Verse by verse explanation of 1 John 2

1 John Chapter 2

1 John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”

“My little children” indicates John’s deep concern for his readers. In preceding verses, he had been concerned with erroneous notions that some may have held and advocated; now he turns directly to his addressees.

John calls the Christians; (my little children). That is what we really are; (sons of God). In this, John is expressing the Christians relationship with the Father. The desire of the heart of the Christian must be to sin not. If we commit a sin and confess it, Jesus will represent us to the Father.

This does not, however, mean that we continually sin, which would be a sinful way of life. If we live continually in sin, we have chosen darkness over Light.

“Advocate” means intercessor, or comforter. This is the only mention of this word.

Although a Christian must continually acknowledge and confess sin (1:9), he is not powerless against it. Fulfilling the duty of confession does not give license to sin. Sin can and should be conquered through the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:7 translates “advocate” as “Helper”, literally “one called alongside”. Perhaps a modern concept of the term would be a defense attorney. Although Satan prosecutes believers’ night and day before the Father due to sin (Rev. 12:10), Christ’s High-Priestly ministry guarantees not only sympathy but also acquittal (Heb. 4:14-16).

1 John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.”

“Propitiation”, in this verse means appeasement or satisfaction. An atoning sacrifice that Jesus bore in His body for the punishment due us for our sin. In so doing He propitiated God, satisfied God’s just demand that sin be punished. Thus, Jesus is both the advocate for sinners (verse 1), and the sacrifice for their sins.

“For the sins of the whole world”: This is a generic term, referring not to every single individual, but to mankind in general. Christ actually paid the penalty only for those who would repent and believe. A number of Scriptures indicate that Christ died for the world (John 1:29; 3:16; 6:51; 1 Thess. 2:6; Heb. 2:9).

Most of the world will be eternally condemned to hell to pay for their own sins, so they could not have been paid for by Christ. The passages which speak of Christ’s dying for the whole world must be understood to refer to mankind in general (as in Titus 2:3-4). World indicates the sphere, the beings toward whom God seeks reconciliation and has provided propitiation.

God has mitigated His wrath on sinners temporarily; by letting them live and enjoy earthly life. In that sense, Christ has provided a brief, temporal propitiation for the whole world. But He satisfied fully the wrath of God eternally only for the elect who believe.

Christ’s death had unlimited and infinite value because He is Holy God. Thus, His sacrifice was sufficient to pay the penalty for all the sins of all whom God brings to faith. But the actual satisfaction and atonement was made only for those who believe.

The pardon for sin is offered to the whole world, but received only by those who believes. There is no other way to be reconciled to God.

 

Verses 3-6: Tells us that obedience to God’s commands constitutes a third test of genuine fellowship. First John presents two external tests that demonstrate salvation: doctrinal and moral. The doctrinal test consists of confessing a proper view of Christ and of sin (see 1:1-4 and 1:5-2:2), while the moral test consists of obedience and love (see verses 7-11).

While subjective assurance of salvation comes through the internal witness of the Holy Spirit (5:10; Romans 8:14-16; 2 Cor. 1:12), the test of obedience constitutes objective assurance that one is genuinely saved.

Obedience is the external, visible proof of salvation. The false teachers’ failure to obey God’s commands objectively demonstrated that they were not saved (Luke 6:46). Those who are truly enlightened and know God are obedient to His Word.

1 John 2:3 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”

John writes so that his readers may not sin (verse 1). Now he sets forth a characteristic of genuine knowledge of God: obedience to His commandments. This is a major teaching of Jesus.

A Christian is a follower of, and a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we desire in our heart to please Him, because we love Him, we will keep His commandments. It must be the desire of our heart not to sin.

John 14:15 Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

In this verse and the next, the repetition of the words “know … keep” emphasizes that those genuinely born again display the habit of obedience. Obedience results in assurance of salvation, (Eph. 2:2; 1 Peter 1:14).

That these two words are among John’s favorites is clear since he uses “know” approximately 40 times and “keep” approximately 10 times in this epistle.

