Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Thursday, July 3, 1 John 2:19

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if thy 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." (KJV)

"They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." (NIV)

I've heard a new trendy word that those similar to whom we are reading in this verse like to call themselves. They say that they are "deconstructing". They may be "deconstructing", but not from faith in Christ. They have either simply stopped playing their game, or are in the state of backsliding.

You cannot "deconstruct" a birth. A baby can't go back into a womb and be "unborn". Whatever aspirations that may have led an unbeliever into the Christian community may be varied, but their relationship was not with Jesus. I've noticed that some of the most prominent ones the Christ-rejecting media like to throw at us are typically musicians or "ministers", which kind of makes sense to me, because they are positions of power and prestige.

This means that their motive was not a dying to self and a relationship depending upon the mercy of God, but control or accolades. They were lovers of men rather than lovers of God, and when a better offer came, or the "taking up the cross" became a reality, they left.

Our best hope is that they are in what we call a "backslidden" state. This is a believer who has been led astray in some way. I know that state well. It is one of the most miserable positions one can experience. It was like I trapped myself in a little cage, with glimpses of what I had walked away from. I sensed a grieving within that could not be relieved. I was constantly unsettled, and longed for relief.

And fortunately, He found me and brought me back. The guilt and shame before Him was great, but the relief and joy of His blessed forgiveness undid any thought that He no longer loved me. I sensed His mercy and love, and though the walk back was initially not pleasant, the result was again making beauty of the ashes I made of my life during that period.

There is an eternal truth that you "reap what you sow", and when you do something stupid, the repercussions come back to haunt you. But when I repented and cried again to my Father, the Holy Spirit walked with me, comforting me through those tough periods of restoration. Those periods were filled with a peace that the world cannot understand, and He made me whole again.

So, if you are one of those, buying into the fakeness of "deconstruction", repent today and reach out to your Savior before you do any more damage to yourself and others.

Those who "went out" and were never part of us have "the spirit of antichrist". They have tasted of God's goodness and blasphemed His name. They are making a mockery of the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, and rejecting the great salvation Christ accomplished for those who turn to Him. And in doing so, they bring great consternation to those who had trusted them, and believed that they actually were followers of Jesus.

But they have revealed their true motivation, and it had nothing to do with repentance and faith in Christ. Many of them now hide their guilt by manufacturing a compromising "faith": putting Christ's name on it, though in reality that "Christ" is themselves. They are not "deconstructing" from a new birth. They are turning away from the light and plunging themselves and those naïve enough to follow them into darkness.

Never be discouraged by the "spirit of antichrist". Cling even more tightly to the Savior. If you are one of those who have fallen along "Bypath Meadow", and have found yourself filthy and trapped in despair, reach again to the Savior, Who said that "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b) And "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

We cannot discern whether one is backsliding or have never repented when they are in that state. We only go by what Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: "You'll know them by their fruits." When one acts like an unbeliever, you treat them like an unbeliever and try to lead them to salvation. All you need to know is that Christ knows their hearts. We don't worry about others in that way. Christ does the saving. We follow Him, and testify of what He has done for us. And those who are born of Him will return.

You see, it is not a construction. It is a birth. You did not choose Him, He chose you. He has a wonderful purpose for you, and in Him is life. True, eternal life. If you have slipped into the pits of despair by your foolishness, reach out! There is no time like the present!

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

Memory Helps:

"They went out from us,
but they did not really belong to us.

For if they had belonged to us,
they would have remained with us;

but their going showed that
none of them belonged to us." (NIV)

This is a pretty long verse, but one of the most important verses to remember, since it makes sense of those who seemed to have been believers but left the flock.

I would memorize this in the three "couplets" into which I have divided this verse.

Notice right away that all but one of the six lines end in "us" and all three couplets end in "us": "out from us/belong to us/belonged to us/remained with us/ belonged to us".

Also notice the "They" pronouns, one in each line: "They/they/they/they/their/them"

Pay attention to these, and learn one couplet at a time.

I make a vivid word "spark" for this verse with my "memory character". He is "Uncle Pennybags" from "Monopoly". I nickname him "ToP hat", because he wears one of those high black top hats, and T-P = 1-9 phonetically, vowels fillers.

So, I use this word picture of many "ToP-hatted" guys like him wearing "New" hats with "salvation" written on them (to remind me of chapter 2, 2=N). Put price tags on them to signify "New". They may have worn the New hats, but they were simply faking it, so they all throw their hats away and spread out into the darkness of this world. That should help "spark" your memory to 1 John 2:19.