things, and act with righteousness, keeping all the commandments of God.

John goes on to say that these righteous, anointed men are called sons of God.

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3:1)

One must wonder why God would call someone a son, unless they had the potential to become a god like him.

"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. " (1 John 3:2)

Is John teaching that we will become Gods? It certainly sounds like it.

"And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. "
(1 John 3:3)

So to become a God, we must purify ourselves until we become pure like Christ. How does one purify himself if not through repentance and obedience to God's commandments?

John insists that righteousness is all important - Were there Christians who were teaching otherwise?

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. " (1 John 3:7)

As if it wasn't yet clear enough...

"He that committeth sin is of the devil;..." (1 John 3:8)

John opens chapter 4 by warning the anointed righteous Christians of false prophets.

"...because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1)

How can we know the true prophets from the false prophets? John tells us in the very next verse...

"Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth 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."
(1 John 4:2-3)

So the "antichrist" who came out of the church were teaching that Jesus had not come in the "flesh". This is Greek philosophy! Plato taught that the flesh was evil, and therefore God was incarnate. The Christians at Rome rejected the idea that Jesus was flesh and blood, insisting that he and God were made of the same non-material substance or essense. Some even went so far as to believe that Jesus and God were the same person. The antichrist of which John spoke must have believed they were themselves Christians, but in fact they had rejected the important truths of Christianity.