1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

There are many who profess to be a Christian who are not living their day to day lives for Christ. This is what this Scripture is about. There will be some who will stand before Jesus on judgment day who will say:

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

God looks on the heart of man. The face we show the world is not always what we really are.

1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

“Perfected” is in the perfect tense. John refers to the decisive and enduring effect of the indwelling love of God. But the test of knowing God’s love is keeping His Word.

Is the Word of God the most important thing you have? When you really love, it is the desire of your heart to please the one you love. To perfect the Love of God within yourself is to be completely sold out to Him.

We are in Him and He in us, if His love is perfected in us. All through the Bible, there are blessings, if we are obedient to God, and curses, if we are not. This is no exception to that.

1 John 2:6 “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”

“Abides or Abideth” is one of John’s favorite terms for salvation. “Even as he walked”: Jesus’ life of obedience is the Christian’s pattern. Those who claim to be Christians ought to live as He did (John 6:38), since they possess His Spirit’s presence and power.

This is referring to Jesus’ earthly days. While no one can or need duplicate Jesus’ atoning ministry, His disciples are called on to imitate His devotion to God and compassion for others (see John 13:15 and 1 Peter 2:21).

Jesus placed His footprints for us. If we are following Him as we should, we will step in those footprints. Walk, in this instance, is speaking of making it a habit to walk in the footprints of Jesus. This is not an occasional encounter with God, but a way of life.

 

Verses 7-8” John’s commandment is both old and new. This commandment, as is clear below, is to love on another. Jesus called it “new” (in John 13:34), thought it appears in similar form (in Leviticus 19:18). By late in John’s life it is no longer so new; yet in the sense that it continually transforms and renews the lives of Christians, it is and ever shall be new indeed.

Verses 7-17: Love of the brethren constitutes the fourth test of genuine fellowship. The primary focus of the moral test is obedience to the command of love because love is the fulfillment of the law (Matthew 22:34-40; Romans 13:8-10; James 2:8), and is also Christ’s new command (John 13:34; 15:12, 17). True enlightenment is to love. God’s light is the light of love, so to walk in light is to walk in love.

1 John 2:7 “Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.”

Not referring to new in the sense of time but something that is fresh in quality, kind or form; something that replaces something else that has been worn out.

“New commandment … old commandment”: John makes a significant word play here. Though he doesn’t state here what the command is, he does (in 2 John 5-6), it is to love. Both phrases refer to the same commandment of love.

The commandment of love was “new” because Jesus personified love in a fresh, new way and it was shed abroad in believer’s hearts (Romans 5:5), and energized by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22; 1 Thess. 4-9). He raised love to a higher standard for the church and commanded His disciples to imitate His love (“as I have loved you”).

The command was also “old” because the Old Testament commanded love (Lev. 19-18; Deut. 6:5), and the readers of John’s epistle had heard about Jesus’ command to love when they first heard the gospel.

“From the beginning”: This phrase refers not to the beginning of time but the beginning of their Christian lives, as indicated (by verse 24; 3:11; and 2 John 6). This was part of the ethical instruction they received from the day of their salvation and not some innovation invented by John, as the heretics may have said.

“Brethren” here, is speaking of those who are of a common faith. Jesus did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it. The commandment spoken of here, has to do with love. We are taught from the beginning to love one another. When we love Him, we walk as He walked.

The Word is the commandment of God. Jesus said all the law and the commandments were caught up in loving God first, and then loving your fellowman as yourself. The “commandment”, then, is righteous love.

1 John 2:8 “Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

This is just expressing how much easier it is for us to understand the law of God, since the Light of Jesus has shown on it. This “new commandment” is let Jesus, (the Light of the world), live in you and through you. We do not have to question about God anymore.

His perfect Light has shined in our heart and made us aware of His perfect Love. The Light of Jesus brightens our path that we are to walk. It is not a dark and fearful walk anymore.

1 John 2:9 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

This is just saying, those who hate others are not walking in the Light. The perfect Light provided for believers leads us into His perfect love. It does not allow hate of any kind. Hate is of the devil and is surrounded by darkness.

