A Study of 1John 2:1-11Wednesday, 27 April 2011

“Walking in the Light”1 John 2:1-11

• In this week’s passage, we explore the necessity of obedience to the commands of Christ in appreciation for His atoning sacrifice.

• Faithful adherence to the Lord’s directives enables us to live in harmonious fellowship with our brothers and sisters.

• We will discuss whether the commands of Christ are old or new and archaic or applicable for contemporary believers.

• Moreover, we will explore the absolute demand that we resist hatred of our brothers and sisters in order to walk in the light of fellowship with Christ.

“Walking in the Light”1 John 2:1-11

• In this week’s passage, we consider

• “Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2)

• “Do You Know the Lord?” (1 John 2:3-6)

• “An Enduring Command” (1 John 2:7) and

• “A New Command, Love as Jesus Loves” (1 John 2:8-11).

“Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2)

• After lovingly addressing his reader as “My dear children,” the apostle John tells them he writes this passage about confession, forgiveness and purification to prevent their sin.

• Hopefully, they will seek a greater relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ whose redemptive love removes any character defects that impedes our ability to relate rightly to Him.

• Hence, Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness, anything that prevents us from relating rightly to Him.

• However, if anyone sins, he or she has a perfect advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

“Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2)

• Christ intercedes on the behalf of sinners to the Holy Father Almighty.

• As the Righteous One, Jesus Christ speaks to the Father in our defense. Please see Hebrews 4:14-16 and Ephesians 1:15-23.

• John uses the image of the world’s best defense attorney who perfectly and successfully pleads a client’s defense.

• Allude to the spectacular legal work of Johnnie Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, Arthur Liman, Mary Winkler’s defense attorneys, Roy Black, Alan Dershowitz, Brendan Sullivan, Thurgood Marshall, and Edward Bennett Williams

“Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2)

• Legal Brief – Facts, Argument, Law and Summary

• Method of Legal Argument – (1) Law, (2) Facts or (3) Truth

• Tell story about morning coffee with a lawyer who assured me that he and I were in the same business. He argued on behalf of clients in an earthly court. I argued on behalf of clients in a celestial court.

• Allude to Zechariah 3:1-10

“Christ Our Advocate” (1 John 2:1-2)

• In the next verse, John characterizes the Lord Jesus Christ as the “atoning sacrifice and propitiation” for the sins of the Church but also for the whole world.

• Allude to Isaiah 53:1-23, Mark 10:45, John 1:29, John 3:17, 1 Corinthians 5:7 and 1 Peter 1:19.

• Literally, Christ turns away the wrath of Almighty God. He makes the face of the Holy Father “sweet and pleasant” once again as He looks upon humankind.

• Also, Christ, as the perfect sacrifice, appeases the totality of the offense of human sin against the holy character of Almighty God.

• In a more practical sense, this Greek verb means “to wipe clean a face that has been blackened by displeasure.”

Do You Know the Lord? 1 John 2:3-6

• In the third verse, John discusses the practical methods of determining whether and how we genuinely know Christ.

• Certain knowledge of Christ yields obedience to His commands. Allude to John 13:34-35, 14:23-24 and 15:10.

• Failure to follow the commands of Christ means that we truly do not know Him.

• If we disobey Him and claim simultaneously to know Him, we are liars and Christ’s truth does not dwell within our hearts.

Do You Know the Lord? 1 John 2:3-6

• In contrast obedience to the Word of God means God’s love sincerely lives in our hearts.

• In fact, the Lord perfects His love in the hearts of genuine disciples.

• “Walking as Jesus did” is the most practical and reliable litmus test as it relates to demonstrating whether a person knows the Lord Jesus Christ.

• Allude to Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Do You Know the Lord? 1 John 2:3-6

• Again, allude to John 15; stay connected to the vine with the practice of daily spiritual disciplines which encourage and empower us in establishing a greater rapport with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

An Enduring Command, Love! 1 John 2:7

• In the seventh verse, John insists he is not articulating a new command. Rather, he repeats an enduring command that the members of the “Beloved Community” have heard over and over.

• God’s unfailing love for humankind is the major theme of the Bible.

• God makes an oath on the basis of His perfect and holy character to love humankind unconditionally.

• God’s seals that in a covenant in the Garden of Eden. Despite human sin, infidelity and rebellion, God adheres to the covenant.

An Enduring Command, Love! 1 John 2:7

• God directly reveals and personifies His love and covenant in the atoning sacrifice of Christ.

• In fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, the Lord Jesus Christ teaches the new Law of Love, Light and Life. The Beatitudes, specifically, and the Sermon on the Mount, generally, are a new Decalogue and Law of Love.

• Practically speaking, the enduring message of Almighty God to humankind has always been about love.

A New Command, Love as Jesus Christ Loves – 1 John 2:8-11

• The new command for disciples is emulate Christ love. In Him, the darkness of self-centered fear and self-seeking motives yields to the light of unconditional love and practical service to demonstrate it.

• The surest truth and most reliable revelation of God is seen in Jesus Christ.

• In the ninth verse, John offers the stark admonition, “anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.”

• Allude to Ms. Priscilla Ann McLeod’s, my second grade elementary teacher, refusal to allow anyone to use the word, hate, about anyone or anything.

A New Command, Love as Jesus Christ Loves – 1 John 2:8-11

• Also, in the English language, we use the same word for love of material things, food and activities that we use for our love of people.

• Allude to the growing divisions within the “Beloved Community” and the later secession of some members.

• The people who remained had the difficult task of continuing to love those who left regardless of their disagreements and actions.

• In comparison with hatred, the person who loves lives in the light. Love is the surest means of reflecting any genuine belief in Almighty God who is Love.

A New Command, Love as Jesus Christ Loves – 1 John 2:8-11

• If we are to do what Jesus would do, we strive to demonstrate His love in all circumstances.

• As a loving person, there is nothing in your character that causes you to stumble into sin.

• Love is moral, ethical, just, sacrificial, and redemptive. “Love covers a multitude of sins.”

• In the final analysis, the person who hates lives in darkness and wanders aimlessly because his hatred blinds him to the light and love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.