Lesson 7: 1 John 2:18-19
1 John 2:18-19
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 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.
Background Information
You will hear many people talking about the antichrist. There are many different views over who this person will be, when he will be on the earth, and so forth. It should be noted that people’s interpretation of the antichrist has changed to match the political and religious systems that worried them. Whatever else may be true in Bible prophecy, John isn’t talking about the head of a one-world government. He is talking about a number of people who have turned against Christ. Please keep this in mind as you study. John’s view of the antichrist may or may not influence your understanding of end-times prophecy, but in this epistle, the antichrists were very real stumbling blocks.
Related Scriptures
John 6:66-71
John 12:1-6 (Notice verse 6 especially.)
John 17:12 (In this part of a prayer, Jesus calls Judas Iscariot “the son of perdition.”)
1 Corinthians 12:3
2 Corinthians 13:5
Hebrews 10:38-39
2 Peter 2:1-22
1 John 4:2-8
2 John 7 (Note: 2 John and Jude only have one chapter each.)
Jude 3-4
Questions
1. When is antichrist supposed to come?
2. What do we know about our times because of the presence of antichrists?
3. Why didn’t these false teachers stay with the Christian church?
4. Does false teaching tend to spring from a sincere walk with Christ or from such things as greed, pride, and lust?
5. The word “manifest” suggests making something obvious. According to these verses, is the departure of the false teachers the cause of their fall or the evidence of what was already in their hearts?
6. Are there antichrists at work in your community today?
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