1 John Chapter 2

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1 KJV)

In this chapter we see John’s second reason for this letter — so you may not sin. As a Christian, you have a choice; the difference between Christians and non-Christians is Christians have the ability not to sin while the unbeliever is a slave to sin (Romans 6:20-22). This doesn’t mean we never sin again, but the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to resist. You are dead with Christ; sin can’t affect a dead man. Paul spends the entire chapter of Romans six dealing with this issue, review it if necessary.

But if (or when) we sin, we have an advocate (defense lawyer) with the Father better than any legal dream team ever assembled. Normal lawyers try to find loopholes for their client, but no loopholes exist in God’s court — the verdict is guilty and the sentence is due. Jesus not only paid the penalty for our sin, He also is our defense council before the Father affirming our sins have been paid for.

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2 KJV)

Propitiation means appeasement. A just God can’t simply ignore sin or let you off on a technicality — the penalty must be paid, that’s the reason Jesus came and died; we then are no longer under the eternal penalty of our sin. Jesus (as our defense lawyer) doesn’t offer some sleazy “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” defense — this is real justice and the penalty was paid, but not by us since we can’t perform the required sacrifice.

Is this defense ours only? No. It’s available to anyone who requests it. It’s not an exclusive club like the Gnostics. You don’t need to know a secret handshake to join this group, just ask.

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2:3 KJV)

Some groups teach assurance of salvation is impossible and you can’t really know God. But John tells us we can know we know Him, if we keep His commandments. So what is the commandment? No need to guess, John (in his gospel) gives us the words of Jesus.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. (John 15:12 KJV)

Love is what separates Christians from the world; It is the defining characteristic of the Christian. John will have more to say on this later so for the time being we’ll just move on.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.(1 John 2:4-6 KJV)

It is possible to claim to be a Christian, yet not be. I frequently get e-mail from skeptics complaining about the behavior of Christians and must remind them just because someone claims to be a Christian doesn’t make it so. You can claim to be President of the United States but it doesn’t mean it’s true. Some surveys claim 3 out of 4 people in the United States are Christians; many will be surprised in the end times they didn’t make the cut. You mean I can think I’m saved but not be? Yep. Jesus taught as much.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21 KJV)

Jesus continues to speak of people who prophesy in His name and cast out demons in His name. Surly those people make the grade, right? Nope. Jesus tells them “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:23)”. This is downright disturbing — not only do they not make it, Jesus tells them they work iniquity. These guys did some big things — casting out demons is not trivial. Surely performing these mighty works verifies someone is saved doesn’t it? Actually no; we must never look to outward evidence as proof someone is a Christian — it’s rather trivial to spoof Christian traits. A large group exists who play the Christian game, as Jesus points out.

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. (Mark 7:6 KJV)

Its not actions or words, it’s a matter of the heart. A major group of people profess faith, yet are not genuine. However, it’s important to understand you can know you are saved, and you can examine people to help determine if they are genuine Christians. How? By examining the fruit (Matthew 7:16-20).

Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7 KJV)

John tells us in his second letter what the commandment he speaks of.

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. (2 John 1:5-6 KJV)

Love is the defining characteristic of a Christian — it’s what separates Christians and the world. A few passages in Psalms tell us you become like the gods you worship (Psalm 115:8, 135:18) — if you worship a loving God you will become more loving, while if you worship a cold world you will become more cold and unfeeling. John gets practical here — love for one another separates the church and the world. But it’s not a casual thing John refers to. Our society has a major problem with love, probably because it gets it’s definition of love from Hollywood. But biblical love is a commitment, not an emotion.

The Greeks had several words for love; in English we have only one. The word John uses is agape; it’s vital to understand this is not an emotional love we frequently see on tv. The word is better expressed as a commitment. As such it’s important to know you can’t stop loving someone in the agapao sense, since if you stop it means you weren’t committed in the first place.

An example should suffice. I do computer work, and so people frequently ask for help with their problems. One day I got a phone call asking for help and requesting when I could fix a computer. The person on the line asked what I was doing at that moment, and I happened to be standing in our kitchen; just then I turned and looked out the window to see our fence blowing over (we were in the middle of a big storm). I made the comment I was just watching our fence blow over to the person on the phone.

Next thing I know two guys showed up spending 20 minutes pounding in stakes and tying off our fence in the driving rain, and then drove off. They didn’t even stop to dry off or have a cup of coffee. Now let’s be honest, I’m sure it wasn’t high on their priority list to fix fences that day, yet when the need arose they answered the call (no pun intended). It was a commitment on their part to do what needed to be done; it was not an emotional response. The emotional response would have been “see you later”. Commitment, that’s what John talks about. Love is a commitment, not an emotion.

