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i john 2
Haystack bible commentary"Stacks and stacks of commentary...."
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==I John 2:1:
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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
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 John Bunyan
“[I]t is evident that saints neither can nor dare adventure to plead their cause. Alas! the Judge is the almighty and eternal God; the law broken is the holy and perfect rule of God, in itself a consuming fire. The sin is so odious, and a thing so abominable, that it is enough to make all the angels blush to hear it but so much as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is where this great God doth sit to judge. This sin now hangs about the neck of him that hath committed it; yea, it covereth him as doth a mantle. The adversary is bold, cunning, and audacious, and can word a thousand of us into an utter silence in less than half a quarter of an hour. What, then, should the sinner, if he could come there, do at this bar to plead? Nothing; nothing for his own advantage. But now comes in his mercy-he has an Advocate to plead his cause-”If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”
— - John Bunyan (1628-1688), “The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate, Explained,” The Practical Works of John Bunyan, Vol. IV, p. 251 |
==ijohn 2:2:
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And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
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The very fact that Christ suffered for us, and through His suffering became a propitiation for us, proves that we are (by nature) unrighteous, and that we for whom He became a propitiation, must obtain our righteousness solely from God, now that forgiveness for our sins has been secured by Christ’s atonement. By the fact that God forgives our sins (only) through Christ’s propitiation and so justifieth us by faith, He shows how necessary is His righteousness (for all). There is no one whose sins are not forgiven (in Christ).
— Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans (Grand Rapids, MI.: Kregel, 1976), 78 |
==ijohn 2:3:
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Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
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This verse emphasizes that true knowledge of God is demonstrated by obedience to His commands, not just by profession or claims of knowing Him. The primary point is that practical obedience to God's teachings is the evidence that someone truly knows and has a relationship with Him. The verse implies that someone who claims to know God but does not follow His commands is a "liar," and the truth is not in them. This obedience leads to the perfection of God's love in the believer's life. If you truly know God, your actions will reflect that knowledge, and you will strive to obey His word. Your behavior will be a testament to your relationship with Him, not just your words.
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==ijohn 2:4:
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He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
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This verse, and the verses that follow it, emphasize that true knowledge of God is demonstrated by obedience to His word, not just by verbal claims. The verse contrasts someone's claim of knowing God with their actions. If someone says they know God but doesn't follow His commands, their claim is false, making them a liar. The truth of God's word is absent from the life of someone who professes to know God but acts disobediently. This verse establishes that genuine faith is shown through obedience. It's not enough to say you believe; your actions must align with God's teachings to prove the sincerity of your faith and knowledge of Him.
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==ijohn 2:5:
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But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
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The verse teaches that obedience to God's word is the truest evidence of a genuine love for God and a real relationship with him. The love that a person has for God is brought to maturity, or "perfected," through a life of obedience. This does not suggest a person can achieve absolute perfection, but that their love for God is sincere and complete when expressed through their actions. While some may claim to know and love God, the apostle John indicates that obedience to God's word is the tangible proof of that relationship. A person who claims to know God but disobeys his commands is lying. The phrase "we know we are in him" refers to the assurance of one's spiritual connection and union with Christ. The fruit of obedience demonstrates that a person is truly in a close, abiding relationship with God, and this provides a solid foundation for that assurance. In this verse, "his word" refers to the totality of God's revelation and commandments, not just a single precept. The following verse clarifies that anyone who abides in God "ought to walk in the same way in which he walked". The first chapter of 1 John addresses the presence of sin and the need for forgiveness through Christ. In this context, 1 John 2:5 emphasizes that while sin is a reality, a consistent pattern of obedience confirms a true relationship with God and a love that is being matured by the Holy Spirit
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==ijohn 2:6:
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He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
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This verse emphasizes that true Christian faith is demonstrated through actions and a life that imitates Christ's example of perfect love, righteousness, and virtue. It encourages believers to conform their thoughts, deeds, and overall way of life to the standard set by Jesus, serving as a foundational principle for living as God's child. Christians are called to adopt the same mindset, actions, and manner of living that Jesus demonstrated during His time on Earth.
This involves living according to His teachings and striving to embody His characteristics of love, humility, and obedience to God. Jesus serves as the ultimate standard for how a believer should live, both in their thoughts and their conduct. The verse encourages believers to express God's love in their lives by acting in ways that are consistent with His nature. It serves as a practical test of genuine faith, ensuring that a person's words align with their actions and their commitment to Christ. By following Jesus' example, believers grow closer to God and can become heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. Living like Christ fosters spiritual growth and helps believers become more like the person God intends them to be. |
==i john 2:7:
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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.