Doctrinal truth about spiritual matters means nothing without compassion for others. For John, hateth seems to mean simply “fails to love.”

In the original language, hate coveys the idea of someone who habitually hates or is marked by a lifestyle of hate.

“Is in the darkness even until now”: Those who profess to be Christians, yet are characterized by hate, demonstrate by such action that they have never been born again. The false teachers made claims to enlightenment, transcendent knowledge of God, and salvation, but their actions, especially the lack of love, proved all such claims false (see also verse 11).

1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

“Abideth” means to continue to live. Love is a product of Light. There is no temptation to steal from your brother, if you love him. There is no desire for things that your brother owns, if you love him.

These are just two examples, but you can see that loving your brother causes you to have no desire to do him harm in any way. The lust of the flesh causes sin. The Light of God helps us see things more clearly, and causes us not to lust.

He who truly loves (not “he that saith,” verse 9), abideth in the light, that is, the presence of God. He does not stumble, nor does he cause others to stumble. John stresses actions, not mere words.

1 John 2:11 “But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.”

“Walketh” means “lives”. He habitually spends his life in darkness, or sin (see 2 Corinthians 4:4), for the blinding effect of Satan and sin. Hate is a product of the devil. The devil is in darkness.

John 12:35 “Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”

In the darkness, we cannot see clearly and do not see things that cause us to stumble.

 

Verses 12-14: John addresses different groups and assures them of their steadfastness in the true faith, contrary to many of those with whom his letter must deal. Little children, fathers, young men, and may have reference to spiritual maturity or level of responsibility in the fellowship, for example, to new Christians being “children.”

Only two families exist from God’s perspective: children of God and children of Satan (see John 8:39-44). John reminds his readers in these verses that as Christians they have been forgiven and have come to know God as their heavenly Father. As a result, they are a part of God’s family. They must not love Satan’s family or give their allegiance to the world controlled by him (see verse 15).

The word “little children” (in verse 12), is general for offspring of any age. In contrast to a different Greek word for “children” (in verse 13), which refers to young children.

“I write you … I have written”” John repeats the message in these verses to emphasize the certainly of their belonging to God’s family. “I write” is from John’s perspective, while “I have written” anticipates his reader’s perspective when they received the letter.

1 John 2:12 “I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”

This is John stating his reason for writing the letter to them. Their sins are forgiven, so they are Christians. They are sons of God. They are not full grown, because he calls them little children. God forgave us our sins, because Jesus paid our debt. It is in the name of Jesus that we are forgiven.

 

Verses 13-14: “fathers … young men … children”: These very clear distinctions identify 3 stages of spiritual growth in God’s family. “Fathers,” the most mature, have a deep knowledge of the Eternal God. The pinnacle of spiritual maturity is to know God in His fullness (Phil. 3:10).

Young men” are those who, while not yet having the mature experience of knowing God in the Word and through life, do know sound doctrine. They are strong against sin and error because they have His Word in them. Thus, they overcome the wiles of the devil, who makes havoc of children (Eph. 4:14).

Since Satan’s efforts are in falsehood and deception, they have overcome him. “Children” are those who have only the basic awareness of God and need to grow. All are in God’s family and manifest Christ’s character at different levels.

I John 2:13 “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.”

When we look at the three this is spoken to, it is the progression of growth in our belief. We come to Christ as little children. We grow to young men as we learn more about God, and are better equipped to resist the devil. Then lastly, we rest as old men in the knowledge of God.

1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”

This is very much the same as the verse above. The difference being that the little children are omitted. Those remaining have learned to overcome the devil. They have matured by the study of the Word of God.

They are not overcome of the devil, because they are grounded in the Word of God. Again, speaking of fathers is just a further knowing of God.

We see in this, the growth of the Christian and the knowledge acquired to help live in the Light.

1 John 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

“Love not the world” is a command implying that action now in progress must cease: “Stop loving the world!” There is of course, one sense in which Christians should love the world, since God Himself did and does (John 3:16). But in the sense of pledging personal loyalty and devotion of one’s whole being and means, Christians are to “love” God first and foremost (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:30).

