Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 John 2:19

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us." — 1 John 2:19 (ASV)

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.

The worst of men go out from among the best of men, the antichrists go out from the church of Christ. The raw material for a devil was an angel. To make a Judas, you must make him out of an apostle. May God purify his professing church since even in her own womb she breeds adversaries of the faith.

They went out from us, –

For, alas! many of the antichrists came out of the church; they sprang up from among the followers of Christ: They went out from us, –