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This commandment, to love as Christ loved, is central to Christian ethics and is a reflection of one's relationship with God, as demonstrated by Jesus's teachings and the true light now shining in the world. John states he is not introducing a new commandment but reminding them of an existing one they've known since the beginning of their Christian walk. This "old commandment" is the foundational message of love that believers heard when they first encountered the gospel of Jesus Christ. The commandment refers to the fundamental instruction to love one another, a concept central to Jesus's teachings. It is an "old" commandment because it's timeless and has been foundational to God's relationship with humanity since the beginning. However, the commandment is also new because it is being lived out in a new way through Jesus's life and the presence of the true light that is now shining. John stresses that adherence to this commandment is evidence of one's faith and salvation, reflecting a person's relationship with Christ. The verse underscores the importance of consistent Christian living and behavior as a demonstration of salvation, according to BibleRef.com. The "true light" is already shining, and those who love their brothers and sisters are living in that light, while those who hate them are still in darkness, according to Bible.com. This commandment is fulfilled by "walking as Christ walked," as mentioned in other parts of 1 John and Ephesians, according to Bible Hub.
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==i john 2:8:
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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.
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This verse highlights that the command to love one another is both an old and a new commandment, being made new and true by the presence of God's light in believers as the darkness of the world fades. The commandment to love was not entirely new but was given renewed emphasis and application by Jesus in his earthly life and ministry, serving as a guide for Christian behavior. The commandment's truth is seen in Jesus, who exemplified love, and in believers, who, by their new nature in Christ, are called to live out that love. The reason this commandment is particularly relevant now is that the era of spiritual darkness is receding, and the true light, representing God's presence and the truth of the Gospel, is actively shining. The command to love was not new to God's people, having been in the Law since its beginning. However, John describes it as a "new commandment" because Jesus' example and the power of the Holy Spirit provide a fresh and deeper understanding and ability to fulfill it. The presence of God's light within believers is evidenced by their ability to live out this commandment of love towards one another. Those who truly walk in the light will naturally love their fellow believers, while those who hate are still in darkness.
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==i john 2:9:
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He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.
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This verse emphasizes that genuine fellowship with God involves love for other believers. If a person professes to be a follower of Christ but harbors hatred or rejects a fellow believer, their claim to be "in the light" is false, as their actions demonstrate they remain in spiritual darkness.
"Anyone who claims to be in the light" refers to someone who says they are a believer in Christ and have a relationship with God. This "brother or sister" is a fellow believer in the Christian community. The word "hate" here can refer to animosity, rejection, or a deliberate disregard for another person. Despite their outward claims, their lack of love for a fellow believer reveals that they are not truly in the spiritual light of Christ. Their actions contradict their words, showing a continued state of spiritual ignorance or separation from God. The verse contrasts this with the following verses, which state that the one who loves their brother "abides in the light" and there is no cause for stumbling in them. |
==i john 2:10:
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He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
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This verse teaches that loving fellow believers is a clear sign of living in God's spiritual light and reveals a lack of obstacles or opportunities for sin within that person's life, a concept related to the "cause for stumbling". The "brother" or "sister" here refers to any fellow believer within the Christian community, not just family members. This means walking with and obeying Jesus, demonstrating one's close relationship with Him. The word "stumbling" (or scandal) refers to falling or being led into sin. A person who loves others is not an obstacle to their spiritual growth and doesn't cause them to sin. This verse presents a powerful indicator of a Christian's intimacy with Christ and their knowledge of Him, showing that genuine faith is expressed through actions and love for others.
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==i john 2:11:
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.
==i john 2:12:
I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake
==i john 2:13:
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.
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.
==i john 2:14:
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.
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.
==i john 2:15:
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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.
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 Sheila Alewine
It sounds offensive to us to think we must hate our own families. Surely this is not what Jesus meant? The word means to detest, but in context, Jesus is telling us that our love for God must be so deep and abiding and surpassing that our affection for our families looks like hate. To hate is to “love less.” Our love for anyone, even our own mother and father, cannot supersede our love for God.
This has practical implications. Jesus is describing the cost of being a true disciple. If we love God most, then we will follow Him in spite of any persuasion or influence that would hinder us. The love for God that Jesus describes causes us to give up anything and everything that deters our passion for Him. Our love for God must surpass not only our love for other people, but also for the things of this world. John tells us if we love the world, we do not love the Father (1 John 2:15). Demas, one of Paul’s disciples, deserted the ministry to which he was called, because he loved the world more (2 Timothy 4:10). A surpassing love for God can keep us from trading away an eternity with Him for a few short years of pleasure here on earth. --Sheila Alewine |
==i john 2:16:
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.
==i john 2:17:
And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
==i john 2:18:
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.
==i john 2:19:
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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.
