18 “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore 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 it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:18–19 ESV)
For the next several days we are taking a sabbatical from our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Instead, we are revisiting the topic of Deconstructing Christianity. We examined this subject in 2023. Perhaps you have heard this term, or others like it. What exactly is Deconstruction or Deconstructing Christianity?
Faith deconstruction, also known as deconstructing faith, evangelical deconstruction, the deconstruction movement, or simply deconstruction, is a Christian phenomenon where people unpack, rethink and examine their beliefs in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their involvement in organized religion or the church.
Deconstructing Christianity is not a 21st century church phenomenon. Defectors, or apostates, of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have existed since the beginning of the church. This is partly reflected in the truth of today’s text.
The Apostle John wrote to believers in Christ concerning their ongoing fellowship with not only their faith in Jesus Christ, but also with fellow believers (I John 1:1-4). He addressed these disciples as his little children, or children of God (I John 2:1, 18, 28; 3:2, 7, 10, 18; 4:4; 5:2) and the beloved (I John 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7).
Children (παιδίον; paidion) refers to an individual normally before puberty. It also refers to one who is the object of affection and concern. This not only refers to biological children, but as is the case with today’s text individuals who are children of God’s family.
John’s concern for these believers was because it was the last hour. The phrase last hour (ἔσχατος ὥρα; eschatos hora) refers to the time period between Jesus Christ’s ascension (Acts 2:1-11) and His return to earth in power, might and glory (Revelation 19-22).
“The term hour cannot be taken literally. Even though the phrase the last hour appears only here in the entire New Testament, it seems to be equivalent to the expressions the last days or these last times (see, among other passages, Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:20),” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
Characteristic of the last hour is the presence of antichrist/antichrists. Who were/are these individuals? Antichrist (ἀντίχριστος; antichristos), whether in the singular of plural form, literally means one who opposes Jesus Christ. Their presence is evidence the church is living in the last hour.
“The term ἀντίχριστος appears to have become increasingly equivalent to a proper name as the personification of all that was opposed to and contrary to the role and ministry of Christ,” states the Louw-Nida Greek Lexicon.
The Apostle John continued to refer to antichrists in vs. 19. Using the plural pronoun they, he explained these individuals left the church. The phrase they went out from us (ἐξέρχομαι; exerchomai) means to actively and purposefully cease to exist or to depart from a previous state of being. In this context, it means ceasing to be affiliated with or identified as a believer in Christ.
“John looks at the spiritual development and the opposition of the world. He declares that “the world and its desires pass away” (2:17) to give place to the man who obeys the will of God. He notes that some people have left the church, because they denied that Jesus is the Christ. John calls them antichrists (2:18, 22); he observes that the spirit of the antichrist is already present in this world (4:3). Awaiting the return of Christ, but not knowing when that will take place (Acts 1:7), John seems to indicate that the period between the first and second coming of Jesus is “the last hour,” states Dr. Hendriksen.
John provided the reason for their departure; they were not of us. In other words, the antichrists were not true believers in Christ. They never existed in a regenerated condition resulting in true conversion by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (John 3:1-8; Eph. 2:1-5; Titus 3:1-5).
John concluded by writing, “For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” True conversion results in true commitment and perseverance in the faith.
“The first characteristic mentioned of antichrists, i.e., false teachers and deceivers (vv. 22–26), is that they depart from the faithful (see vv. 22–23 for the second characteristic and v. 26 for the third). They arise from within the church and depart from true fellowship and lead people out with them. The verse also places emphasis on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Those genuinely born again endure in faith and fellowship and the truth (1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Tim. 2:12). The ultimate test of true Christianity is endurance (Mark 13:13; Heb. 3:14). The departure of people from the truth and the church is their unmasking,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.
An individual’s self-acknowledged departure from the Christian faith reveals their unconverted spiritual condition. Whatever shortcomings the true church may have, and it has some, the primary point here is the lost condition of those who departed from the faith. They did not lose their salvation in Christ. Rather, the Bible reveals they never truly possessed faith in Christ. True conversion results in true perseverance. True perseverance evidences true conversion.
Soli deo Gloria!
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