Christians are in the world, but not of the world. Our home is in heaven. We need to keep our thoughts and desires set on things above. “World” in this example here, is speaking of the sin of the world. It is speaking of worldliness and fleshly lives.

Loving the world, in this sense, would be trying to please the desires of our flesh. To love the world, would make us a flesh man. Christians should be spirit men. The world and the things of the world are carnal.

This does not mean that we cannot enjoy the families God has given us, or the blessings we have received from Him. It does mean that we should not be caught up in worldly living. God must be first in our lives. We should not be hanging on to the world, but should eagerly await our home in heaven with Him.

Although John often repeats the importance of love and that God is love (4:7-8), he also reveals that God hates a certain type of love: love of the world (John 15:18-20). In this text, John expresses a particular form of the fourth test (i.e. the test of love).

Positively, the Christian loves God and fellow Christians. Negatively, an absence of love for the world must habitually characterize the love life of those to be considered genuinely born again. “Love here signifies affection and devotion. God, not the world, must have the first place in the Christian’s life (Matt. 10:37-39; Phil. 3:20).

“The world” is not a reference to the physical, material world but the invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan and all that it offers in opposition to God, His Word, and His people. “The love of the Father is not in him”: Either one is a genuine Christian marked by love and obedience to God, or one is a non-Christian in rebellion against God.

Meaning in love with and enslaved by the satanically controlled world system (Ephesians 2:1-3); Col. 1:13; James 4:4). No middle ground between these two alternatives exists for someone claiming to be born again. The false teachers had no such singular love, but were devoted to the world’s philosophy and wisdom, thereby revealing their love for the world and their unsaved state. (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13; 1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Peter 2: 12-22).

1 John 2:16 “For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

“World” for John signifies the evil desire and sin so much a part of human existence.

“For all that is in the world” (James 4:4). While the world’s philosophies and ideologies and much that it offers may appear attractive and appealing, that is deception. Its true and pervasive nature is evil, harmful, ruinous, and satanic. Its deadly theories are raised up against the knowledge of God and hold the souls of men captive. (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

“Lust”: John uses the term negatively here for a strong desire for evil things.

“Flesh”: The term refers to the sin nature of man; the rebellious self dominated by sin and in opposition to God (Romans 7:15-25; 8:2-8; Gal. 5:19-21). Satan uses the evil world system to incite the flesh.

“Eyes”: Satan uses the eyes as a strategic avenue to incite wrong desires (Joshua 7:20-21; 2 Sam. 11:2; Matt. 5:27-29).

“Pride of life”: The phrase has the idea of arrogance over one’s circumstances, which produced haughtiness or exaggeration, parading what one possessed to impress other people (James 4:16).

“Not of the Father”: The world is the enemy of the Christian because it is in rebellion and opposition against God and controlled by Satan (5:19; Eph. 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4; 10:35). The three openings presented, if allowing access to sin, result in tragedy. Not only must the Christian reject the world for what it is but also for what it does.

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are what got Eve in trouble in the garden. She looked, desired, and wanted to be as God. Lust of all kinds fall into the category of flesh and worldliness.

1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

John predicts that the temporal world (Greek “Kosmos”), will pass away but that believers who do the will of God will live forever in the age to come. This prophecy foresees the coming destruction of the earth. (2 Peter 3:7-13; Rev. 20:7-10).

We have learned in a previous lesson that this world will pass away. In fact, we read that it will melt with fervent heat. Even if that were not the case, the world for each person will pass away in approximately 100 years. We are born dying. Death is the sentence of all who do not receive eternal life in Jesus.

God is eternal. He shares that eternity with all who believe. To do the will of God means that we have received Jesus as our Savior, and are living in the salvation He gave us. Jesus is the Quickening Spirit who gives us eternal life. In fact, He is Life. To receive Him means that we receive Life.

