Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Standing Firm Against Deception

1 John 2:18–29 

A couple of weeks ago at supper, I asked Jenny, “Have you heard about that chihuahua that was integrated into a wolf pack around Ely?”

I went on to tell her what I had read: supposedly, wildlife experts were called in, and when one of them was asked how a chihuahua could survive among wolves, he replied, “I’ve met many wolves and a few chihuahuas—and I was always more scared of the chihuahuas.” The article ended with, “He didn’t just survive. He belonged.”

I thought, That will preach!

Except Jenny looked at me and said, “I don’t think that’s true.”

At first, I wanted to defend myself. I was sure I had read it in an article. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized she was probably right. So I checked. Sure enough, I had been duped. The “expert” wasn’t real, and the “quote” came from an old meme floating around online since about 2010.

The truth is—I wanted it to be true. And because I wanted it to be true, I stopped asking hard questions. My skepticism went down, my desire went up, and deception slipped in unnoticed.

Isn’t that exactly how false teaching spreads? Our desires, fears, and hopes can cloud our discernment. We accept what we want to hear without stopping to test it against the truth. It’s no wonder the New Testament spends so much time warning us about deception.

Why Truth Matters for Christian Community

In his first letter, the Apostle John writes to Christians who were facing spiritual confusion. Some former church members were spreading a different message about Jesus—one that sounded spiritual but denied that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. They claimed deeper knowledge, higher truth, and better revelation.

But John cuts through the noise. He reminds believers that a healthy Christian community is grounded in truth and love. When false teaching seeps in, both truth and love are corrupted. That’s why discernment isn’t optional for followers of Jesus—it’s essential.

John gives five reminders to help us stand firm in a world filled with deception.

1. We Are Living in the Last Hour

John writes, “Dear children, the last hour is here” (1 John 2:18).

By “last hour,” he means we are living in the time between Jesus’s first and second comings—the time when opposition to Jesus will rise. The presence of “many antichrists” isn’t proof that God’s plan is failing; it’s evidence that we are in the middle of the story God told us would unfold. So don’t be surprised when truth is challenged—be anchored instead.

2. The Test Is What People Say About Jesus

John tells us that false teachers are known by their message. They don’t deny God—they distort Jesus.

Some in John’s day claimed that Jesus was just a man who temporarily received the “Spirit of Christ,” but that this Spirit left before the crucifixion. In other words, they wanted Jesus’s teachings without His sacrifice.

John says that’s the heart of deception. The question is always the same: What do they say about Jesus? Correct belief about Him leads to correct living.

3. We Are Anointed by the Holy Spirit

John uses a wordplay: Christ means “Anointed One.” The antichrists are those opposed to the Anointed One—but believers, John says, are also anointed (v. 20).

When we hear the Gospel and pledge our allegiance to King Jesus, the Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to Him. The Spirit convicts, empowers, and guides us in truth. This anointing sets us apart to live for God’s Kingdom in the middle of a deceptive world.

4. We Must Remain Faithful

John urges, “Remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning” (v. 24).

Faithfulness is not just believing the right things—it’s staying loyal to Jesus and the Gospel we first received. We don’t need new revelations or “secret” truths; the Gospel we’ve already heard is enough. The Holy Spirit continues to confirm that truth in us and keeps us rooted in Jesus so that when He returns, we can stand with confidence rather than shame.

5. We Are God’s Children

Finally, John reminds us that righteousness isn’t just what God sees in us—it’s what we live out.

When we do what is right, love others, forgive, and serve—we reveal the family resemblance. As God’s children, our lives reflect our Father’s character to the world.

Two Ways to Stand Firm

So how do we live this out in a world swirling with deception?

1. Keep the Gospel Central.

Use it as your litmus test. When you encounter a new teaching, idea, or post, ask: Does this align with the good news that Jesus is Lord and that His Kingdom is breaking into the world?

2. Do the Next Right Thing.

Righteous living isn’t perfection—it’s persistence. Confess sin quickly. Offer forgiveness freely. Help your neighbor. Sit with someone who is grieving. Every small act of obedience is a way of standing firm in the truth.

