Originally posted by KingsGambit
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'they were never of us' rather they 'were not of us' at they time 'they went out from us'
Secondly, you also must realize that 'from us' could either mean:
(a) they heard the initial teaching of the apostles but did their own thing
(b) they were actual believers who at some point apostasized to do their own thing
Thirdly, I can see why it is tempting to think that John is pulling a general statement regarding salvation to back up his argument. However, we must ask ourselves:
(1) where is the idea of an initial state of belonging to Christ brought into the idea here
(2) how would a general principle of salvation (in this case: once saved, always saved) actually work within John's point?
(3) also...could it be that John is brining in another general principle to make his point....one that doesn't have to do with salvation?
#2 is the big one. Because if that principle is what John is bringing in to make his point, the text doesn't make sense when we paraphrase it that way:
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 might have looked like they were saved, but they really weren't; if they were really saved, they would still be saved. In fact they weren't saved, that it might become plain that they all are not saved]. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
Now if we paraphrase it the way it should be read (IMO), it does make sense:
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 might have come out from us, but they weren't part of our group. For if they actually had been true apostles, they would have kept fellowship. Rather, they broke fellowship and went off on their own so that there would be no doubt in your mind that they are ALL teachers of a false gospel]. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
It is important that all three of these areas are places where we automatically assume a meaning without digging further into the text. As always, we need to ask 'how does my interpretation of this text actually work within the text itself? How does it work within the author's original intent?'
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