Miracles and Amount of Faith

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18 NLT)

It is the object of faith, not the amount of faith, that matter.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego seemed to have great faith that God would rescue them from the burning furnace. But they still included a clause that even if God did not rescue them, they would still refuse to worship king Nebuchadnezzar's gods or gold statue.

But God does not always perform miracles to save saints from the fire. Polycarp was burnt at the stake without being miraculously rescued.

Sign Of The Anointed One

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. (Isaiah 35:3-7 NIV)

John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, 'Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'" At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me." (Luke 7:18-23 NIV)

Worshipped And Stoned

While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was sitting and listening as Paul preached. Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, "Stand up!" And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, "These men are gods in human form!" They decided that Barnabas was the Greek god Zeus and that Paul was Hermes, since he was the chief speaker. Now the temple of Zeus was located just outside the town. So the priest of the temple and the crowd brought bulls and wreaths of flowers to the town gates, and they prepared to offer sacrifices to the apostles.
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard what was happening, they tore their clothing in dismay and ran out among the people, shouting, "Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings - just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. In the past he permitted all the nations to go their own ways, but he never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts." But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them.
Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead. But as the believers gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. (Acts 14:8-20 NLT)

The apostles were worshipped for their miracles and stoned for preaching the Gospel. The people only wanted to worship gods they created but hate the real God, who is also the truth.

Sign Of The Messiah

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. (Isaiah 35:5-6 NIV)

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Matthew 11:2-3 ESV)

These are the sign of the Anointed One - the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the mute sing, lepers healed, the dead live and the good news was preached to the poor.

And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. (Matthew 11:4-5 ESV)

And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (Luke 7:22 ESV)

Patterns In Miracles

God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (Hebrews 2:4 NASB)

In an article "Is there a Pattern to the Bible's Miracles? | Joel Arnold", Dr Joel Arnold noticed a pattern in time for miracles in the Bible. They occurred in clusters surround creation, the exodus, the lives of Elijah / Elisha, and the ministry of Jesus.

We can also note that miracles through Moses had wide geographical coverage but nobody was raised from the dead. Miracles through Elijah and Elisha had reduced geographical coverage but there were dead people raised from the dead. Miracles of Jesus were local and personalized and the dead came to life, the lame leaped and the blind saw.

And of course, the miracles of creation (do they qualify as miracles?) geographical coverage is absolute total and absolute life-giving.

Photograph And Painting

The difference between a photograph and a painting is that the photograph is an image of a real situation but a painting can be fictional.

In a photograph, if you can zoom in the every individual, each have their parents and line of ancestry, and may have families and descendants. The grass on the field is of a certain species. But in a painting, especially a fictional type, there are no such details. This is the difference between truth and fiction.

A truth account may not contain details, but it may be possible to zoom into it via other sources. A fictional account is the source itself. It has no other verification.

In Cinderella, the fairy godmother turned a pumpkin into a carriage. There is no ground to debate whether she could have used a watermelon, or a grape instead.

In the Bible, you can actually try to verify whether the miracles described were possible. For example, in the parting of the Red Sea, God drove the sea back by a strong east wind. There are grounds to debate whether is this possible.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. (Exodus 14:21 NIV)

A careful reading of the Bible showed that God of the Bible performed miracles differently from other gods. In fact, there is a website that asked why God does not heal amputees. In fact, Jesus did heal an amputee. When Peter cut off Malchus' right ear, Jesus touched his ear and healed him.

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And He touched the man's ear and healed him. (Luke 22:50-51 ESV)

The miracles in the Bible are reasonable. It seemed to take care of the implementation process. Whereas miracles by other gods seemed fictional, like the fairy tale Cinderella. There is no requirement for implementation in reality.

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16 ESV)

Food Miracles

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:20-21 ESV)

And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 15:37-38 ESV)

But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? (Matthew 16:8-10 ESV)

And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. (Exodus 16:17-18 ESV)

When I looked at the two food miracles, manna in the Old Testament and feeding of 5000 and 4000 in the New Testament, I noticed that Jesus provided more than enough whereas God through Moses gave the exact amount.

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 ESV)

Too Much

But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." (Matthew 16:8-11 ESV)

How come there are leftovers? Why Jesus cannot create the exact amount of food to feed the people? This is our idea of a great miracle.

That reminds me of another theological argument on the scope of atonement. If Jesus died for all and some are not saved, does that means that the provisioning for redemption is over provided? If that is true, is it less miraculous? God does not know the exact number of people to be saved in advance?

Wait, if we want to doubt, why don't we go all the way to the beginning? God is supposed to know all things in advance. Why did He create Satan and put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of evil. Didn't He know what will happen later?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8 ESV)

Can God Choose Not To Perform Miracles?

