Now, those keeping his words, truly, the agape love of God is perfected, in this we know that we exist in him. The one saying he abides in God ought to walk as Jesus walked, and dear friends not a new commandment I write to you...*
The word know speaks of personal experience, not like the demons who know God, nor does knowing him speak of perfection through following commandments nor in elemental principles of this world that appeal to the flesh. Knowing him is not based upon being a member of some religious system established by men. John writes earlier "now, in this we know that we know God, if we keep his commandments."* Yes, we know that we love him because we keep his word, which in context speaks of a process of maturity that brings forth people who walk in truth and in love. John goes on to also write this is the commandment that we must follow, one that indicates that we truly know that we know God. It is not a new commandment, it is one heard from the beginning, words of Jesus saying love one another.* This is a masterpiece of writing, in it we see the service of grace that wards off any attempts to be justified by works, thinking that we know God and are obedient to God just because we follow commandments. No, our perfection is in love and in love grace reigns through righteousness, or the fruit of love produces obedience. This fruit is produced in abiding and in fellowship that we have in Christ.
Now, those keeping his word, truly the love of God is perfected.*
In love we are being perfected, which speaks of the end goal, and of it being finished in Christ. Perfected to do what? to bring forth good works, to practice truth, to keep his word. This makes sense because if truly it is finished in Christ then why would we not walk in love? why would the fear of punishment be a motivator unto obedience, if it is finished in Christ? In the love of God we are perfected, truth in love produces the fruit of obedience, which is not following rules and regulations, commandments in handwriting, or elemental principles of this world. These scriptures make a distinction between what it means to follow the "letter of the law" and what it means to follow Jesus. The rich young ruler followed the commandments, he said since he was a child and he thought himself perfect, but Jesus said sell all you have and follow me. He walked away sad, though he followed commandments he did not follow the words of Jesus. So we make this clear distinction as John does, and as Paul, we will not rule over sin through following the "letter of the law" but under grace being perfected in truth, the words of Jesus, and in agape love.
those keeping his word... is perfected.*
Walking in love is walking in truth. Keep means to observe, guard, but also to keep one in that state in which he is. Keeping is the key to practicing truth and is much like the concept of abiding in that we are connected to the Vine and must remain in the Vine to bear fruit. Jesus said the one abiding will bear fruit. Truly, it is God's faithfulness and His love that pursues us, that doesn't let us stay in a state that is not of love and truth. The word of God "saves" us and keeps us in a state of accepting his will as perfect and pleasing. In other words the word of God renews the mind and his words give life thus we come to understand his words are Life. The concept of keeping is of abiding, thus to keep the word of God, to be obedient, is to abide in the Word of life. Obedience is not based upon following commandments but in abiding in truth and if we abide in truth we abide in love as we are being perfected or walking in truth in love. Therefore the perfection of love is like the service of grace, in that it wards off any attempt of us trying to perfect ourselves but also perfection is accomplished in love or love motivates.
Again a new commandment I write to you, one existing true in Him, and in you, seeing that the darkness passes away and the true light now shines.*
Fellowship is in the Light and in Love. The sign that the "darkness passes away and the true light now shines" is seen in that we follow or keep his words. His word, the new commandment that Jesus gave to love one another is the commandment John writes of, thus a sign we have passed from death unto life is that we love one another. It is amazing truth, the one that Jesus spoke, the world will know that we are his disciples by how we love one another. The sign of loving God John gives us is not helping others outside the Church nor is it the sign of loving the lost, though the gifts like that of evangelism are given to the Church, the sign is that we love inwardly, loving one another this the world would see. To love Jesus and to be perfected is to be obedient to his words. God is love and God is holy, therefore holiness, or obedience to his commands is seen in that I agape love my brother. A Church that says it loves the lost but doesn't love and care for its own is not walking in fellowship. The concept of abiding or fellowship encompasses all these; walking in the Light, walking in truth, and walking in love. How can I walk as Jesus walked? abide in his words. How can I say I love the lost but turn my heart from my brother as if this is some sacrifice for Jesus? I can not. How can I think I am better than he the least of these my brethren whom God has loved and the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed? Surely to do this is to say I am without sin which also says I am not practicing truth or walking in the Light.
