1st John 2:19. “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 manifest that they were not of us.” NOT OF US. They were here once but now are gone – What brought them to this place? Was there something in the past they liked – Or something they could not face? For some people tradition has a hold – Passed on from father and mother. They are not of the truth or of the church – Their interests were based on another.
The social life seemed to be what they wanted – Friendships were on their minds. The worship and teaching weren’t important to them – It was significant social life they wanted to find. So, they didn’t stay because friends come and go – Truth and scriptural practice are to them unimportant. There was another reason and agenda they seemed to have – To God and the assembly there was no real commitment.
Others sometimes come to gather with us – Their basic reason is for business to interface. The purpose of a church or even to bring God glory – Is less important to them than the God of all grace. They are not of us; they live for self – For some reason they have no real shame – Even though they attended for quite some time – They never really had gathered to His name.
Habit too claims some folks attendance – They gathered with us because it is expected. They came for awhile and now are gone – The truth of God they were not interested in defending – But I want to commit myself once again – To gathering to my Savior and Lord – By God’s grace I will stay and do what I can To promote and defend the truth of God’s Word.
“Father God, there are those that seem to be a part of us as an assembly but they never really show interest and seldom show their faces. If there is some area of need they have; help us to help them. If it is indifference or no desire to be a part of the assembly, may they find it in their hearts to move on before they disrupt or divide the Lord’s dear people. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
These antichrists are not people to be feared because the Holy Spirit in true believers exposes their false teaching as we read the scriptures. By reading the word of God carefully and clearly, we will not be deceived by those who are counterfeit Christians. There are those who oppose the infallibility of the scriptures and the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God. Their refusal to accept our Lord Jesus as the only Savior of sinners, and the fact He is both God and man, is rejection of a fundamental doctrine of Christianity. Even God Himself is demeaned by false teachers into being to them no more than a force or idea men have contrived to maintain a certain pressure on people for good conduct.
Every Gnostic in John's day was essentially an antichrist, in the same way as New Age adherents, atheists and proponents of a "Jesus, plus self-efforts" faith are in our day. Even though we may find some of these people among us for awhile, they will leave before too long if new believers won't follow their line of teaching. Even though they may be found among God's people, they are not one of them. It is not always clear why they came in the first place nor why they leave. We know, when it happens, they were never among us for the right reasons. Some are in an assembly because their family is there. Some come to interface with people for business and social reasons.
Those who find themselves gathered with the Lord's people to His name alone need to commit themselves to be loyal to our Lord, His word, His house and His people. When people come among us to be "comfortable" they will leave when they are uncomfortable. When the word of God is clearly taught, there will be times when we all will be uncomfortable as truth that is "sharper than a two-edged sword" is applied to our conscience.