And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.
Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (Matthew 17:14-20 KJV)

I come across this blog on the internet speaking of unbelief.

QUOTE
Imagine you had a successful ministry that saw you healing the sick and casting out demons everywhere you went. Then one day a father brings his son to you, the boy has a seizure right in front of you, and you can't heal him. How would you react? Would you;
(a) conclude that it's not God’s will to heal all the sick?
(b) tell the father that God can heal but He is not going to heal your son right at this moment - maybe in eternity?
(c) speculate that the son has some unconfessed sin in his life?
(d) declare that the boy is healed even though he is still writhing on the ground?
(e) be puzzled?
If you chose (a), then you've built a theology based on your experience that is contrary to the promises of God (Acts 10:38, 1 Peter 2:24). If you chose (b), then you've joined the ranks of those false comforters who say things like, "God used to heal in the Bible, but now He’s on a break." If you chose (c), then you're saying sin can stop the power of God, which it can't – otherwise no sinner could get saved. If you chose (d), the father would think that you're nuts. If you chose (e), then your reaction is the same as the disciples' when they were confronted with this situation.
UNQUOTE

The writer is quite obviously coming from a Charismatic view point. He went on to conclude that the reason why healing miracles do not happen is because of our unbelief.

I do agree that God does heal miraculously, but must He always do that? Can He do it through doctors? Can God choose not to perform miracles? Must God always heal, based on Acts 10:38 and 1 Peter 2:24?

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38 NASB)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24 ESV)

I read and read Acts 10:38 and 1 Peter 2:24, but I cannot see any support that God must heal, or He must perform miracles. Faith can move mountains, but it is subject to the sovereignty and the will of God.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14 NASB)

God can perform miracles, but He is not obliged to perform it on call, like a performer. He is not our servant, He is our Lord. He does not always appear in an awesome earth shattering manner. He does not always heal in a dramatic way.

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-20 KJV)

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean." But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.' Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, "My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?" (2 Kings 5:10-13 NASB)

God is glorified, both in miracles and the mundane.

Reasonable Miracles

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16 KJV)

The miracles is the Bible are different from miracles in other fables. I always know that but somehow could not really put a finger to where the actual difference is. In this article "From Atheism to Christianity: a Personal Journey" by Philip Vander Elst, a former atheist, I found an interesting observation by C. S. Lewis on how the miracles of the Bible differs from those described in other books.

QUOTE
If, responding to this challenge, we look with an open mind at the accounts in the New Testament of the miracles of Jesus, Lewis argues, we are brought face to face with an interesting and significant fact. Instead of finding there the stuff of fairy tales – talking animals or frogs turning into princes – we are confronted with something much more rational and believable. What we see in most of Jesus’ miracles is what God does in the natural world, as its Creator, but localised and speeded up. Thus every year, for example, tiny seedlings of grain created by God grow into vast harvest fields of wheat and thousands of loaves of bread. The same process of multiplication took place in Jesus’ feeding of the five thousand, but localised and speeded up. Similarly, God is always turning water into wine by the action of sunlight and rain on the fruit of the vine, and by the involvement of human beings in all the stages of winemaking. At the wedding feast in Cana (recorded in John’s Gospel), Jesus, as God the Creator Incarnate, also turns water into wine, but here again the conversion process is localised and speeded up. Exactly the same parallels apply to Jesus’ miracles of healing. Human beings created by God are constantly recovering from illnesses and diseases through the medical stimulation of their bodies’ God-given immune systems. So when Jesus healed lepers with a touch of His hand or a word of command, we again see God the Healer at work, but localised and speeded up, as man to man in ancient Palestine. In other words, says Lewis, the purpose of Jesus’ miracles was not just to show God’s love for humanity but to reveal to the people around Him (and to us) the presence among them of their Creator and Saviour.
UNQUOTE

Jesus's Authority Verified By Miracles

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" - he said to the paralytic - "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" (Mark 2:1-12 ESV)

It is quite amazing that I have read this passage countless of times, always puzzled as to what exactly was my Lord Jesus comparing when He said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'?" I always thought it was the number of words, or complexity of the syntax of the sentences. But somehow, I never bothered to check further.

Today at the Sunday services, Dr Tim Berrey explained that it is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven" because there is no way to verify it. But when you say to a paralyzed man, "Rise, take up your bed and walk", you will be proven false if the man cannot do what you say. This website also gave the same explanation.

