First JohnA Test of True Faith

Howard Buck

2:7-11

January 9, 2011

GET YOUR COFFEE NOW PLEASE!!!!!

The Afters Light Up The Sky

1 John 2:7 Beloved, I am not writing a 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.

1 John 2:8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining

1 John 2:9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.

1 John 2:10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

1 John 2:11 But the one who 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

CLEAR YOUR DESK

TAKE OUT A #2 PENCIL

CLOSE YOUR BOOKS (except Bibles)

THIS IS A

BIG

TEST

THE MORAL TEST2:3-6

MORAL TEST

We have met and passed the first phase of our three phase test.

We know Him, which is evidenced by our keeping God’s commandments.

DO YOU KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS??

THE SOCIAL OR LOVE TEST2:7-11

THE DOCTRINAL TEST2:18-27

Let’s start with verse 6:

the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Mr. Currie asked me to make a couple of points about this verse:

1. How did Jesus walk?...

In the submission to the will of the Father

2. If we are to “walk in the same manner”, how can we accomplish this?...

By submitting to the indwelling Spirit within us!!

In other words, apart from Christ we cannot

walk in the same manner!!

Today, the social or Love test

Now we will enter the second phase of our three phase test, the Social or Love test..

1 John 2:7 Beloved, I am not writing a 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

How does John set the mood for this verse, like he did in 2:1?...

The use of the word beloved

What kind of mood does this set?...

Pastoral, caring and loving..

…I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment

In looking at chapter 2, when did you get the idea that John was writing about a

commandment?...

2:3 = commandments

2:4 = commandments

2:5 = expanded to include His entire written word..

What can this old commandment be?...

Let’s look at verses 7-11 and see what we can figure out about this commandment:

1. Who is it addressed to?...

beloved (7) (believers)

2. When was it given?...

from the beginning (7) From the law or at salvation

3. How was it given?...

heard (7) The word was generally passed down orally

Continued..

4. The commandment is old but also?...

new (8)

5. Is it truthful?...

true in Him (8)

6. What is its status?...

light (9)

7. What is it is opposite to

hate (9)..

8. It is centered on love for our brother because with love we are in the light (10)

9. Without it, what is our status?...

darkness (11)

So, it is written to believers, from the beginning, heard (orally transmitted), new, true, dwells in

the light and is the opposite of hate!

Any clue?????

What do you think the commandment is?...

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one

another

Who is speaking here?...

Jesus..

1 John 2:8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in

you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.

Ok John, is the commandment new or old?...

The commandment is both old and new

God always wanted for His creation to love one another:

Leviticus 19:18   ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any

grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the

LORD.

Jesus came and added clarity,

He tied together Lev. 19:18 and Deut. 6:5 in

Matt 22:37-40

 Lev. 19:18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but

you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD

Deut 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all

your might..

Continued

Matt. 22:37 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 foremost commandment. 

39“ The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets..”

He adds further clarification by telling us to love others as Christ loves them adding the dimension of

unconditional love. 

John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved

you, that you also love one another..

He clarifies that our neighbor is anyone who needs us to be their neighbor as illustrated by the story of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:30-37

And, adds that this love is also extended to our enemies:

Matt 5:44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

So the commandment is old, and new at the same time In essence, Jesus clarified God’s original intent which

John is repeating/reminding believers!!

In summary we are to love:

God

Fellow believers

Neighbors

Enemies

How:

As God loved us, or unconditionally..

HOW IS THE TEST GOING SO FAR??

A SHORT BREAK FROM OUR INTENSIVE TESTING..

While we are at a break here is a short up-

date on Chris Erdman’s condition

The good news is that a steroid blend has

cleared up the water completely, the bad news is that it turned

her hair blond

Verse 8 Continued:because the darkness is passing away and the true

Light is already shining

What do you think this means?...

The darkness is the world which is dying or passing away, the Light is Jesus Christ who is eternal

John’s idea here is that Christ is true light

the revelation of God (light 1:5) in Christ (Ryrie)..

1 John 2:9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.

Who is this verse written to, believers or

non-believers?...

believers (brother)

Now the exam question for this second section of our BIG TEST is presented:

If you profess Christ, a proof of your true heart (reborn) is that you will love your brother..

How can John be so bold on this point?...

Because if you are truly in the light, it will be shown in your right relationship with each other along with your

right relationship with God

Will we ever get angry?...

Of course we will but it won’t be an anger that will be an on-going part of our life like those that are of the

world..

Why do you think that John, considering the purpose of this letter, made this comparison?

Because the Gnostics hate the Christians

They, claiming a special knowledge despised those that didn’t believe like them..

1 John 2:10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for

stumbling in him.

In summary, we can say that we will not cause someone else to stumble nor will we be stumbling around

Why?....

Because our walk is enlightened and will be such that it will not cause anyone to stumble

The whole idea of the Romans 14 issue comes up here Because of our walk with Jesus we choose not to be a

stumbling block to others..

1 John 2:11 But the one who 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.

Tied with verse 9 and10, what does this verse mean?...

Hatred is darkness

If we are in the darkness, based on the “love test” are we believers?...

NO

We can’t hate anyone and consider our self true believers based on this “love test”..

Darkness:

The absence or lack of light

How can we be blinded by darkness???

Blind:

Unable to see, unable to recognize, unwilling or unable to understand something, unaware, unquestioning,

not giving clear view..

And, if we are in the darkness are we stumbling around?...

YES

Are we then probably causing others to stumble as well?...

YES

If this is the case, should we examine our heart since the test shows that Christ probably isn’t

there?...

YES

Walking without Christ is walking in the darkness

The world is a dark place

Can a believer sometimes find himself in the darkness? If so, is he not really a believer?...

We all at times turn from the light of God breaking our fellowship, not losing our salvation and

there is an easy solution, confess, repent and turn back to Christ!!!!!!!!!

ARE WE GETTING A PASSING GRADE AT THIS POINT??

To summarize 7-11

Love others as we love ourselves, because hatred is not of God.

Simply:

if you walk in the dark you are not a believer, believers walk in the light

If your hate your brother you are not a believer, Christians love their brothers..

We now take a quick six verse diversion before we get to part 3 of our test.

This diversion is a needed respite to those reading this letter who are true believers in

Jesus Christ.

To this point John has issued a series of tests.

Now he takes time to stop and encourage the true believers..

What Do We Take Home1. Love is a very important subject to God

2. We are to unconditionally love:

God

Christian Brothers

Others

Enemies

3. Hatred puts us in the darkness