1 John 2:3-11—Obey the Command to Love
Notes
These are my notes from listening to Rich’s sermon.
1 John 2:3–11 CSB
3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: 6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now. 10 The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
The apostle John, aging… “My little children...”
Eyewitness of Jesus. Perhaps a circular letter to churches.
2:19: setting. Early gnostic heresy. Likely connection to Ephesus.
Emphasis on love for God and others.
Practical church life matters.
Light and darkness.
“Know” “Love & obey” “Hate & darkness” “Light & love”
1) If we keep His commands (vv 3-6)
OT testimony on obedience.
Proverbs 21:3 CSB
3 Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
1 Samuel 15:22 CSB
22 Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.
Psalm 51:16 CSB
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering.
Hosea 6:6 CSB
6 For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Knowing, loving, and obeying God are related.
Obeying the stipulations of a contract were required to maintain its validity (dt. 4, 6)
John 14:15 CSB
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands.
John 15:9–14 CSB
9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
1 John 2:3 CSB
3 This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands.
What does keeping His commandments mean?
1 Peter 1:14 CSB
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance.
The test is whether we obey His commands. If we claim to know God, we should keep His commands: it proves that we KNOW Christ.
Matthew 7:21–23 CSB
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’
Knowing has eternal consequences. Obedience gives us assurance.
1 John 2:4 CSB
4 The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
The true follower of Jesus is not just a knower, but also a doer. It is the basis of all Christian faithfulness.
Is Jesus referring to rules and laws in John 14? No, these commands encompass all of Jesus’ words and teachings, which are of the Father.
John 14:23–24 CSB
23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me.
Anyone who claims to have knowledge of God but does not do what Christ says is a liar. The liar is not in Christ, and Christ is not in the liar.
The liar is lost in the dark and is unregenerate. Who is regenerate?
1. You love Jesus and follow Him. 1 Cor 8:3
1 Corinthians 8:3 CSB
3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by him.
2. You love the Word and obey it. James 1:21
James 1:21 CSB
21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
3. You love the church and serve in it. Eph 4:16
Ephesians 4:16 CSB
16 From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
We are designed to work together, be together, and serve together.
2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
John 3:7 CSB
7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again.
Changed lives is one of the greatest apologetics.
1 John 2:5 CSB
5 But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him:
God’s love is made complete in the one who obeys Him.
Philippians 1:6 CSB
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
God’s love is made perfect in the one who obeys.
Love delights to do God’s will.
“His Word” is parallel to “his commandments” in 4.
1 John 2:6 CSB
6 The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.
Abides, or remains… the role modeling or path of Jesus’ life. Jesus is the pattern for Christian living: as “little Christs”. Remains: refers to the reciprocal relationship of the divine indwelling of the Spirit in the believer, and the positional relationship of the believer in Christ, which all true believers possess.
2) I am not writing you a new command (vv. 7-8)
John 13:34 CSB
34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.
Leviticus 19:18 CSB
18 Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
Matthew 22:37–40 CSB
37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
1 John 2:7 CSB
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard.
“Dear friends:” “Beloved” John is speaking to believers.
John very likely speaks to the command to love. It is fundamental. The “old” commandment has a new urgency now in Christ.
“Beginning” the start of the Christian walk of the believers, the recipients.
He is reminding the readers that they should hold fast to the apostolic testimony of who Jesus is and what He did.
1 John 2:8 CSB
8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
Light vs. darkness. The dingy darkness of the fallen world has given way to the light of salvation.
John 8:12 CSB
12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”
Matthew 5:14 CSB
14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
Our attitude shows whether or not we are in the darkness or the light.
John 1:5 CSB
5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:9 CSB
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
3) The true Light is already shining (vv. 9-11)
God is light. There is no darkness in Him. The light is already here for us and others.
Galatians 3:26–27 CSB
26 for through faith you are all sons of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.
1 John 2:9 CSB
9 The one who says he is in the light but hates his brother or sister is in the darkness until now.
Loving our neighbors. Relationships with believers is by divine design.
Genesis 2:18 CSB
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”
Loving others is a key indicator of whether one is walking in the light.
John 13:35 CSB
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Language in verse 9 is habitual, characteristic.
Hatred=darkness.
Sin is darkness, stumbling, avoids the light.
1 John 2:10 CSB
10 The one who loves his brother or sister remains in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:11 CSB
11 But the one who hates his brother or sister is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and doesn’t know where he’s going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
These two verses are opposites, contrast.
Loving one’s brother or sister is evidence that one resides in the light. It will prevent one from stumbling.
The person who hates his fellow Christian is spiritual blind, in the darkness, and has never come into the light. They are lost.
1 John 2:19 CSB
19 They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us.
Christian love teaches us the value of another soul. Evangelism is love.
Application: To truly know Christ is to obey Him, and therefore that obedience is to love Him (GOD), and love others.
Self-examination: Are we in the darkness, or in the light?
Jeremiah 17:9 CSB
9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?
There is a Savior.
