1 John 2:19 - 23

Last week we covered 2:18 and talked about the topic of the Antichrist. So today we will pick up in verse 19 through 23.

Let’s read our text:

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

In verse 18 John says, even now many antichrists have come, the word many is polys. Where we get our prefix poly. You may have heard the term “hoi polloi” meaning the masses or the common people.

Now John says something very interesting in verse 19;

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

They went out from us: This shows that many of these antichrists at one time or another identified themselves with Christian communities. The fact that they left the body of Christ demonstrated that they were not of us to begin with.

John wasn’t talking about someone who leaves one church to begin attending another good church. He meant those who leave the community of God’s people all together. This reveals that they were never really part of God’s people to begin with.

So how do we know who is really is with us?

“And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

they would have continued with us; meaning no doubt or with certainty they would have remained or continued with us.

He continues by say, but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

made manifest, is from Greek word that means: to show forth or appear, or manifestly declare. In other words this is proof that they never were part of the Church.

So what does that say about those who accept Christ but fall away? It’s a difficult question but certainly it is hard to find assurance or eternal security for those who fall away.

Hand out

The tulip acronym stands for the following:

Total depravity, the idea that man can do only evil without God.

Unconditional election, the idea that the saved are chosen by God without any consideration for their actions.

Limited atonement, the idea that Christ's death atones only for the sins of the elected saved.

Irresistible grace, the idea that no one can resist God's free gift of grace once God offers it.

Perseverance of the saints, the idea that the elected saved will always be saved.

John continues:

20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Verse 20 talks about an anointing from the Holy One. The Greek word here for anointing is chrisma . The NKJ uses the word unction. This a ceremonial ointment that was smear onto the OT priests. It was symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

In us as believers it is the gift of the Holy Spirit guiding us into all Truth. Thus John says, and you know all things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

When John says you know all things, he uses he uses a different word that that means knowledge by perception or intuition (eidō) rather than experiential knowledge (ginosko).

Verse 21 John is saying if you are a believer filled with the Holy Spirit you know the truth. Have ever heard anything that just sent up alarm bells in your spirit, Maybe you couldn’t place it but recognized that something was off. That what he is talking about.

The word lie here is pseudos. Where we get our word pseudo.

Notice the contrast of Lies and opposed to the Truth here. They cannot exist together.

Verses 22 & 23

Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

When Jesus says I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes to the Father except by Him; He meant it.

This is a pivotal verse to those who deny the deity of Christ.

The Greek is emphatic here, if you deny the Son, you in no way, oude , have the Father.

Conversely, if one acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Acknowledges here is homologeō. Meaning say the same word or confesses.