Dr Berrey also pointed out that the crowd's reaction was somewhat unsatisfactory. They were amazed at the miracle but did not notice the point which Jesus was trying to prove, that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up and walk'? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" (Matthew 9:4-6 NLT)

Message, Not Miracles

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:2-3 ESV)

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (Matthew 24:24 ESV)

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 ESV)

Signs and wonders can be imitated by Satan (Matthew 24:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:9), but he will never confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (1 John 4:2-3).

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3 KJV)

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:20-22 KJV)

The Purpose of Miracles Recorded in the Bible

The public showing of miracles, signs and wonders is written in the Bible as an evidence of divine power to authenticate the messengers and the message in the Bible were indeed sent by God.

God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. (Hebrews 2:4 NASB)

Moses

1. Three signs to authenticate Moses as a prophet in the eyes of the children of Israel (Exodus 4:3-9)
2. The ten plagues of Egypt so that the Egyptians shall know God had stretched out His hand to bring out the Israelites (Exodus 7:3–5, Exodus 8,9,10,11)
3. God leading Israel in a visible manner by a pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 13:21)
4. The parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22)
5. The giving of the Law at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24)
6. The daily manna (Exodus 16:35)
7. Water from rock (Exodus 17:5-7, Numbers 20:10-11)

These miracles performed publicly in the sight of all Israel (Deuteronomy 34:10-12)

Jesus

1. Jesus is the Messiah (Matthew 11:1-6; Luke 7:18-23)
2. Jesus is the Son of God (Matthew 14:25-33, John 20:30-31)
3. God is with Jesus (John 3:2)
4. Jesus is from God (John 9:1-33)
5. Jesus has authority on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:10-11; Matthew 9:6-7; Luke 5:24-25)
6. Jesus is authenticated/approved/attested/accredited/endorsed by God (Acts 2:22)
7. The Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father (John 10:37-38, John 14:11)
8. The kingdom of God has come (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20)

The Apostles

1. Confirm that the Word of God was preached by the Apostles (Mark 16:20, Acts 14:3, Romans 15:18–19, Hebrews 2:3-4)
2. Confirm the authority of the Apostles (2 Corinthians 12:12)

Healing

Pray for the sick
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:14-15 ESV)

But healing is God's sovereign choice
Erastus remained at Corinth, but Trophimus I left sick at Miletus. (2 Timothy 4:20 NASB)

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. ((2 Corinthians 12:7 ESV)

No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. (1 Timothy 5:23 NASB)

Why God would not heal amputees

For with God nothing shall be impossible (Luke 1:37 KJV).

There are many verses in the Bible that tell us that God is omnipotent. The word "omnipotent" is actually used in Revelation 19:6 in the KJV Bible. Matthew 19:26 likewise declare that "with God all things are possible". Jeremiah 32:17 and Jeremiah 32:27 tell us that nothing is "too hard" for God. Job knew that God can do everything and knows everything (Job 42:2). Isaiah said that God does as He pleases (Isaiah 46:10).

But there is a website that asks this question, "Why Won’t God Heal Amputees?" If God can do all things, why don't He heal the amputees? Actually, God does heal amputees. A salamander that loses a limb will grow one back. But we said that is an act of "nature". When you consider the universe and the wonders of creation, we can see the omnipotence of God. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork (Psalm 19:1 KJV)." But all these wonders are all ascribed to "nature". No wonder we have to ask God to perform miracles to authenticate Himself.

But does He? "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah (Matthew 16:4 KJV, see also Matthew 12:39, Luke 11:29)." God does authenticate Himself using miracles. And the death and resurrection of Jesus is the sign God gave to the whole world to authenticate Himself. Many have performed miracles of healing and other wonders. But since the beginning of time, only one Man had died and "was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:4 KJV)". Note that it was "according to the Scriptures", that is, it was planned and announced beforehand (prophesised) so that it cannot be duplicated.

So whether God can heal amputees or not is not the matter. If He start healing amputees, requests for other miracles will appear. If you don't believe, you will not believe, no matter what signs or miracles is performed. You will just raise the bar and ask for other signs. The key to the authentication is the process and the logic behind the miracle, not just the miracle alone. So the one most important miracle is already given, and no other authentication will be given.

In fact, Jesus did heal an amputee. When Peter cut off Malchus' right ear, Jesus touched his ear and healed him (Luke 22:50-51).

The test of a true prophet is in his message

The test of a true prophet of God lies in his message. The messages of all true prophets of God will agree with one another and can be compiled into one book, e.g. the Bible.

"If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, 'Let us go after other gods,' which you have not known, 'and let us serve them,' you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:1-3 ESV)

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9 ESV)

Miracles do not make one a true prophet. If an angel speaks to you, it does not necessarily means that the angel is from God.

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:2-3 ESV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 1:7 ESV)