Does anyone know what this passage is in reference to. Thanks
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. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth , but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
Hi!
…the Apostles were working from the perspective of Christ’s imminent return (St. Matthew 16:28), which would follow the the persecution of the Church, the emergence of the anti-Christ and Judgment Day (St. Matthew 24 and 2 Thessalonians 2).
…the warning seems to make a little more sense in this version:
18 Little children, it is** the last hour**
; and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh, even now there are become many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is** the last hour**. (DRA)
St. John is speaking of the eschatological time… from what the Church was experiencing, it seemed evident that that Hour (what Jesus warned about and the Parousia) had in deed arrived.
There are various passages in Scriptures that demonstrate that the Church was being assailed by those who sought power and glory… they were wolves disguised as sheep who turned from the Fold because they were not Christ’s disciples but, as the Church has experienced them throughout the centuries, men who let their ego pervert the Gospel and not only that but then they purposely mislead the Believers with their contentions and heresies…
Right from Scriptures we can witness the battle that the anti-Christ wages against Christ and His Followers (Apocalypse 12 and the various chastening found in Scriptures).
Interestingly enough, some Protestant groups attempt to use this passage as text proof against the Church’s Authority–claiming that somehow she moved away from Christ, almost at the very time of her Inception; they purposely refuse to accept that this passage speaks about those who leave the Church and attempt to corrupt the Word of Christ.
…there are still other groups that attempt to use this as proof of osas–claiming that the true Believer can never lose his/her Salvation–that those who do do so because they did not really belong to Christ in the first place; yet, Scriptures are clear about what transpired… they not only sinned or rejected sound Doctrine but they actively pursued to hinder the Gospel Taught by the Apostles.
Merry Christmas!
Maran atha!
Angel