Nothing to Fear

When we remain with Jesus—when our allegiance is to Him alone—we don’t have to fear the lies that swirl around us. The wolves may circle, false teachers may shout, but those who belong to the Anointed One—those anointed by His Spirit—stand secure.

As John wrote, “Now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame” (1 John 2:28).

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Don’t Bury Your Gift

“It is rarely counted as evil when we live in neutral. At worst a passive life is only pitied, yet God counts it as a tragedy when we choose to simply watch life rather than live it. Jesus described as wicked the person who leaves his talent unused.”

— Erwin McManus, Seizing Your Divine Moment

When we hear the word wicked, most of us think of the darkest sins—murder, abuse, corruption, perversion. We reserve “wicked” for the most appalling acts of evil. But what about the quieter sins that slip under the radar? Gossip, selfishness, jealousy, dishonesty—we rarely call these wicked. And what about passivity—the choice to do nothing with the blessings and gifts God has entrusted to us? Is that wicked?

Jesus challenges our categories in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). In the story, two servants invest what their master gives them and double the return. The master praises them with those famous words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

But the third servant buries his gift out of fear. He chooses safety over risk, passivity over faithfulness. And when the master returns, his response is shocking: “You wicked and lazy servant!”

Why such harsh words?

I believe it is because refusing to use what God has given us is not a neutral act—it’s rebellion. It reveals that our supreme allegiance is with ourselves and not with King Jesus and his Kingdom.

Remember, God created us for more than simply living “moral” lives. He has entrusted us with talents, time, resources, and opportunities—not to keep them hidden, but to use them for advancing the Kingdom and the good of others. To bury our gifts is as tragic in God’s eyes as evil actions, because it wastes the very purpose of our lives.

God calls us to action. To love boldly. To serve generously. To take risks for His Kingdom. Everything we’ve been given—our skills, our money, our influence, our moments—are tools to help others encounter Jesus.

And when we live this way, we put ourselves in the place to hear those words every follower of Jesus longs for:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23)

Don’t bury your gift. Use it.



Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

The Kingdom Over All

Living as a Christian Anarchist in a World of Power

“My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus told Pilate (John 18:36).

When I first started following politics and having my identity formed I would have never guessed that these words of Jesus would have influenced me as much as they have.

By wrestling with Scripture, learning from thinkers like N.T. Wright, Scot McKnight, and Matthew Bates, and even grappling with libertarian ideas from Ron Paul and Tom Woods, I’ve started to wear the label of Christian Anarchist. It certainly wasn’t a label I sought, but it captures the conviction I have that the Kingdom of God stands above every human political system. A Christian Anarchist trusts love and discipleship—not coercion—to change the world. 

Here’s what that looks like for me, and why it matters.

The Kingdom Beyond Politics

As Wright, McKnight, and Bates remind us, Jesus’ Kingdom isn’t about seizing power or reforming governments. It’s about proclaiming a new way of being human, rooted in allegiance to King Jesus. In Salvation by Allegiance Alone, Bates calls us to pledge loyalty to Jesus as King—not to nations, parties, or ideologies. This thought resonates deeply with the way I was raised, where free will and personal devotion to Jesus were foundational ideas of living a life of faith.

It is crucial to remember that the Kingdom is not an earthly political program; it is a spiritual reality breaking into the world through the transformed lives of those who have given their allegiance to Jesus.

We need to be aware that the world tempts us to use God’s Kingdom to energize these human systems. This is where I believe movements like Christian Reconstructionism miss the point. Imposing biblical law on society simply replaces one form of coercion with another. Earthly political systems are unable to do two very important things. First, they are unable to show mercy, because they are built and rules and regulations.  Second, they are unable to change the human heart, that is one of the critiques the New Testament offers of the Old Testament Law. God’s Law is able to teach us what is right and wrong, but it is unable to transform people for the Kingdom, only the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit can do that. Therefore, the Kingdom of God stands apart, inviting us to live differently, not to rule over others (Matthew 20:25–26).

Discipleship and Love as the Way Forward

So how do we influence the world? Jesus’ answer is simple but radical: make disciples and love others (Matthew 28:19–20; John 13:34–35).

