1 John 2
1 John 2:1-29
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.
10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
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 none of them were of us.
20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
There are alternating phrases of reasons for John’s writing and warnings against sin and those who would promote it through deceptive doctrines. In the reasons are hope-filled declarations of faith about those who have encountered the Light and His effect in their life. There is a necessity, though, for much more than just information that provides for a sense of security while partaking of the world’s dainties. He is a Savior, this One who has bought us with His blood, and it was from this world’s sin that He has saved us with great passion and love. It is He who will return for His purchased bride, one whom He made a way for freedom and separation from the world, not justified fellowship with it. Though we’ve been given a new and living way through identification with Him, righteousness yet appears to be the purpose and desired behavior of His first coming. To disregard this purpose because of a deception providing loopholes for worldly infidelity is to be in danger of being judged as unfaithful to Him at His imminent coming. It’s not so much the details of each action that are an issue; it’s just whether or not there is abiding in the place He’s provided at His side. To do so will result in the love and righteousness His light commands. The sin, then, doesn’t keep us from the power of the blood. It just reveals whether or not we’ve chosen to abide in the place it’s provided. That choice is the critical one. To live and have relations with the world is to make a choice that might impact the decision of the One to whom we were to be wed. Wouldn’t be prudent to risk this side hustle for the delusion that it doesn’t matter, that we’re good. So much better and secure to simply walk, move, live, and abide in the place that He desires for us at His side. The righteousness and love, then, will just be evidence that we indeed are not lying about our relationship with Him.