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. (1 John 2:8 KJV)

New command and old at the same time? What’s up here? Love was required in the OT Law — Leviticus 19:18, Deuteronomy 6:5 and elsewhere. So in that sense it’s old. Yet Jesus’ love was taking the idea of love to the ultimate. In that sense it was new. Perhaps you’ve seen commercials advertising laundry soap as “new” — is it a new brand? No. It’s new in the sense they (claim) to have improved. It hasn’t just come into existence, it’s a product previously existing they’ve improved. In that sense the commandment to love is both new and old — it had previously existed, yet Jesus gave us a higher example of love to follow. Love is a commitment, not an emotion.

He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:9-11 KJV)

Once again, you can claim what you want, but it doesn’t make it so. For some reason, people believe anyone who claims to be a Christian is true, but that isn’t so. Many phony people exist who only walk the Christian life on Sunday. One way to identify these people is their attitude toward their brother — a true Christian shows love (commitment) and compassion to their brother. The question is, do their actions line up with their words? Remember, anyone can claim to be President, but is their return address The White House? James expands on this idea for us.

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble! (James 2:14-19 NKJV)

Some people believe James teaches salvation by works — we’ve got to earn our way to heaven. But consider these verses in context (and that context is Genesis to Revelation) alongside the words of John. James says to examine their works to see if they line up with their profession. If they don’t, a problem exists.

A simple illustration should clear the concept up. I have two dogs at home, and I love my dogs. Suppose I told you that, but each night I came home and kicked my dog. Would you say I really loved my dogs? Probably not (and rightfully so). You see, the actions didn’t line up with the words, thus the words were meaningless and void. That’s the lesson of both John and James. It’s easy to claim to be a Christian, but do your actions back up your words? If they don’t, your faith is dead, and worse it will not save you, but will deceive you into believing you are.

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. (1 John 2:12-14 KJV)

John illustrates three stages of growth:

1. Your sins are forgiven. When you first become a Christian, you don’t really know much. You haven’t studied the Bible but you do know one thing — your sins are forgiven.
2. As you study and grow you become strong and learn to overcome satan and resist temptation — you’ve learned about satan’s attacks and strategies and you’ve learned how to defend yourself with the armor God provides you (Ephesians 6).
3. Finally, you just know God. Your relationship is personal. It’s why Paul said “My God” — his relationship was personal.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15 KJV)

More strong words from John. Love here is again agapao, and recall it means a commitment. If you are too committed to the world, it’s a sign you need to reevaluate your position. It’s not possible to serve both God and the world, as Jesus reminded us in the sermon on the mount (Matthew 6:24). John gives the reason you can’t serve God and the world in the next verse.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16 KJV)

The world is under satan’s control; you can’t serve God and satan at the same time. But John gives three specific areas of the world we must be cautious of. It’s important to realize John’s words are just as relevant for us today as they were then; satan has not changed tactics in the thousands of years man has walked the earth. We have not evolved or grown — the same tricks satan used long ago still trap people today. In fact, the same trick from the garden of eden still works. Let’s look back to the garden and see what Eve’s problem was.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6 KJV)

Eve saw three things in the forbidden fruit:

• “the tree was good for food” — the lust of the flesh.
• “pleasant to the eyes” — lust of the eyes.
• “desired to make one wise” — pride of life.

The tactic satan used in the garden was still being used in John’s time, and is still used today. Need proof? Just turn on the tv. No, I don’t mean the vile shows passing for “entertainment” these days, just consider the advertising used. What does it appeal to? One of the three things John warns us of: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Satan’s tactics don’t change — be aware of that. Fortunately, this world will not live forever.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17 KJV)

We look forward to that time when God creates a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:4, Isaiah 65:17). But the idea the world is not eternal is familiar to us, but we must note the scientific community just recently discovered it. As recently as Carl Sagan, many in the scientific community believed the universe was eternally old and would last forever. Of course, the Bible always taught the cosmos had a beginning.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

The Bible says time, space, matter, and the universe had a beginning. We recently discovered the universe is expanding, and an expanding universe presents a problem — if the universe is infinitely old and is expanding it must expand and contract in a cycle forever, since it cannot expand forever (blowing up a balloon until it breaks is a crude example of the principle involved). We now know the universe is expanding only — the theories of the universe expanding and contracting forever have been disproved. An expanding universe implies it had a beginning; it has not existed forever. Einstein himself stubbornly rejected the idea of a beginning for the universe, and wanted to prove it was infinitely old. But the big bang theory shows Einstein was wrong.