The one who says he exists in the Light and hates his brother exists still in darkness. The one loving his brother is living in the Light and in him exists no darkness.*
There is love in fellowship. We see earlier John writes of the concept that a child of God can walk in darkness, a telling sign which we now see of such darkness is of not loving the very body of Christ, His brethren, especially the least of these. The solution for such is to walk in the Light, which is abiding in truth and love, in fellowship, thus the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. People who have a mindset of judgment and condemnation, often called hatred of sin, lack love, and because they do not follow the words of Jesus and walk as he did loving and forgiving, they do not keep his words. The fallacy of such legalism is that it doesn't love and that it produces fear which doesn't teach the child of God to boldly approach the throne of grace. And is not this fellowship, coming into His presence, and what John writes of? such a fellowship that cleanses from all sin, and John writes this that we may not sin and that our joy may be complete in His fellowship. It is not that Jesus has to die again, shedding his blood for forgiveness, no, we have received that in Christ, but that fellowship in the Word of Life washes us clean, cleansing the consciousness defiled by sin.
My little children I am writing so that you may not sin.*
Now, those keeping his word, truly the love of God is perfected.*
In love we are being perfected, which speaks of the end goal, and of it being finished in Christ. Perfected to do what? to bring forth good works, to practice truth, to keep his word. This makes sense because if truly it is finished in Christ then why would we not walk in love? why would the fear of punishment be a motivator unto obedience, if it is finished in Christ? In the love of God we are perfected, truth in love produces the fruit of obedience, which is not following rules and regulations, commandments in handwriting, or elemental principles of this world. These scriptures make a distinction between what it means to follow the "letter of the law" and what it means to follow Jesus. The rich young ruler followed the commandments, he said since he was a child and he thought himself perfect, but Jesus said sell all you have and follow me. He walked away sad, though he followed commandments he did not follow the words of Jesus. So we make this clear distinction as John does, and as Paul, we will not rule over sin through following the "letter of the law" but under grace being perfected in truth, the words of Jesus, and in agape love.
those keeping his word... is perfected.*
Walking in love is walking in truth. Keep means to observe, guard, but also to keep one in that state in which he is. Keeping is the key to practicing truth and is much like the concept of abiding in that we are connected to the Vine and must remain in the Vine to bear fruit. Jesus said the one abiding will bear fruit. Truly, it is God's faithfulness and His love that pursues us, that doesn't let us stay in a state that is not of love and truth. The word of God "saves" us and keeps us in a state of accepting his will as perfect and pleasing. In other words the word of God renews the mind and his words give life thus we come to understand his words are Life. The concept of keeping is of abiding, thus to keep the word of God, to be obedient, is to abide in the Word of life. Obedience is not based upon following commandments but in abiding in truth and if we abide in truth we abide in love as we are being perfected or walking in truth in love. Therefore the perfection of love is like the service of grace, in that it wards off any attempt of us trying to perfect ourselves but also perfection is accomplished in love or love motivates.
Again a new commandment I write to you, one existing true in Him, and in you, seeing that the darkness passes away and the true light now shines.*
Fellowship is in the Light and in Love. The sign that the "darkness passes away and the true light now shines" is seen in that we follow or keep his words. His word, the new commandment that Jesus gave to love one another is the commandment John writes of, thus a sign we have passed from death unto life is that we love one another. It is amazing truth, the one that Jesus spoke, the world will know that we are his disciples by how we love one another. The sign of loving God John gives us is not helping others outside the Church nor is it the sign of loving the lost, though the gifts like that of evangelism are given to the Church, the sign is that we love inwardly, loving one another this the world would see. To love Jesus and to be perfected is to be obedient to his words. God is love and God is holy, therefore holiness, or obedience to his commands is seen in that I agape love my brother. A Church that says it loves the lost but doesn't love and care for its own is not walking in fellowship. The concept of abiding or fellowship encompasses all these; walking in the Light, walking in truth, and walking in love. How can I walk as Jesus walked? abide in his words. How can I say I love the lost but turn my heart from my brother as if this is some sacrifice for Jesus? I can not. How can I think I am better than he the least of these my brethren whom God has loved and the blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed? Surely to do this is to say I am without sin which also says I am not practicing truth or walking in the Light.