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John gives us insight into what is going on in the lives of those who profess to follow Jesus but then turn away from him, depart from his Word and reject his people. When someone departs from the faith never to be recovered it is not that he has lost the salvation that was once possessed. Rather, such a person demonstrates by his departure that, no matter how loudly he professed to belong to the Lord’s redeemed, he did not genuinely possess the salvation that comes through faith in Christ. Though such people might be among us, they are not “of us.” Paul explains how this happens. How a person lives is determined by what he believes. Those who fall away do so because they become devoted to the “teachings of demons.” This does not mean that they get caught up in the occult. Rather, they come to believe notions that originate in hell and are consequently led away from the faith.
--Tom Ascol |
==i john 2:20:
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
==i john 2:21:
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.
==i john 2:22:
Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
==i john 2:23:
Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
==i john 2:24:
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.
==i john 2:25:
And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
==i john 2:26:
These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
==i john 2:27:
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.
==i john 2:28:
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And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
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 Rob Brunansky
To live without regard for the return of Christ is a dangerous error. The return of Christ forms the foundation of the fifth test John gives us in 1 John to help us know whether we have eternal life: How do we relate to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? John makes it abundantly clear that those who have eternal life, those who truly have believed in Christ for salvation, are those who are prepared for His return and who are living in the light of His return.
We see in verse 28 of 1 John 2 that when He appears, there will be two options of what will occur for people. Those who know Christ and have eternal life will face that day with confidence based on our relationship with Christ. But other people who do not know Him will be put to shame as they fall under His wrath. This is the test. The key differentiator, between those who have confidence when Christ comes and those who are put to shame away from His grace and mercy, is that those with confidence abide in Him. We are commanded to abide in Christ, and this is how we prepare for the return of Christ. John follows up with this command by giving three traits of the people of God who are abiding in Christ. The first characteristic of those abiding in Christ is that they are pursuing righteousness. Those who belong to Christ, those who have been born of God, those who genuinely hope for the return of Christ, pursue righteousness. This Greek verb in the present tense indicates that something is in process; those abiding in Christ are in the process of doing what is righteous – or being sanctified, which is the process of becoming more holy, becoming more like Christ, or growing in righteousness. So if we are those who are in the process of doing righteousness, that means we are growing more righteous and obedient to Christ. The second trait of those who are abiding in Christ and prepared for His coming is that they are rejecting rebellion. No one can serve two masters. We will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. We cannot serve righteousness and rebellion at the same time. And those who are abiding in Christ are characterized as rejecting rebellion against God. We are either growing in obedience or growing in disobedience; no one is standing still (although some may move slower than others). The third trait of those abiding in Christ is that they are resisting deceivers. The world hates God’s truth. Deceivers claim that individuals can have Christ and they can have sin at the same time. They argue that sin is not really that big of a deal, or that people can abide in Christ and abide in sin simultaneously. We are not supposed to let anyone deceive us in this manner. Those who practice sin are of the devil. We resist deceivers by remembering this simple truth: Christ abides in those who abide in Him. And this means that it is impossible that we should be in the process of rebelling against Him and joining hands with the devil. The one who practices righteousness is righteous. --Rob Brunansky; The Cripplegate; How to Prepare for the End of the World 9.21.23 |
Sunny Shell
Western Christianity is not in ICU because we’re too injured or weary from persecutions and afflictions for the sake of Christ. Western Christianity is in ICU because too many of us have become Christian picnickers rather than Christian soldiers; sitting comfortably on the sidelines, always seeking to enjoy something from the Lord, while striving to avoid the afflictions of the Lord. So choose this day whom you will love and honor above all else: Christ or self. So choose this day whom you will love and honor above all else: Christ or self. Remember, it’s never too late to do the right thing—unless you’re dead. Now, may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ, so that you may not be ashamed at His appearing. (2 Thess 3:5, 1 Jn 2:28) --Sunny Shell; Western Christianity Is In ICU 7/2924
==i john 2:29:
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If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
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The verse connects God's righteous nature with the actions of believers, indicating that a life of righteousness is a sign of being born again. The verse offers a criterion for distinguishing between true believers and false teachers, a major theme in 1 John. Since God is perfectly righteous, a person who has been "born of him" will demonstrate a desire to live righteously. Conversely, those who do not practice righteousness may not have a genuine relationship with God. A believer's capacity to live righteously comes directly from God, not from their own efforts. The verse argues from cause to effect: God is the source of all righteousness, and therefore, those who are born of him will reflect his holy nature. Righteous actions are not what earns a person salvation. Instead, they are the natural and inevitable result of having been saved through faith in Christ. The practice of righteousness serves as evidence of a new, transformed nature given by God. The Greek word for "practices righteousness" implies a consistent and habitual action rather than a single deed. A genuine believer is one who consistently pursues holiness and seeks to do what is right, though they will not be perfectly sinless. The verse prompts believers to examine their lives. If a person's life is marked by consistently practicing righteousness, it serves as an assurance of their spiritual new birth and relationship with God. The verse provides powerful motivation for believers to pursue holiness. The desire to live a pure life comes from an overflow of God's love for us, inspiring obedience and a desire to imitate Jesus.
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