First John: 1 John 2:5a-The Believer’s Obedience to Christ’s Word Demonstrates They Love the Father Lesson # 52

but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him. (NASB95)

“But whoever keeps His word” stands in contrast with the previous assertion in which states that the one who says he knows the Lord experientially and yet at any time, does not observe His commands conscientiously is a liar.

“Whoever keeps His word” is composed of the following: (1) nominative masculine singular form of the relative pronoun hos (ὅς), “whoever” (2) emphatic particle an (ἄν), “whoever” (3) third person singular present active subjunctive form of the verb tēreō (τηρέω), “keeps” (4) genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “His” (5) articular accusative feminine plural form of the noun logos (λόγος), “word.”

The relative pronoun hos means “who” is referring to unidentified, hypothetical believer and is employed with the modal particle an which means “ever” since it denotes indefinite future time.

Along with hos it is employed with the subjunctive mood of the verb tēreō in order to present an eternal spiritual truth or principle regarding fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, that is true at any time.

The verb tēreō means “to conscientiously obey” and is used in relation to the phrase αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, “His word,” which refers to the content of the Word of God.

Therefore, the verb tēreō expresses the idea of the believer “conscientiously observing” the Lord’s teaching which is the means by which they can confirm that they are experiencing fellowship with Him.

The noun logos is used synonymously with the articular expression τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, “His commandments,” which appears in .

Therefore, logos, “Word” refers to content of Jesus Christ’s doctrinal teaching, which entails all His commands and prohibitions that He delivered to the apostles.

This teaching is now documented in the Greek New Testament.

The noun logos is also of course used synonymously with alētheia, “the truth” that is employed in .

Thus, logos, “Word” in refers to the absolute truth that appears in the infallible, inerrant Word of God, which has been inspired by God the Holy Spirit.

“The Word” refers to the content of the Christian doctrine, which is absolute truth.

The Holy Spirit reveals this absolute truth in the written Word of God.

It refers to the Father’s revelation of Himself and His will, which is communicated by the Holy Spirit through the written Word of God, which is the mind and thinking of the Lord Jesus Christ ().

The present tense of this verb tēreō is also a gnomic present used to describe something that is true any time and expresses the idea that whoever “at any time does” observe conscientiously the Lord Jesus Christ’s word can confirm that they are experiencing fellowship with Him.

This is not a customary present denoting habitual action but rather a gnomic present since the emphasis is not upon “how often” the believer observes conscientiously the Lord’s word but rather that they “do,” observe conscientiously His word.

“In him the love of God has truly been perfected” is composed of the following: (1) adverb of means alēthōs (ἀληθῶς), “truly” (2) preposition en (ἐν), “in” (3) dative third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “him” (4) articular nominative feminine singular form of the noun agapē (ἀγάπη), “the love” (5) articular genitive masculine singular form of the noun theos (θεός), “of God” (6) third person singular perfect passive indicative form of the verb teleioō (τελειόω), “has been perfected.”

The adverb alēthōs is used for emphasis, to confirm and amplify the statement that was previously used in this verse: ὃς ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, “whoever at any time does observe His Word conscientiously.”

It is modifying the verb τετελείωται and is introducing and emphasizing a clause that will amplify the statement that whoever at any time does observe conscientiously the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The adverb alēthōs emphasizes the spiritual principle that the love for the Lord is accomplished in the believer who conscientiously observes His Word.

The demonstrative pronoun houtos means, “this one” and refers to any believer without exception or distinction who observes conscientiously the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word is the object of the preposition en which is functioning as a marker of state or condition expressing the condition or state of the believer who observes conscientiously the doctrine or Word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The preposition denotes that the love for God is “resident” and “active in” the obedient believer.

The noun agapē means “divine-love” since it does not refer to the function of human love but rather the exercise of divine-love that is produced by the Holy Spirit through the believer who is obedient to the Spirit inspired teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is used of the love for God the Father manifested in the life of a believer who is obedient to the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The noun theos refers to the Father which is indicated by the word’s articular construction which in the New Testament commonly signifies the first member of the Trinity unless otherwise indicated by the context.

This word is in the genitive case and is an “objective,” which means that it is speaking of the believer’s love “for” the Lord.

The verb teleioō in means, “to accomplish” expressing the idea that the love for God is “accomplished” in the believer who conscientiously observes the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, whoever, at any time, does observe His Word conscientiously, indeed, in this one, the love for God (the Father) is, as an eternal spiritual truth accomplished. By means of this, any of us can, at any time confirm that we are existing in the state of being in fellowship with Him. (My translation)

contains another spiritual principle pertaining to maintaining the believer’s fellowship with the Trinity.

It asserts that at any believer who at any time does observe the Lord’s teaching conscientiously, indeed, in them, the love for God (the Father) is, as an eternal spiritual truth accomplished.

This conscientious observance of the Lord’s teaching is the means, the believer can, at any time confirm that they are existing in the state of being in fellowship with Him.

This spiritual principle stands in contrast with the previous one in which states that the one who says he knows the Lord experientially and yet at any time, does not observe His commands conscientiously is a liar.

Therefore, the contrast is between the believer who loves God the Father and the one who does not.

The noun logos, “Word” in refers to content of Jesus Christ’s doctrinal teaching, which entails all His commands and prohibitions that He delivered to the apostles and this teaching is now documented in the Greek New Testament.

“Love” in is the noun agapē which does not refer to the function of human love but rather the exercise of divine-love that is produced by the Holy Spirit through the believer who is obedient to the Spirit inspired command of the Lord Jesus Christ to love one another as He loves.

It is used of the love for God manifested in the life of an unidentified hypothetical believer who is obedient to the word of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the noun agapē refers to the vertical rather than the horizontal aspect of divine-love which is clearly indicated since the context deals with the believer’s obedience to the Lord’s teaching and emphasizes fellowship with Him rather than with other believers.

John is not speaking of God’s love for the believer since is addressing how the believer can confirm that they are experiencing fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ which he asserts is by means of their obedience to the teaching and commands of Jesus Christ.

This obedience demonstrates their love for the Lord and the Father.

Throughout these verses, John is addressing what the believer has to do to confirm they are experiencing fellowship with the Lord and never God’s love for them or how God loves them.

Here in , the apostle John is thinking back to our Lord’s statements in His Upper Room Discourse in .

“If you love Me, you will observe conscientiously My commandments.” (Author’s translation)

“He who has My commandments and observes them conscientiously is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” (Author’s translation)

“If you observe conscientiously My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (Author’s translation)

Obedience to the Lord’s commands is a manifestation of the believer’s love “for” the Lord.

Obedience to the will of God not only demonstrates one’s love for the Lord but also is absolutely essential in order to experience fellowship with Him as noted in .