Dawn spreading over the low tiled rooftops of a Greek hill city, the last shadows withdrawing down its narrow streets.

The Book of

1 John 2

The night is ending. John writes to his little children about the light that is already shining.

29 verses≈ 6 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–2:27In the lightGod is light; confess and obeyChapter 2
2:28–4:6Children of GodBorn of Him, doing what is right
4:7–5:12God is loveLoved by Him, we love each other
5:13–21Knowing for sureEternal life in the Son

Jesus Our Advocate

From JohnTo my little children

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

1 John 2:1

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He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:2

By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:

Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.

1 John 2:6

Pray

An advocate

John writes “so that you will not sin.” But he doesn’t leave the one who falls without hope: “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father.” Bring to Jesus the thing you are ashamed of today. Thank Him that He speaks for you, and ask Him to help you walk as He walked.

A New Commandment

Beloved, I am not writing to you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. Then again, I am also writing to you a new commandment, which is true in Him and also in you.

1 John 2:8

If anyone claims to be in the light but hates his brother, he is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

John

Do Not Love the World

A city market street at dusk seen from above, stall awnings coming down, fine cloth folded away and perfume jars packed, the crowd thinning into the shadows.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

0:21

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

1 John 2:17

Beware of Antichrists

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.

A lamplit room of a household church seen from behind, the benches occupied, one place at the end left empty and the street door standing open onto the dark.

You, however, have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

Who is the liar, if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son.

whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well

1 John 2:23

Question

Quick question

Some had left the church, and John wants his readers to know how to tell the truth from a lie.

According to 2:22, who is the liar?

Remain in Christ

As for you, let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you. If it does, you will also remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.

I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.

1 John 2:28

If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

Remain

Whiteboard

John’s answer to the deceivers is not something new. It is “what you have heard from the beginning.” Let it remain in you, and you remain “in the Son and in the Father,” with the promise of “eternal life.” The Spirit’s anointing keeps teaching you the same truth, so that when He appears you may be “confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.”

Reflect

Remain in Him

Against every new and clever voice, John says, “let what you have heard from the beginning remain in you.” What first drew you to Jesus? Write down the simple truths you heard then, and one way you could stay close to them this week, so that when He appears you may be “confident and unashamed.”

You’ve experienced

1 John 2

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A verse to carry with you

The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

1 John 2:17

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