“The world passeth away”: The Christian also must not love the satanic world system because of its temporary nature. It is in the continual process of disintegration, headed for destruction (Romans 8:18-22).

“He that doeth the will of God abideth for ever”: In contrast to the temporary world, God’s will is permanent and unchangeable. Those who follow God’s will abide as His people forever. While God offers eternal life to His children, the present age is doomed (1 Cor. 7:31; 2 Cor. 4:18).

1 John 2:18 “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

In (verse 17), John has stated that the present evil order of things is passing away. This leads to his affirmation that it is the last time. Antichrist appears in the whole New Testament only here (and in verse 22, 4:3, and 2 John 2:7). He is the ultimate opponent of God, God’s plans and God’s people (see also 2 Thess. 2:1-12; Mark 13:14).

“Many antichrists”: While the term’s first occurrence refers to a particular person prophesied in Scripture, this one is plural and refers to many individuals. John uses the plural to identify and characterize the false teachers who were troubling John’s congregations because their false doctrine distorted the truth and opposed Christ (Matt. 24:24; Mark 13:22; Acts 20:28-30).

The term therefore, refers to a principle of evil, incarnated in men, who are hostile and opposed to God (2 Cor. 10:4-5). John writes to expose the false teachers, the wolves in sheep’s clothing who purvey damning lies (Eph. 5:11). “The last time” is a phrase referring to the “latter times” or “last days”, i.e., the time period between the first and second comings of Christ (1 Tim. 4:1; James 5:3; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; Jude 18).

This again, is speaking of Christians, when it says little children. The last time indicates the nearness of the coming of Christ. Jesus warned of this very thing (in Matthew 24).

Matthew 24:24 “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

The appearance of these antichrists is another sign that the coming of Christ is near. The word “antichrist” just means those who are opposed to Christ.

1 John 2:19 “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.”

“They went out from us … they were not of us”: The first characteristic mentioned of antichrists, i.e. false teachers and deceivers (verses 22-26), is that they depart from the faithful (see verses 22-23), for the second characteristic and (verse 26), for the third. They arise from within the church and depart from true fellowship and lead people out with them.

The verse also places emphasis on the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Those genuinely born again endure in faith and fellowship and the truth (1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Timothy 2:12). The ultimate test of true Christianity is endurance (Mark 13:13; Hebrews 3:14). The departure of people from the truth and the church is their unmasking.

Some in the church, but now departed, were never really part of it. Here is a clear distinction between those who merely appear to be Christians, based on outward affiliation, and those who really are, whom the Lord knows and claims as His own (1 Cor. 8:3; Gal. 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:19).

Many times, these false teachers and prophets, who are really opposed to Christ, pretend to be Christians. These people many times come to church and stir up the people. After a time, it is apparent that they are not Christians.

It is best, if you discover them, before they do any damage to the other believers. Usually they do not boldly come out against Christ. They just plant doubt in the other believers. One of Satan’s favorite statements is, “Did God say”. If he can get you questioning, he has won that battle. Be steadfast, unmovable in your belief.

 

Verses 20-21: Two characteristics mark genuine Christians in contrast to the antichrists. First, the Holy Spirit (the anointing, verse 27), guards them from error (Acts 10:38; 2 Cor. 1:21). Christ as the Holy One (Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14), imparts the Holy Spirit as their illuminating guardian from deception. Second, the Holy Spirit guides the believer into knowing “all things” (John 14:26; 16:13).

True Christians have a built-in lie detector and persevere in the truth. Those who remain in heresy and apostasy manifest the fact that they were never genuinely born again (verse 19).

1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”

“Unction”, in the verse above, means anointing. This would mean an anointing from the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is our teacher and guide.

John refers to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14-16). Yet Scripture does not suggest that God’s Spirit works in hearts apart from God’s Word (James 1:18, 21).

This unction then, predisposes John’s readers to recognize and respond to God’s truth, but not to arrive at it independently of the biblical and apostolic Word. Had the readers been capable of knowing all things apart from written and spoken instruction (1 John), would not need to have been written.

