1 João 2

1 João 2:18-23

Ellicott - The special instances in his mind were of men who had seemed to belong to the body of Christ, but were never really penetrated by His Spirit. (Cp. Matthew 13:3-7; Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:47-50.) (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) But (a sad term of contrast) they were not really of us - The plain sense is that there were (and are today) those in the Body of Christ who look for all the world like authentic, genuine believers. The sad truth is that they are not born of God's Spirit (Jn 3:3-5+) They say the right things (speak "Christianeze" so to speak), pray the right words (even with great pomp and oratory), etc, but their heart is unregenerate. Their spirits are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1-3+). They have never been born again. It is one thing to be a pagan idol worshipper in the deep, dark jungle, but to be a religious faker in the presence of the True Light is one of the greatest of all tragedies. Jesus sternly warned that all individuals who have much "light" exposure, will suffer much greater condemnation when they enter their eternal abode in abject darkness (Read Jesus' sobering pronouncements - Mt 11:21-24+, Lk 10:12-16+). External membership is no proof of inward union. -- A. E. Brooke Hiebert - Outwardly they had been members of the church, but inwardly they never shared the inner spiritual fellowship of the group. Their defection had the effect of purifying the church and marking the clear distinction between truth and error. (1 John 2:19-24 Exposition) Steven