This isn’t about passing laws or winning culture wars. It’s about living the Sermon on the Mount—loving enemies, serving the least, and embodying a countercultural community like the early church. Rodney Stark’s The Rise of Christianity paints a compelling picture of a movement that changed the world through care, generosity, and forgiveness.

That doesn’t mean I embrace communalism. Versions of Christian communalism often downplay individual agency, which I believe is God-given blessing. Influenced by thinkers like Tom Woods, I think free markets—when guided by Christian ethics—as one way to honor freedom and stewardship. Voluntary exchange, personal responsibility, and private charity can reflect Kingdom values without coercion.

In this world I still live pragmatically—paying taxes, sometimes voting—but my true allegiance is to King Jesus. One of the ways this allegiance shows up in my life is trusting the Biblical call to love, make disciples, and pray as the way for the Kingdom to expand in the world.

Freedom Without Coercion

For me, Christian Anarchism means rejecting coercion in all its forms. All Governments use coercion, and that is true for theocratic versions of government as well. These are seen in the type of government  that the likes of Joel Webbon or Doug Wilson advocate. These guys imagine a society shaped by biblical laws and punishments and top-down reform. That feels more like the kingdoms of this world dressed in Scripture, and far removed from Jesus washing His disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17).

On the other side, I appreciate Shane Claiborne’s call to radical community, but I’m wary of the suspicion toward property and markets. Along with that, I sympathize with his call to non-viol and pacifism, I believe following the Non-Aggression Principle offers us the best way to love both our enemies and friends. 

In my mind both extremes—statist control or enforced communalism—undervalue the freedom God entrusts to individuals.

Instead, I envision disciples as representatives of King Jesus, living in freedom: running businesses with integrity, serving neighbors without bureaucracy, and proclaiming the Gospel through love. We don’t need to dismantle systems overnight—we need to build communities that show there’s a better way. As McKnight reminds us, the Gospel is about King Jesus reigning now. Our task is to invite others into that reign, not to force it.

A Call to Live the Kingdom Now

Right now, with political division and cultural noise louder than ever, the temptation to grab power—through laws, votes, or ideology—is strong. But Jesus calls us to a different way: to make disciples, to love even our enemies,  to pray for everyone, and to live freely under His lordship.

For me, Christian Anarchism means saying no to every system that demands my allegiance (we can’t serve two masters), and saying yes to a Kingdom that transforms through grace, forgiveness, and love. Let’s build communities where love is our law, freedom is our gift, and Jesus is our King.

That’s the revolution worth living for.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Walking in Light, Love, and Truth: Love and Obedience

1 John 2:3–17

On a stormy February night in 1954, a young Navy pilot set out on a training mission from an aircraft carrier off the coast of Japan. Everything quickly went wrong. His navigational equipment failed, and his cockpit lights short-circuited, leaving him in complete darkness. Later he said, “The blackness outside the plane had suddenly come inside.”

He was flying blind—no horizon, no stars, no instruments—just pitch-black darkness. Despair set in, until suddenly he noticed a faint glow below him in the water. It was bioluminescent plankton, stirred up by the wake of his ship. That faint trail of light was his only hope. He turned toward it and followed it back to safety.

That pilot was Jim Lovell, who years later would become one of the Apollo 13 astronauts. That night, his life was saved because of light.

That story gives us a picture of what John is teaching in 1 John 2:3–17. Life is dark—sin, confusion, and the pull of the world surround us like a black ocean. But God has not left us blind. He has given us light to follow: Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. When we walk in Him, we don’t stumble in the dark—we find the way home.

Obedience: Walking as Jesus Walked (1 John 2:3–6)

John doesn’t mince words: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.”

Faith isn’t just about claiming to know God. It’s about obedience—living in the way God calls us to live. If someone says, “I know Him,” but ignores His commands, John says the truth isn’t in them. Genuine faith shows up in action.

Jesus is our model. To walk in Him is to walk as He walked—not by copying first-century culture, but by imitating His obedience to the Father and His sacrificial love for others.

