1John 2:18-27 Bible study guide
Author: Steve Amato
Description: Identifying true believers and antichrists. Walking in the Spirit.
Keywords: bible study,once saved always saved, eternal security, sin, remain, dwell, abide, continue, faith, word, bible, anointing

Translations: 简体中文 繁體中文

# I John 2:18-27 (LIT)

#

## Evidence from Walking in the Truth

## False Christians may Fall Away

vs 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you had heard that the Antichrist is coming,
even now many antichrists have come, by which we generally know that it is the last hour.
vs 19 They went out from us at some point in time, 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 revealed, that none of them were of us
vs 20 But you characteristically have an anointing from the Holy One,
and you have perceive all things.
vs21 I have not written to you because you have not perceive the truth,
but because you have perceived it, and that no lie is of the truth.
vs 22 Who is a liar but he who characteristically denies to himself that Jesus is the Christ?
He is the antichrist who characteristically denies to himself the Father and the Son.
vs 23 Whoever characteristically denies to himself the Son does not characteristically have the Father either;
he who characteristically acknowledges the Son characteristically has the Father also.

## Dwelling in the Word of God

vs 24 Therefore let that dwell characteristically in you which you had heard from the beginning.
If what you had heard from the beginning dwells at some point in time in you,
you also will dwell in the Son and in the Father.
vs 25 And this is the promise that He had promised us——eternal life.
vs 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who characteristically try to deceive you.
vs 27 But the anointing which you have received at a point in time from Him dwells continuously in you,
and you don't characteristically need that anyone be teaching you;
but as the same anointing characteristically teaches you concerning all things,
and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it had taught you,
you will dwell in Him. (variant - so be abiding in Him)

# Discussion Questions

From this section, how might you identify children of God?
vs 19 Is there an example of this from Jesus own ministry?
What constitutes "going out from us"?
From this verse, how would you respond to someone who says that he knew someone who was a Christian,
but now admits to be an anti-Christian?
Why is it inevitable that those who belong to Christ will never leave the faith?
What kinds of anti-Christians exist today?
How would you describe the manner in which the Holy Spirit teaches you personally?

# Comments

AntiChrists

1John 2:18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.

John's readers were apparently informed concerning the antichrist and end times events, so he doesn't elaborate upon such things here. There is a specific person who is prophecied to come just a few years prior to Christ's return. Paul writes of this man in 2Thess 2:3-10. In the book of Revelation he is referred to as "the beast." But there are also antichrists who act as forerunners, being present throughout the history of the church.

By "the last hour" I think John is referring to the church age. It is the last epic - the last dispensation - prior to the Millenial Kingdom.

The Perseverance of the Saints

1John 2:19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

This is another characteristic distinguishing children of God from children of the devil. Who is John referring to as "They"? From verse 18 John is writing of antichrists. And according to verse 22,23 antichrists deny Jesus Christ the Son of God. So these people left the Christians community in the sense that they became apostates, denying the most fundamental aspect of the Christian faith - namely that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Fundamental Principle:
The Perseverance of the Saints

> if they had belonged to us,
> they would have remained with us

Once a person is a genuine Christian, they will inevitably continue to remain so.

This is not simply saying "Once saved, Always saved", though that can be logically inferred. This is saying, "Once saved, it is inevitable that such a person will remain in the faith identifying with the Christian community". (And as such, once saved, always saved, seeing as the saved never depart from the faith)

How did John know that "they did not really belong to us."? Because they left the Christian community. Thus if a person departs from the faith, such is indicative that they had never really been of the faith to begin with.

You Have an Anointing

1John 2:20,21 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 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.

Everyone born of God has been anointed with the Holy Spirit. In fact "if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Rom 8:9 That's why John can make such a general statement. John elaborates upon this in verse 27. One work of the Holy Spirit is guidance into the truth. Jesus said, "When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." John 16:13

Denying the Son

1John 2:22,23 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist— he denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Likewise Jesus said, "He who hates me hates my Father as well." John 15:23 and, "When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me." John 12:44,45 This is yet another another characteristic distinguishing the children of God from the children of the devil. There are many people of various religions such as Islam and modern Judaism who claim allegience to God, but in fact by their denial of the Son of God they show themselves to be self-deceived.