The one who says he exists in the Light and hates his brother exists still in darkness. The one loving his brother is living in the Light and in him exists no darkness.*
There is love in fellowship. We see earlier John writes of the concept that a child of God can walk in darkness, a telling sign which we now see of such darkness is of not loving the very body of Christ, His brethren, especially the least of these. The solution for such is to walk in the Light, which is abiding in truth and love, in fellowship, thus the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. People who have a mindset of judgment and condemnation, often called hatred of sin, lack love, and because they do not follow the words of Jesus and walk as he did loving and forgiving, they do not keep his words. The fallacy of such legalism is that it doesn't love and that it produces fear which doesn't teach the child of God to boldly approach the throne of grace. And is not this fellowship, coming into His presence, and what John writes of? such a fellowship that cleanses from all sin, and John writes this that we may not sin and that our joy may be complete in His fellowship. It is not that Jesus has to die again, shedding his blood for forgiveness, no, we have received that in Christ, but that fellowship in the Word of Life washes us clean, cleansing the consciousness defiled by sin.
My little children I am writing so that you may not sin.*
There is peace in fellowship. The audience here in this chapter is threefold in maturity, and I would even say in the first chapter John writes to unbelievers also, so its amazing truth would apply to all. John is writing these things so our joy may be complete, and that we may not sin. He goes on to write the young person overcomes evil by abiding in the Word of Life. But if we do walk in darkness and sin, we have an advocate with the Father. Paul writes he exists a great high priest who can sympathize with our weakness because though he did not sin he understands the weakness of the flesh we live in. "And He exists a propitiation for our sin, and not for ours only but also for the entire world."* Propitiation means he took our place receiving judgement for sin, and it also means appeasement, he appeased God's wrath toward sin, not just ours but "also for the entire world." Not only did he die for sin, once and for all, as Paul writes he also nailed to the cross the commandments in handwriting that were adverse to us. Of course we know the Law was spiritual thus the solution to following the laws of God is to be born of Spirit and to have a renewed mind of the Spirit. And in such we see the service of grace in that it reigns in righteousness and the Spirit is Life through righteousness, this gift we received according to grace.
These things we write that your joy may be complete.*
There is joy in fellowship. In context John writes of Jesus being the word of Life and as Peter confessed his words exist eternal Life. Jesus was in the beginning who created and creates all things thus in him we are a new creation experiencing, knowing the Father and his love for us. As Paul writes the greatest testimony is of Spirit, testifying that we know God. The love of God is poured out into our hearts. God is love and God is holy, thus love is holy and if I am holy I would love my brother. Truth in love is to be like Him, to follow his words, to walk like he walked. This is a process of maturity, a child knows the Father, testimony of Spirit, and of blood, that his sins are forgiven; grace and peace. A young person has testimony of these plus water, in that he purifies or has presented the body a living sacrificed, in such we see he overcomes through abiding in the words of Jesus, and the mature perseveres continuing to walk with Jesus. There is love, peace, and joy in abiding in Jesus and there is fellowship. If we have fellowship with the Son we have fellowship with the Father, and we are cleansed from all sin, surely our joy is complete.
Great Is Your Faithfulness
These things we write that your joy may be complete.*
There is joy in fellowship. In context John writes of Jesus being the word of Life and as Peter confessed his words exist eternal Life. Jesus was in the beginning who created and creates all things thus in him we are a new creation experiencing, knowing the Father and his love for us. As Paul writes the greatest testimony is of Spirit, testifying that we know God. The love of God is poured out into our hearts. God is love and God is holy, thus love is holy and if I am holy I would love my brother. Truth in love is to be like Him, to follow his words, to walk like he walked. This is a process of maturity, a child knows the Father, testimony of Spirit, and of blood, that his sins are forgiven; grace and peace. A young person has testimony of these plus water, in that he purifies or has presented the body a living sacrificed, in such we see he overcomes through abiding in the words of Jesus, and the mature perseveres continuing to walk with Jesus. There is love, peace, and joy in abiding in Jesus and there is fellowship. If we have fellowship with the Son we have fellowship with the Father, and we are cleansed from all sin, surely our joy is complete.
Great Is Your Faithfulness