John’s First Epistle

1 Jno. 2:18-21

No Lie Is Of The Truth

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. 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. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.  I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.– 1 Jno. 2:12-14

John’s referenced to the “last hour” is a time designation, not necessarily with finality. Obviously, as we read this text in 2019, we refrain from the conclusion that John was talking about the last hour literally before the end of the world.

Christians were told of a final time period. In fact, before Christ, the prophets spoke of a final time period.

Christians understood there would be deception and claims against Christ (antichrist). Now John says, “yes, what you heard is so. There are many.” There were influences, people and messages opposed to Christ.

“They went out from us, but they were not of us,” indicates apostasy, but it was now clear who they were. Christians in John’s time were “anointed” with “the truth,” thus they were able to discern who these frauds were.

Today, we have the truth about Christ and what He asks of us in the New Testament. It should be our regular purpose to test all teaching and claims by the truth the apostles revealed.