1 John 2:21 “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.”

This is a further statement of (verse 20). “All things” (in verse 20), is spoken of here as Truth. John is writing to the church, and not to the world. Notice the word “know”, which is so evident in John’s writings. He reminds them that no compromise of the Truth will do.

 

Verses 22-23: “Denieth the Father and the Son”: A second characteristic of antichrists is that they deny the faith (i.e. sound doctrine). Anyone denying the true nature of Christ as presented in the Scripture is an antichrist (4:3; 2 Tim. 2:11). The denial of Christ also constitutes a denial of God Himself, who testified to His Son.

John defines the anti-Christian spirit of false prophets and false teachers by explaining that they deny that Jesus is the Christ. Their blatant rejection of Him as the Messiah is also a rejection of His incarnate deity.

1 John 2:22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”

Anti means against. To deny Jesus brings death to the one who denies. Jesus is Life and Truth. Christ interchanges with Messiah. These that John is speaking to, then are possibly those looking for Messiah, and did not recognize Him in Jesus. To deny the Son, is to deny the Father who sent Him.

Literally, the liar: He is the epitome of a lying deceiver who claims to represent Christianity, as John’s opponents (probably Gnostics, were doing), but who accords Jesus Christ less than His full due as Savior and coequal partner with the Father.

These should be sobering words for modern understandings of religion and Christianity which deny Christ His scriptural status by making Him less than fully divine.

1 John 2:23 “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”

Because God has chosen to reveal Himself definitively in Christ, it is not possible to know God personally and truly without fully acknowledging Christ in the fullness of His power and being.

Jesus said, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father”. For there to be a Father there had to be a Son. To deny the Son, would be to deny there was a Father. The Father and the Son are inseparable.

 

Verses 24-25: “Heard from the beginning”: The gospel that cannot change. Let it remain; do not follow false teachers (2 Tim. 3:1, 7, 13; 4:3). Christian truth is fixed and unalterable (Jude 3). If we stay faithful to the truth, we continue to experience intimate communion with God and Christ and persevere to the full eternal life (5:11-12).

1 John 2:24 “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.”

John exhorts his readers to persevere in the face of false teaching and belief. The Greek text emphasizes the readers, in contrast to those who have gone out (verse 19): “You, therefore, let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you.”

The pure gospel message that had been brought to them was to be kept at all cost. Let this gospel message live continually (abide), in you. This is simply saying; reject the false message of the antichrist. To hang on to the teachings of Christ, brings the Father and the Son into your life.

1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, [even] eternal life.”

Look with me, at the promise in the words of Jesus.

John 6:47 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.”

We see from this that eternal life is in Jesus. To have Him is to possess eternal life.

1 John 2:26 “These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.”

A third characteristic of antichrists is that they try to deceive the faithful (1 Tim. 4:1).

John makes it clear that much of his treatise has been called forth by opponents of orthodox teaching.

“Them that seduce you” is speaking of those who are opposed to Christ who with flattering words is trying to draw them away from the Truth. John is writing to them and to us to be aware of these false teachers.

1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

(Ephesians 4:11-16), indicates that the Spirit often uses human instruments to fulfill His role of enabling believers to distinguish between truth and error. In any case, it is the Word of God that furnishes the believer with knowledge, and which the Spirit then makes relevant and applicable in the believer’s life (see Romans 10:17).

“Anointing”: John is not denying the importance of gifted teachers in the church (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11), but indicates that neither those teachers nor those believers are dependent on human wisdom or the opinions of men for the truth.

The Holy Spirit guards and guides the true believer into the truth (verses 20-21). If God is true (2 Cor. 15:3; Jer. 10:10; John 17:3; 1 Thess. 1:9), and Christ is the truth (John 14:6), so is the Holy Spirit (5:6; John 15:26; 16:13).

“Abide in Him”: In response to such deceivers, the task of the genuine believer is to “walk in truth,” i.e., persevere in faithfulness and sound doctrine (see verses 20-21, 2 John 4; 3 John 4).

