Commanded to Love

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1 John 2:3–11 ESV

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Lets Begin to break this down.

1 John 2:3 ESV

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

What are the Commandments?

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.

2. You shall make no idols.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not murder.

7. You shall not commit adultery

8. You shall not steal

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet.

I could honestly spend weeks on these but I do not believe this is what John is talking about.

I believe that through out this letter John is always pointing back to Jesus. John was there for every moment with Jesus and he would have been there when Matthew documents these words from Jesus.

Matthew 22:34–40 ESV

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

You see Jesus always takes things up a notch.

If I truly love God with all my heart, soul, and mind I will have no problem keeping the 10 commandments mentally, spiritually, and physically.

Jesus also gave another commandment, a New Commandment.

John 13:34–35 ESV

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John is writing to a group of people he discipled. This body of believers would have been personally taught by Jesus’ best friend all the things that Jesus did and said.

John is reminding them of what they were taught.

1 John 2:3–5 ESV

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:

You see the Gnostics believed that Fellowship with God was found through knowledge of God and since they had Knowledge of God they could do what ever they wanted and take part in what ever sin they wanted. The could gratify their hunger for happiness.

I loved yesterdays speech at the Graduation. Seniors I want you to hear something today. God doesn’t care about your happiness. He cares about your Joy and he wants your Joy to be complete.

This is what John is speaking about here.

They will know you belong to God if you keep his commandments.

To know God and to not put his word into action is to Not Know God.

You will know someone belongs to God by there action of following his commandments.

1 John 2:6 ESV

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

How did Jesus walk?

Many answers................

Jesus walked in a way that was pleasing to the Father.

1 John 2:7 ESV

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.

John is saying that he has nothing new to command only what we already know.

1 John 2:8 ESV

8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

It is new because so many of us have walked in darkness for so long this idea of walking in the light is new to us.

1 John 2:9 ESV

9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

By Brother John is speaking about fellow Christians........

1 John 2:10 ESV

10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

Abiding reveals trip hazards.

BP safety Meetings

1 John 2:11 ESV

11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

These are hard words to hear and if you are in this room, surrounded by other believers than I would tell you to examine your heart.

Where is there hate in you?

Where are you in you keeping of his commandments?

How are your actions showing that you truly know him?