1 John 2:1-14

Remember that John's primary revelation is this: God is love.  We are born of God, or born of Love.  As we see God for Who He is, we shall be like Him.  We shall love others.  We can be born of God, but not realize that He is love, and so not walk in love toward others.  1 John 3:2, 1 John 4:7-8

1 John 2:1  "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."  God does not want us to sin.  Even though we are forgiven of all sin, past, present and future, sin still has hurtful consequences in our human relationships.  We hurt ourselves and others.  But God has declared us righteous and holy in His sight.

Vs. 2  "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world..  Jesus is the propitiation for our sins as Christians, and for the sins of the whole world.  Propitiation means that God is satisfied with what Jesus did.  The idea that God was an angry, vengeful God who needed to be appeased, and that He did not have any goodwill toward us, is not a Biblical concept.  The Bible says God chose us in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world.  Ephesians 1:4.  God is love.  Justice had to be satisfied and we had to be redeemed from sin.  God Himself provided the redemption for us.  That is love.

Vs. 3 "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments."  Notice the phrase 'know Him'.  It does not say born of Him, but to know Him, that He is love.  What are the commandments we are to keep?  1 John 3:23, believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ (be born of God) and love one another.  So when we are born again and love one another, we are keeping His commandments.  When we know He is love, we love others.

Vs. 4 "He who says, "I know Him", and does not keep His commandments (be born of God and love one another) is a liar, and the truth is not in him."  If a person is not born of God or walking in love, he does not know God.  Notice how the phrase "the truth is not in him' is similar to 1 John 1:8,10.  This is another reason that we know that 1 John 1:8,10 are talking about being born again.  Also notice 1 John 2:22, "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?" 

Vs. 5 "But whoever keeps His Word (commandments: believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another), truly the love of God is perfected (brought to completion) in him.  By This we know that we are in Him."  So if we are born again and walking in love toward others, God's life is flowing through us.

Vs. 6 "He who says He abides in Him (God is love) ought himself also to walk (walk in love) just as He walked."

Vs. 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 have heard from the beginning."  The commandment that John spoke of is John 13:34-35, "that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."  God is love.  If we walk in love, people will see God in us.

Vs. 8-11 Read.  To summarize these verses, if we hate or condemn others, we are walking in darkness.  If we love others by offering grace to them and not condemning them, we are walking in the light.

Vs. 12-14  "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.  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.  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."  These verses describe a spiritual progression within our lives, or levels of spiritual maturity.  Notice the characteristics of little children: they know that their sins are forgiven them for His name's sake and they know that God is their Father.  It is interesting to note that we can know God is our Father, but not realize that He is love.

Young men (or women) spiritually are those who are strong, and the word of God abides in them, and they have overcome the wicked one.  Notice 1 John 4:4  We overcome the wicked one by knowing that God lives within us, and greater is He Who is in us than he (Satan and evil spirits) that is in the world.  We must learn that Christ lives in us.  If we don't understand that the sins of our entire lifetime are forgiven, it will be impossible to see that God lives in us.  We will always be focused on our outward actions, instead of being focused on God living within us.

Fathers, or spiritually mature men and women, know Him Who is from the beginning.  The Greeks referred to the gods as fathers, but they were often cruel and vindictive.  The Jews saw God as a God of justice and punishment because of the Law of the Old Testament.  By now we should see that John is referring to the fact that God is love.  This unknown, unseen God Who is from the beginning is love.  When we walk in love toward others, the love of God is perfected, or brought to completion, in us.

Keith Oliver