Remaining in the Son

1John 2:24,25 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us— even eternal life.

I think John is contrasting these verses with those concerning antichrists who reveal themselves by leaving the faith. In particular what John is referring to as "what you heard from the beginning" is the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

In his second letter John writes a parallel passage concerning these same ideas saying, "Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son." 2John 1:7-9

The promise of eternal life is only to those who remain in the faith, and in particular in the truths of the faith revealed in the Word of God. Thus Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." John 8:31 Else we are not really disciples of Christ. He warns, "If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned." John 15:6

Listening to the Spirit

1John 2:26,27 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit— just as it has taught you, remain in him.

Jesus said, "When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth." John 16:13 and furthermore promised, "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26 Thus when those born of God hear the truth, the Spirit confirms it in our conscience. We embrace truth as a sheep listens to the voice of its shepherd, as Jesus said, "My sheep listen to my voice." John 10:27

So I have confidence that those who are of a like Spirit will listen and understand, and cease listening to those who would lead you astray concerning these matters.

## ANALYSIS OF 1JOHN 2:19

This is a very strong verse for the doctrine of "eternal security" (the idea of once saved, always saved). The key phrase is "if they were being from among us" (once saved), "they would have remained with us" (always saved). The word "remain" is that common greek word "meno" (see word study on meno - also Jn 15:5) Used 18 times in 1Jn alone. The verb "remained" is in the very rare pluperfect tense which indicates an event viewed as having been once and for all accomplished in past time!

## Kenneth Wuest on 1John 2:19

> "They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." (NIV)

> "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (AV)

The words "out from" and "of" in this verse are the translation of the preposition ek which is followed by the ablative case. There are two classifications of the ablative here, ablative of separation and ablative of source. In the statement, "They went out from use," we have the ablative of separation. These false teachers (antichrists) went out from the true believers in the sense that they departed doctrinally from the position of the Church as to the Person of the Lord Jesus, a position which they had held only in an intellectual way. It was a mental assent to the doctrines concerning, not a heart acceptance of, the Person of Christ.

In the words, "They were not of us," we have the ablative of source. That is, the antichrists did not have their source in the Mystical Body of Christ composed only of true believers. They were merely members of the visible, organized church on earth. They did not partake of the divine life animating the members of the Body of Christ, made up of true believers. All of which means that an apostate is an unsaved person who has mentally subscribed to the doctrines of the Christian faith and who then rejects those doctrines while still remaining within the organization of the visible church and posing as a Christian.

John argues that had these antichrists belonged to the Body of Christ, thus possessing the divine life in company with true believers, they would in that case have remained with these true believers in matters of doctrine. But, he says, they departed from the doctrinal position of the Church so that it could be shown that they did not belong to the company of the saints. The words of the A.V. are misleading, "that they were not all of us," the implication being left with the reader that some of these antichrists had belonged to the company of the saints. The translation should read, "All were not of us." In the Greek text, the verb separates not from all. In such cases, accordign to New Testament usage, the negation is universal. The A.V. not all makes it partial.

## WORD STUDY of MENO in 1 JOHN

("meno" translated: abide, dwell, live in, continue, remain) Definition: To dwell in a state. In contrast to living in a place, such as a hotel on one's travels, "meno" is more the idea of dwelling at one's home, where one has set up residence. It is upon this basis that it is often translated "continue", or "remain".

With so many different translations, it becomes impossible to study the english and recognize and correlate the verses where "meno" shows up. The following are where it shows up in 1Jn where I've consistently translated it "dwell".

