In this passage, John reviews his earlier doctrinal tests (the proper evaluation of man’s sinfulness and the appropriate conclusion of Christ’s nature as the God-man) and moral tests (love for Christ and others, and obedience to God’s Word). The purpose of these tests, as stated in John 1:4, was to help his readers assess their joy and whether it was real or not. The apostle understood that a wrong view of Christ, if not repented of and corrected, would lead to eternal damnation. False professors of the faith denied the truth about Christ in the flesh, revealing that they were antichrists. True professors, on the other hand, affirm the truth about Christ, revealing that they were genuine children of God. The term, antichrist, denotes anyone who opposes Christ, seeks to supplant Him or falsely represents Him. Such opposition always leads to an inaccurate view about the nature of Christ and the salvation that He alone provides.