Einstein tried to avoid such a beginning by creating and holding onto his cosmological “fudge factor” in his equations until 1931, when Hubble’s astronomical observations caused him to grudgingly accept “the necessity for a beginning”. We have already seen how Hoyle dislikes the idea because, as he puts it, “The big bang theory requires a recent origin of the universe that openly invites the concept of creation”. Barry Parker sums up the feelings of most cosmologists: “If we accept the big bang theory, and most cosmologists now do, then a “creation” of some sort is forced upon us”(Heeren, Fred “Show Me God” page 107-108)

Astronomers, peering at the edge of forever, have determined that the universe is between 12 billion and 13.4 billion years old, resolving one of cosmology’s most fundamental and perplexing questions with unprecedented precision, independent research teams announced Tuesday. … The findings are based on eight years of painstaking calculations, observations with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and a range of celestial measurements. … “Our results are in agreement,” said Lineweaver at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. “The most awe-inspiring conclusion is that the universe has not been around forever; it had a beginning.”(Register-Guard May 26, 1999 “Astronomers solve an age-old question”)

None of this is news to those taking their Bible seriously. It’s interesting to note whenever the so-called “scientists” believe the Bible is in error, the passage of time shows the Bible true and accurate. The creation of the cosmos is now believed to be true; the universe will end some day. This is also not news to those who take their Bible seriously. We’ll allow physicist Peter to explain.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:10-13 NKJV)

Physicist Peter? You’ve got to be kidding! Peter was an un-educated fisherman. Well, yes, he was. But you might say he had access to inside information about the universe; Peter states the elements will melt with a great noise, and the elements will melt with great heat, the basic building blocks of matter (the atom) being dissolved. No one alive at the time Peter wrote knew exactly what the atom was or what would happen if it was broken apart, but since the 1940’s we know great energy, heat, and power exist in the atom to be tapped. If you can tap into that power, you can create massive amounts of energy — in the form of a bomb or electricity. How did peter know?

You might recall the structure of the atom — a nucleus of protons and neutrons, with the electrons orbiting around the nucleus. Protons are positively charged, while electrons are negatively charged. You might see a problem with this arrangement, however. If you’ve ever played with magnets you know like charges repel. So what keeps the atom together? Peter says some day it will fly apart, but what holds it together now? Inside the atom are two forces, the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force. If you ask a scientist what they are they will respond they don’t really know — research is undergoing in this area to find out exactly how it works. However, you don’t need a Ph.D. in physics to know, all you have to do is read your Bible — Paul tells us.

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17 KJV)

In Colossians Paul spoke of Jesus, and states by Him all things consist. The word for consist can be better translated held together. So when you’re in your science class you can inform the professor what those nuclear forces are — it’s Jesus! Of course, at that point you will be thrown out of class as unscientific for bringing religion into the classroom. But then you’ll know the dirty little secret about science. It’s not about finding the truth, it’s about finding an atheistic, naturalistic explanation for what we know about the universe. Don’t believe me? Lets take a brief excursion into the most famous bed-time fairy tale of all: evolution.

Briefly, evolution (currently) holds that about 15 billion years ago, a massive explosion (the “big bang”) threw out all the matter we currently see in the universe. It was externally hot and took a long time to cool. On some planet (earth) billions of years ago water formed. Somehow amino acids were produced, then somehow life came out of the ooze. Over millions of years, this life grew and adapted into the various life we see today. Darwin actually came up with a theory he thought matched the facts — that’s the job of science. But the job of science is also prove or disprove the theory, and at this point evolution is a theory found wanting.

I don’t need to discuss fossil evidence, transitional forms or many of the other ways I might to prove the theory is inadequate; the following is extremely simple and much easier to understand. To believe evolution you must believe the following:

1. Matter comes from nothing.
2. Explosions produce order, not chaos.
3. Life can appear spontaneously from non-life.

All three of these ideas have no scientific evidence for them; they actually contradict many scientific laws we know about. The scientific process holds you make a hypothesis and then perform experiments to prove or disprove your hypothesis. Where are the experiments for these three? I’ve yet to hear any experiments to show matter can come from nothing, and the idea it does directly contradicts established scientific laws. Do explosions produce order? If even a chance existed it was possible, why do the countries of the world drop bombs during war? I can imagine the conversations now:

General, what if we drop all these bombs and in the process form a complete aircraft factory — what will we do then?

