Sermons on 1 John 2:18-19

1 John 2:18-19 Interpretation:

Assurance and Commitment: Living Out Our Faith (Crossland Community Church) interprets 1 John 2:18-19 through the vivid analogy of military and national defection, likening those who leave the faith community to soldiers or citizens who defect to an enemy nation. The sermon uniquely emphasizes that such spiritual "defection" is not possible for true believers, arguing that those who leave never truly belonged in the first place—they had only "approached" Christ but never "arrived" in Him. The preacher uses the metaphor of "circling the runway" versus "landing the plane" to distinguish between those who are near the faith and those who have truly entered it. The sermon also draws a sharp distinction between backsliding (temporary disobedience) and apostasy (total desertion), insisting that the latter is evidence of never having been truly saved. The preacher references the Greek term for "anointing" (chrisma) to reinforce the idea that true believers are marked and kept by the Spirit, making defection impossible. The analogy of the horse and rider is used to illustrate the Spirit's control over the believer, emphasizing that the believer's strength is guided, not overridden, by God.

Understanding the Antichrist: Deception and Vigilance (Ligonier Ministries) offers a linguistic and exegetical analysis of the Greek prefix "anti" in "antichrist," noting its dual meaning: "against" and "in place of." This duality shapes the interpretation that antichrist is both an opponent of Christ and a false substitute or supplanter. The sermon also highlights that John’s use of "antichrists" in the plural refers to apostates—those who once professed faith but have left the community, thus linking antichrist with apostasy. The preacher further distinguishes between apostasy and paganism, clarifying that apostasy is a falling away from within the covenant community, not mere unbelief from outside. The sermon’s unique contribution is its careful parsing of the Greek and its insistence that antichrist is both a present and future reality, with manifestations in both individuals and institutions.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) interprets 1 John 2:18-19 as a foundational text for the distinction between the visible and invisible church. The sermon uniquely frames John’s statement—“they went out from us, but they were not really of us”—as a direct articulation of the invisible/visible church distinction, arguing that John is not describing a loss of salvation or a failure to persevere, but rather revealing that those who departed were never truly part of the invisible, true church to begin with. The preacher emphasizes that mere outward association or profession does not equate to genuine spiritual union with Christ, and uses the analogy of church membership versus true spiritual belonging. The sermon also draws a parallel to Old Testament figures like Ishmael and Simon Magus, highlighting the perennial reality of an outward/inward, visible/invisible dynamic in God’s covenant community. This interpretation is notable for its application of the passage to ecclesiology rather than solely to eschatology or heresy, and for its use of the passage as a rebuttal to views that equate baptism or outward membership with true union with Christ.

Understanding the Antichrist: Vigilance in the Last Hour (Desiring God) offers a linguistic and exegetical insight into the Greek preposition “anti” in “antichrist,” noting that it can mean either “against” or “in place of.” The sermon carefully weighs both options but concludes, based on John’s usage, that the emphasis is on opposition to Christ rather than substitution. The preacher also distinguishes between the singular “Antichrist” and the “many antichrists,” suggesting that the latter are forerunners or manifestations of the spirit of Antichrist, not replacements for a final eschatological figure. The sermon’s unique contribution is its focus on the linguistic nuance of “anti” and its methodical approach to letting John’s own usage determine the meaning, rather than importing external assumptions.

1 John 2:18-19 Theological Themes:

Assurance and Commitment: Living Out Our Faith (Crossland Community Church) introduces the distinctive theological theme that assurance of salvation is grounded in the believer’s unbreakable union with Christ, evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a divine "escrow" or guarantee. The sermon asserts that true believers cannot lose their salvation or truly defect, and that the agony of watching others leave the faith should not undermine the confidence of those who remain. The preacher also explores the emotional dynamics of intimacy with God, suggesting that anger or disappointment with God is actually evidence of a real relationship, not a lack of faith.