The “anointing” here, is speaking of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us which teaches us all Truth. It brings to remembrance the wonderful teachings we have had.

John 14:26 “But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

It is the Holy Ghost that reveals to us all Truth.

John 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

 

Verses 2:28 – 3:3: This section deals with the “purifying hope” of every Christian, which is the return of Christ. John uses this purifying hope to reiterate and elaborate on the moral test (love and obedience), of a true Christian. The hope of Christ’s return has a sanctifying effect on moral behavior.

In anticipation of Christ’s return and reward (1 Cor. 3:10-17; 4:1-5; 2 Cor. 5:9-10; Rev. 22:12), a genuine Christian walks in holiness of life. Those who do not evidence such behavior manifest an unsaved life. In these (five verses, 2:28 – 3:3), John has given five features of the believer’s hope.

1 John 2:28 “And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.”

John Repeats his emphasis on abiding (verse 27), to introduce it as the first feature of the believer’s hope (in 2:28-3:3). Whenever John refers to abiding he’s referring to persevering in the faith of salvation, which is evidence of being a true believer (John 15:1-6).

The hope of Christ’s return produces the effect of continual abiding in every true believer as they long for the glorious future prepared for them. Paul called it “loving His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8), and said those who do that are the ones who will be crowned with eternal righteousness in heaven. Abiding signifies a permanent remaining in Christ and guarantees the believer’s hope. Those who truly abide continue in the faith and in fellowship with the saints (verse 19).

In contrast to (verse 27; “you abide”), however, he commands (imperative), believers to abide. The command signals that abiding is not passive; continual, active abiding must be pursued by every genuine believer (Phil. 2:12). Salvation is eternal because of the Lord’s side, He holds us (John 6:37-44), and because of our side, we persevere in faith and obedience (John 8:31-32).

It is not unlike salvation in which God sovereignly saves, but not apart from personal faith from the one He saves. Or in the case of sanctification, God conforms us to His Son but not apart from obedience. The New Testament is rich with statements about God’s work and the work of the believer. Paul said it well (in Col. 1:29).

“When He shall appear” refers especially to the Rapture and gathering of the church (John 14:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess. 4:13-18), and the judgment Seat of Christ to follow (1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Col. 5:9-10).

“Confidence … not be ashamed before him at his coming”. The word “confidence” means “outspokenness” or “freedom of speech”. Those who are saved will have confidence at Christ’s coming because they will be blameless in holiness based on abiding in Christ (Eph. 5:27; Col. 1:22; 1 Thess. 3:13, 5:23).

In contrast, there will be many, like the soils (in Matt. 13), who are temporary look-alike believers (see 13:20-22). Who did not believe, who did not persevere in abiding and consequently, face only shame at His appearance.

Wishing to please the Lord, and not be ashamed before him at his coming, ought to motivate believers to stand firm, to abide in him.

Stay with God, and let Christ in you live through you, and there will be no fear of error. The Holy Ghost takes up habitation in those who will receive Him. We will not be ashamed, when we follow the leading of the Spirit of God, and get our flesh under subjection to that Spirit.

1 John 2:29 “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.”

“Every one … that doeth righteousness is born of Him”. This is the second feature of the believer’s hope (in 2:28-3:3). The hope of Christ’s return not only sustains faith (verse 28), but makes righteousness a habit. The term for “born” is the same verb used (in John 3:7), where Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be “born” again.

Those truly born again as God’s children have their heavenly Father’s righteous nature (1 Peter 1:3, 13-16). As a result, they will display characteristics of God’s righteousness. John looks from effect (righteous behavior), to cause (being truly born again), to affirm that righteous living is the proof of being born again (James 2:20, 26; 2 Peter 3:11).

The idea seems to be that he who practices what is right, being born of God (3:9), need not fear Christ’s coming (verse 28). Spiritual rebirth is stressed in John (see 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18; also John 1:13; 3:3-8).

A Christian is born again of the Spirit. Our flesh is buried in water baptism, and we rise to new life in Him. This is speaking of Jesus Christ the Righteous. We take on His righteousness.

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