VERSE PARAPHRASE
2:6 if Walking as Christ then dwells in Christ
2:10 if you love Christians then you dwell in the light
2:17 if you do God's will then you will dwell forever
2:19 if you are really a Christian then you will always dwell as a Christian
2:24 if The word dwells in you then you dwell in the Son and Father
2:27 The anointing dwells in you -> to instruct
2:28 if you dwell in him then you will not be ashamed when he comes
3:6 if you dwell in him then doesn't live a lifestyle of sin
3:9 if God's seed dwells in him (= born of God) then does not sin because cannot sin
3:14 if not love Christians then you dwell in death
3:15 if hate other Christians then eternal life doesn't dwell in you
3:17 if not meet basic needs of Christians then God's love doesn't dwell in you
3:24 if you keep his commandments then you dwell in him
3:24 we know he dwells in us by his Spirit
4:12 if we love on another then God dwells in us
4:13 we know that we dwell in him and he in us by his Spirit
4:15 if we profess that Jesus in the Son of God then God dwells in him and he in God
4:15 if we dwell in love then we dwell in God and God in him.

##

## PERSONAL ANALYSIS OF MENO IN 1 JOHN

### OBSERVATION:

There is a correlation between the meno's. For example:

If we dwell in him, then we will not be ashamed at his coming
But if we profess that Jesus is the Son of God, then we dwell in him.

Therefore

if we profess Jesus as the Son of God,
then we will not be ashamed at his coming

Many such correlations can be made. Which leads us to the following conclusion:

### CONCLUSION #1:

If you meet any of the following conditions:

- you walk as Christ did
- you love other Christians in practical ways
- you do God's will
- you are a real Christian
- the word dwells in you
- you dwell in him
- you are born of God
- you keep his commandments
- you profess that Jesus is the Son of God

Then all of the following will be true for you:

- you dwell in the light
- you dwell forever
- you dwell in the Father and Son
- you won't live a lifestyle of sin
- God dwells in you
- you will always be a Christian
- you will not be ashamed when he comes

How else can you know you dwell in him? By the Spirit of God

These also imply the following:

### CONCLUSION #2:

"Dwelling in Christ" cannot be interpreted as a sort of analog quality of eternal life, whereby one can increase or decrease the amount of dwelling he's doing, or the idea that one person may be dwelling better than another person. Rather "Dwelling in Christ" is the distinct fact of having or not having eternal life.

# Literalized Translation

1John 2:
vs 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you had heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we generally know that it is the last ho
vs 19 They went out from us at some point in time, 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 revealed, that none of them were of us
vs 20 But you characteristically have an anointing from the Holy One, and you have perceive all things.
vs21 I have not written to you because you have not perceive the truth, but because you have perceived it, and that no lie is of the truth.
vs 22 Who is a liar but he who characteristically denies to himself that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist who characteristically denies to himself the Father and the Son.
vs 23 Whoever characteristically denies to himself the Son does not characteristically have the Father either; he who characteristically acknowledges the Son characteristically has the Father also.
vs 24 Therefore let that dwell characteristically in you which you had heard from the beginning. If what you had heard from the beginning dwells at some point in time in you, you also will dwell in the Son and in the Father.
vs 25 And this is the promise that He had promised us——eternal life.
vs 26 These things I have written to you concerning those who characteristically try to deceive you.
vs 27 But the anointing which you have received at a point in time from Him dwells continuously in you, and you don't characteristically need that anyone be teaching you; but as the same anointing characteristically teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it had taught you, you will dwell in Him. (variant - so be abiding in Him)

# Rap

2:18 It is the time of the end, and the antiChrist will come But even now many do, of whom you've overcome. 19 Consider those who went out from us, they were not of us For if they were they would remain, but were revealed thus 20 But you are anointed from the Holy One, and the truth all of you know 21 I don't write cause you don't know, but to apply it to your foe. 22 The man who denies Jesus as Christ, such a man is a liar AntiChrists deny the Father and the Son, and are headed for the fire 23 No one who denies the Son, has the Father. True! Whoever does acknowledge, the Son has the Father too 24 Let that dwell in you, what you've heard from the start If it does you'll abide with God, if you keep it in your heart. 25 And this is what he promised us, - even life eternal 26 But I write of those who try and lead you, to a place infernal 27 But the anointing you received from him, continues to dwell in you It teaches you to discerned, between the false and true. And just as it has taught you and, continues as your guide So you shall continue to walk, and in him to abide.

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