Understanding the Antichrist: Deception and Vigilance (Ligonier Ministries) presents the theme that antichrist is not merely a future eschatological figure but a recurring reality within the church, manifesting as apostasy and false teaching. The sermon’s nuanced theological point is that antichrist operates both as an adversary and as a counterfeit, and that vigilance is required to discern both forms. The preacher also highlights the theological distinction between apostasy (from within) and paganism (from without), emphasizing the grave danger of internal defection.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) introduces the theological theme that 1 John 2:18-19 is not merely about doctrinal error or eschatological warning, but about the nature of the church itself—specifically, the reality that the true church is composed only of those genuinely united to Christ by the Spirit, and that visible departure from the church is evidence of a lack of true spiritual belonging. The sermon adds the facet that this distinction safeguards the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in salvation and church membership, countering both Roman Catholic and some Reformed tendencies to over-identify the visible church with the true church. It also applies the theme pastorally, warning against both denigrating the visible church and assuming that all visible members are regenerate.

Understanding the Antichrist: Vigilance in the Last Hour (Desiring God) presents the theme that the presence of “antichrists” is a sign of the “last hour,” and that their defining characteristic is doctrinal denial—specifically, denial of the incarnation and the relationship between the Father and the Son. The sermon adds a new angle by emphasizing that these antichrists are not so much substitutes for Christ as they are opposers, and that their presence is both a warning and a call to vigilance for the church in every age.

1 John 2:18-19 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Assurance and Commitment: Living Out Our Faith (Crossland Community Church) provides historical context by referencing the early church’s struggle with Gnostic and docetic heresies, which denied either the humanity or the divinity of Christ. The preacher explains that these heresies were the backdrop for John’s warnings about antichrists, as they represented subtle but devastating distortions of the gospel. The sermon also situates the "last hour" as beginning at Pentecost, drawing on the prophecy of Joel and the outpouring of the Spirit as the inauguration of the church age.

Understanding the Antichrist: Deception and Vigilance (Ligonier Ministries) offers detailed historical context by discussing the first-century church’s experience of apostasy, particularly among Jewish believers who rejected Jesus as Messiah. The preacher references the Olivet Discourse and the abomination of desolation, linking these to the expectation of a future antichrist figure. The sermon also discusses the possible literal and symbolic meanings of the "temple" in Paul’s writings, and the historical debates about the restrainer in 2 Thessalonians, including references to the Roman government, Paul himself, or the Holy Spirit.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) provides historical context by referencing the debates of the Reformation, particularly the Roman Catholic denial of the visible/invisible church distinction and the Reformers’ insistence on it. The sermon situates John’s words within the early church’s struggle with heresy, noting that the presence of false teachers and defectors was a lived reality for the first Christians, and that church fathers like Irenaeus interpreted such departures as fulfillment of Jesus’ warnings about false teachers within the church. The preacher also references the Old Testament covenant community, drawing a historical parallel between the external/internal aspects of the covenant and the visible/invisible church.

1 John 2:18-19 Cross-References in the Bible:

Assurance and Commitment: Living Out Our Faith (Crossland Community Church) references several passages to expand on 1 John 2:18-19: John 6:66 (disciples turning away from Jesus), Galatians 5 (fruit of the Spirit), Romans 10 (confession and belief for salvation), 2 Corinthians (God’s seal and guarantee), Titus 1:16 (denial by actions), Luke 9:23 (self-denial and discipleship), and the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 (false messiahs and end times). Each reference is used to reinforce the sermon’s argument that true believers are marked by perseverance, spiritual fruit, and doctrinal fidelity, while those who leave reveal their lack of genuine faith.

