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"They went out from us..."

Text: 1 John 2:19

PEOPLE DEPARTING FROM THE FAITH

The Apostle John wrote candidly because he believed that it was “the last hour”. He wrote about many antichrists appearing and now he addressed another closely related matter.

“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.”
1 John 2:19

1. “They went out from us”

a) There were some who were associated with John and company.

b) But they went out from them.

i) John wrote emphatically.

ii) These people had “gone out” from them.

2. “But they were not of us”

a) A strong adversative conjunction was employed (Very strong Greek conjunction “alla”).

b) Once again John made an emphatic statement.

c) They were not from them.

d) They were never from them though they may have been acquainted.

3. “For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us”

a) This is a classic “third class conditional sentence”.

b) This is to show what is called “contrary to fact” condition.

i) If they had been of us… but in reality, they were not.

ii) They would have continued (literally “remained”) with us… but they did not.

4. “But they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us”

a) Once again John used the same strong adversative conjunction.

b) The conjunction was used again to show linkage.

c) There was a reason why they had left… to make it manifest.

d) The phrase translated in NKJV “that none of them were of us” is idiomatically translated.

e) Literally translated, it may be rendered “that all of them are not from us”.

f) John was very clear and emphatic in describing those who had departed from their company.