1 John 2:9 KJV [9] He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. Hatred is a very evil sin. The seeds of hatred may go undetected in the beginning, however, over time it can grow inwardly like a cancer. If this evil seed is cultivated in one’s heart, it can destroy both the individual and those around them. Hatred will produce other sinful seeds such as stubbornness, pride, anger, murder and malice. These are only a few, to say the least. Remember that hatred doesn’t have to have a cause. …

“An Old Book with a New Message” 1 John 2:8 KJV [8] 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. Reading the Bible can sometimes be a mystery. John announces in verse seven that he is not writing a new commandment but an old commandment from the beginning. Now in verse eight, he announces he is writing a new commandment. This seems to be contradictory. However, when you read John’s message it lines up perfectly with the message of Jesus. …

1 John 2:7 KJV [7] 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. John was not trying to write something new and improved but rather he takes believers back to the word of God. He reminds them of the words of Jesus in John 15:12 where he said, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you”. John takes them back to the gospel. He is not trying to give them a …

1 John 2:6 KJV [6] He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. The principle in our verse is very practical. An individual who professes to know Christ should walk as Christ walked. We should not just profess Christianity with our lips but also with our lives. We should walk the talk. The world has no respect for an individual who only praises Christ with their vocabulary. The world is spiritually blind and walks by sight. They need to see us walking in the footsteps of our savior. The key word …

1 John 2:5 KJV [5] But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. Romans 5:5 declares that when a sinner is saved, “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts”. This is evidence of true salvation in our lives. Salvation produces a love for God and the things of God. Our spirit becomes alive in Christ causing us to love the spiritual things of God. We love his word, his Spirit, his church, and his will. Like any relationship, the love can grow stronger …

1 John 2:4 KJV [4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. Many people profess to know Christ, but their lives say otherwise. They are good at talking the talk but not walking the walk. This is not my judgment nor the judgment of others, but it’s just a simple fact. They are saying one thing, and their lives say another. The scripture we read today calls them a liar. It goes even further to say the truth is not in them. They are classified in …

“Assurance in Obedience” 1 John 2:3 KJV [3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. Our verse before us tells us how to know for sure if we truly know him. I’m thankful we have a book that helps us to have this assurance. There are so many in the world who have never met him. Then there are those who have met him but have lost the assurance as to whether or not they really do know him. God wants us to live with the knowledge of our salvation. The knowledge of …

1 John 2:2 KJV [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. Think for a moment about all the sins you have committed. The sins of omission and the sins of commission. They are more than you could ever recall, and these are just your past sins. Now think about your present sins. How many are there? They, too, are more than you can count. If you were to begin confessing them right now, it would take the Holy Spirit to bring them to light, …

1 John 2:1 KJV [1] 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: The word advocate means an individual who pleads the cause of another. A good example of an advocate would be a lawyer in a courtroom. He is one who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy. Our text declares that we as Christians have an advocate. We have someone who is willing to plead on our behalf. This is not just anyone, but our …

1 John 1:10 KJV [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. God desires to fellowship with his children. He loves each and every one of us and does not want sin to interrupt the closeness that we can have together with him. Several verses in this chapter have placed emphasis on us taking responsibility, confessing, and forsaking our sins. John has showed us both the benefits and consequences of our actions when it comes to facing our sins. This verse simply teaches us to take ownership …