Understanding the Antichrist: Deception and Vigilance (Ligonier Ministries) draws extensively on 1 John 4:1-3 (testing the spirits and the spirit of antichrist), 2 Thessalonians 2:3-11 (the man of lawlessness and the restrainer), and the Olivet Discourse (abomination of desolation). The sermon also references the beast of Revelation (666) and discusses the interrelationship between these figures. Each cross-reference is used to build a composite picture of antichrist as both a present and future threat, and to argue for the continuity between John’s, Paul’s, and Jesus’ teachings on deception, apostasy, and eschatological opposition.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) cross-references several passages to support its interpretation of 1 John 2:18-19. It references Genesis 17 (Ishmael’s circumcision) to illustrate the external/internal covenant distinction, Acts 8 (Simon Magus) as an example of someone outwardly associated with the church but not truly regenerate, and John 3 (Jesus and Nicodemus) to emphasize the necessity of the Spirit’s work for true membership in the church. The sermon also alludes to Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13), using Augustine’s interpretation to reinforce the idea that the church is a mixed body in this age. Additionally, it references Ephesians 1 and 5 to discuss the church’s purpose as the display of God’s glory and the process of sanctification, and 1 Corinthians to highlight the imperfection of even Spirit-filled congregations.

Understanding the Antichrist: Vigilance in the Last Hour (Desiring God) systematically examines all four uses of “antichrist” in John’s epistles (1 John 2:18-19, 2:22, 4:2-3, and 2 John 1:7), drawing connections between them to build a composite picture of the antichrist’s characteristics: denial of Christ’s incarnation, denial of the Father-Son relationship, and the presence of a “spirit of antichrist” in the world. The sermon also briefly references Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24 about false Christs, using it to illustrate the possible meaning of “antichrist” as “in place of Christ,” but ultimately prioritizes John’s own usage.

1 John 2:18-19 Christian References outside the Bible:

Understanding the Antichrist: Deception and Vigilance (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references Benjamin Warfield, noting his view that Paul’s discussion of apostasy in 2 Thessalonians refers to the first-century Jewish rejection of Jesus rather than a future end-times event. The sermon also mentions the majority report in historic Christian scholarship, suggesting a consensus that the antichrist, man of lawlessness, and beast are interconnected figures. Additionally, the preacher critiques Dispensationalist interpretations (without naming specific authors) regarding the identity of the restrainer and the pre-tribulation rapture, labeling some of these arguments as speculative or unwarranted.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references several non-biblical Christian sources in its discussion of 1 John 2:18-19. It cites Martin Luther and John Calvin as articulators of the visible/invisible church distinction during the Reformation, noting the Roman Catholic Church’s opposition to this doctrine. The sermon also references the Westminster Confession of Faith’s definition of the invisible and visible church, quoting its language about the “whole number of the elect” and the “kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Additionally, it mentions church fathers like Irenaeus, who responded to early heresies by affirming that the presence of false teachers was itself a fulfillment of Jesus’ predictions. The preacher also quotes Professor Donald Macleod and recounts a story involving Mark Dever to illustrate pastoral application of the doctrine.

1 John 2:18-19 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Assurance and Commitment: Living Out Our Faith (Crossland Community Church) uses several detailed secular analogies to illustrate 1 John 2:18-19. The preacher recounts stories of military and national defection, such as American soldiers defecting to North Korea or Russia, and the case of Steven Seagal renouncing U.S. citizenship for Russian allegiance, to evoke the shock and betrayal felt when someone leaves the faith community. The sermon also references Kim Philby, the British double agent, to underscore the damage caused by internal betrayal. These analogies are used to help the congregation emotionally grasp the gravity of apostasy and to draw a sharp line between mere association and true belonging. The preacher further uses the analogy of escrow in real estate transactions to explain the security of the believer’s salvation, and the metaphor of a horse and rider to illustrate the Spirit’s guidance in the Christian life.

The Visible and Invisible Church: Understanding Our Faith (Ligonier Ministries) uses a detailed secular illustration involving Voltaire, the French Enlightenment philosopher. The preacher recounts a story where a Baptist minister visits the room where Voltaire famously declared that Christianity would soon be forgotten. The minister sits in Voltaire’s chair and defiantly recites the hymn “Jesus shall reign where’er the sun,” using this as a vivid metaphor for the enduring, though often invisible, presence and triumph of the church despite opposition and predictions of its demise. This story serves to illustrate the global and sometimes hidden nature of the true church, as well as the futility of secular attempts to extinguish it.