1 John 2
CHAPTER 2
My little children, these things write I to you, so you may not sin. And if anyone sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.
3 And hereby we truly know that we truly know him: If we keep his commandments. 4 He that says: I know him, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But who keeps his word, in him truly has the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him.
Walking in the light
6 He that says he abides in him, ought also walk even as he walked. 7 Beloved, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard. 8 But now, 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 already shines.
9 He that says he is in the light and hates his brother, he remains in the darkness. 10 He that loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he goes, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Something for everyone of every age
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 know him who is from the beginning. I write to you young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you little children, because you know the Father.
14 I have written to you fathers, because you know 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 evil one.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are 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 and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world passes away and the lust of it, but he that does the will of God abides for ever.
Antichrists
18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you heard that antichrist comes, even now have there arisen many antichrists. Whereby 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 revealed, that all these are not of us.
20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all these things. 21 I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it! And because no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is the liar but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist: he that denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father. He that confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also shall abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise which he promised us- everlasting life.
26 These things have I written to you concerning those that would lead you astray. 27 And as for you, the anointing which you received of him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you all things and is true and is no lie and even as it taught you, so you are to abide in him.
28 And now, little children, abide in him. That, when he shall be manifested, we may have boldness and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone also that does righteousness is begotten of him.
Commentary
2:10 Bitterness against our fellow believers creates a stumblingblock in our spiritual path which can cost us our place in God’s Kingdom. We must urgently let go of all bitterness (Eph. 4:31).
2:12 Forgiveness is available through baptism into the Name of Jesus because His Name is His character, and this is counted to us if we are in Him. Our sins are not therefore visible, as it were, to God’s judgment.
2:19 We should never be the ones who “go out from” our fellow believers. They may go out from us or exclude us, but this is their sin; we shouldn’t be the ones who create the divisions.
2:28 “Boldness” is the same Greek word we find elsewhere about how we can be “bold” or confident, open, as we stand in the presence of God in prayer (Eph. 3:19; Heb. 4:16). Thus our attitude to the Father and Son in prayer today is the attitude we shall have to them when we stand before them at judgment day. This gives cause for much self-examination.