Love: Living in the Light (1 John 2:7–14)

John calls his readers “friends” and reminds them of an old command that is also new: the command to love.

It’s old because it’s rooted in the law of Moses: love God and love your neighbor. But it’s new because Jesus redefined love through His own example—laying down His life for us. True love is costly.

Hate blinds us. It keeps us in darkness. But love brings us into the light and keeps us from stumbling. When we love each other, we demonstrate that the true light—Jesus—is shining in us.

Loyalty: Choosing God Over the World (1 John 2:15–17)

Finally, John warns us not to love the world. He’s not talking about people or creation, but about the values and desires opposed to God: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

These temptations echo the garden of Eden, when Eve saw the fruit, desired it, and took it. The world offers short-lived pleasures, but they never last. John reminds us that “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

What This Means for Us

• Examine your faith. Don’t just talk the talk—walk the walk. Are you obeying God’s Word, or just saying the right things? 
• Choose love. Love is the defining mark of discipleship. Forgive someone. Serve someone. Pray for someone. That’s how God’s light shines through us.
• Check your loyalties. Where do your affections lie? With temporary things that fade away, or with God’s eternal kingdom?

Walking in the Light Today

John gives us three markers of genuine faith: obedience, love, and loyalty to God. They aren’t just religious ideals—they are how we follow Jesus day by day.

The evangelist D.L. Moody once said, “Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian.” The world is reading our lives. If they see obedience, love, and devotion to God, they’ll see the light of Christ shining through us.

The good news is that God has not left us in the dark. Through Jesus, the Light of the World, we have forgiveness, guidance, and hope. So let’s walk in His light—humbly, obediently, and lovingly—and let His light shine through us into a dark world.

•  Personal Challenge: Ask God what affections or desires you need to let go of so you can more fully live for Him.
• Relational Challenge: Show love to someone this week in a tangible way—write a note, offer forgiveness, or spend time with them.

True Holiness

What comes to mind when you hear the word holiness? For many, it sounds intimidating—like a standard we could never reach. Others reduce it to moral rule-keeping or avoiding sin. But what if holiness is less about striving for perfection and more about experiencing the transforming presence of God?

“True holiness is a profound, living encounter with the living God. It is an encounter that takes us beyond ourselves into the very heart of God.”

— John Eldredge, The Utter Relief of Holiness

In his book, Eldredge reminds us that holiness isn’t primarily about performance. It’s not about gritting our teeth and trying harder to be good. Rather, holiness is a dynamic, transformative encounter with the living God—one that pulls us out of ourselves and draws us into His heart.

What is holiness? Holiness is being separated from the ordinary. God is holy because as Creator He is separate from His creation. God is holy because He is perfectly good and separate from beings who are a mix of good and bad.

This means that holiness is not self-produced. It is a gift received through faith and obedience, reshaping our hearts and minds. God declares that His people are holy. The foundation of our holiness is a living relationship with God that changes our status. We are ultimately holy, separated from the ordinary reality of this world, not because of our moral perfection, but because of God’s declaration.

When we encounter the goodness and love of God, we are overwhelmed with awe, love, and conviction. These three feelings draw us closer to Him, and that relationship ignites our spiritual formation. Therefore, as we grow in our understanding of His character and boundless love, as we pledge our allegiance to King Jesus, we begin to reflect that love outward to the people around us. 

Holiness, then, isn’t about rigid compliance or flawless performance. It’s about being remade by God’s love—and letting that renewal spill into every corner of our lives. It’s a way of living that demonstrates His character and brings Him glory.

Pursuing holiness requires intention. It is the discipline following God daily—through prayer, Scripture, worship, and even in the quiet rhythms of life. As James 4:8 promises, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

True holiness is not something we can achieve on our own. It is a gift of grace, born from a living encounter with God. And as we walk in His presence day by day, His Spirit transforms us from the inside out—freeing us from what weighs us down and empowering us to love God with all or our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.

So let’s not settle for a shallow view of holiness as rule-keeping. Let’s pursue an encounter with the living and holy God. Let’s open our lives to God’s presence and allow His goodness to set us free.