I don’t image any such conversation ever took place. Why? Explosions don’t produce order, they produce chaos. The “big bang” wouldn’t produce order (orbiting planets and such), it would produce chaos.

Finally, is there a single shred of evidence life can come from non-life? Where is the experimental data? All three of these ideas have no evidence; they are assumed a priori (defined as Based on a hypothesis or theory rather than on experiment or experience(American Heritage ® Dictionary).

Evolution is (by definition) unscientific. (Note: if you have any data for the above three points, send it to skeptic at dyeager dot org)

Internationally respected astronomer (and self-confessed agnostic) Robert Jastrow admits that scientists have been “traumatized” by coming up against a problem that must forever remain beyond them [the idea of how the universe came into existence] … Jastrow concludes his book [God and the Astronomers] “For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance; he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.”(Heeren, Fred “Show Me God” page 121-122)

Stick with the Bible — it may take some time, but eventually the scientific community will awake to their foolishness and abandon the theory and conclude the Bible was right all along. Until then, we’ll let Isaiah get the last word in.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. (Isaiah 51:6 NKJV)

That’s why we are not to get caught up in the world — it’s only temporary. John now moves to speak of the end times when the world will end.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18 KJV)

John speaks in general terms. At this point he speaks not of the Antichrist, but a general spirit. Anti doesn’t mean opposite, but substitute. John warns of false teachers who substitute some other Jesus who can’t save. Cults always substitute a phony Jesus for the real. Ideas like Jesus wasn’t really God, or Jesus was really satan’s brother or some other nonsense. They contradict what the Bible says — Jesus is God. As we get closer and closer to the final hour, these people against Christ will become more and more in quantity (and less and less in quality), deceiving many.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, (1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV)

See also 2 Timothy 3:1-5. What characterizes OUR times? Deceit! How do you recognize these guys?

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2:19 KJV)

False teachers don’t stay with true believers. Frequently they leave the body and start their own church because people aren’t holy enough, or the pastor is teaching heresy or some other reason to split off and do their own thing.

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (1 John 2:20-21 KJV)

John differentiates the people he writes to from the false teachers he refers to. They have the Holy Spirit and can discern the truth; only the Holy spirit guards you from error. Without Him, deceit and error is inevitable. Any time we rely on our own understanding we are bound to fail.

But you know all things. You do not need any group’s books or teaching to understand what God said — read it for yourself. A common thread of cults and false teachers is trying to separate you from your Bible. After all, it’s too difficult to understand without help. Wrong. Just read for yourself. Many tragedies and errors can be avoided by having a healthy skepticism towards teachers. Note I said healthy skepticism. Several places in the Bible it warns you not to believe what people say but check it out for yourself (Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:21). And that warning goes even if you are listening to someone who claims authority or is a pastor — check it out for yourself!

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. (1 John 2:22-23 KJV)

Cults deny Jesus is THE Christ — note the definite article. We don’t need to awake the “Christ consciousness” in each of us (as the new age teaches) as only one Christ existed. Any group who denies Jesus is God and the Christ and the only path to salvation is lying to you.

Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:24-25 KJV)

Truth doesn’t change and neither does God (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6). Some false teachers know their ideas don’t mesh with the Bible and claim God gave them special revelations. John saw that heresy in his day with the Gnostics and we see it in our day with the movements in Toronto and Pensacola (and others). God doesn’t change. What was true then is true now. There is no new revelation coming.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 1:3 NKJV)

The truth was once and for all delivered to the saints. Don’t believe the various ideas that blow through the church frequently. Paul warns us in Galatians 1:6-9 not only not to believe the false teachers, but if they (or even an angel) contradict what he already taught them they should be accursed. Strong words — many people ignore this at their peril. But in order to know if you are being deceived, you’ve got to know what the Bible says — read it for yourself. There is no substitute.

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:26-27 KJV)

John again warns his sheep of the dangers of false teachers and one of their common lies: that the Bible is too hard to understand and you need someone to teach you. No real teacher will ever tell you not to read the Bible for yourself — they will encourage it! But do we not need teachers then? NO! It’s one of the gifts of the spirit. (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28-29). Men are specially called to teach and have great accountability (James 3:1). False teachers are in trouble.

But we each MUST check everything against the Bible! (Acts 17:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1)

And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. (1 John 2:28-29 KJV)