The DOGpreachers Bible Commentary

 

1 John.... chapter 2

 

 

Christ is our advocate

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: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.Verses 1-2.... DOGpreacher's Commentary: My fellow believers, the reason I write this is that you abstain from sin. NOW... if any of you sin, you have a direct line to the Father.... through the Son. He is our advocate, and the propitiation for the sins of those who believe on His name!

To know God is to keep His commandments

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.Verses 3-7.... DOGpreacher's Commentary:  3)This is the mark of the true believer.....that he keeps His commandments, as opposed to.... 4) the one who professes to know Him, but... does NOT keep His commandments. That person is a liar, and does not know the Truth!  5) The one who keeps His Word is the one in whom the love of God is perfected...see:Psalm 1, & Psalm 37:4... and that's how we know that we are in Him...  6) The one who says he abides in Christ, should also live/walk as He did!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   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. 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. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.Verses 7-11.... DOGpreacher's Commentary:  7) This old commandment...this Word from the beginning... is it not Love/Christ?  8)
12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Verses 12-14.... DOGpreacher's Commentary:  12)15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.Verses 15-17.... DOGpreacher's Commentary:  15) Love not.... meaning, put nothing of this world ahead of the things of God

Beware of seducers!

18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

from whose deceits the godly preserve themselves through perseverance in faith and holiness of life

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. 26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1 John 2:1-29 (KJV)

The DOGpreacher's Bible Commentary

                                                1st  JOHN  ..... Chapter 1

 

1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life;

Simple .... God ... in Jesus!

2) (for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 

...a continuation of verse 1 concerning the fact that Jesus (the Messiah) had been manifested (made known) to them!

3) that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that Ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 

...a continuation of verses 1 & 2.... to include the recipients of these words into the fellowship of the Father & the Son, and their selves!

4) And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 

The Reason: Fullness of Joy.... think on that... NO gaps or lack in your Joy!

5) This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. 

The Overall: Darkness is overwhelmed/obliterated/defeated... by THE LIGHT!

6) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth 

If we say that we have this ongoing relationship with Him, and yet... we continue a daily walk (lifestyle) in darkness... we are liars, and do not even understand truth, much less live therein.  *darkness*..... "Not doing what He commands us to do, and... doing what He commands us 'not' to do."  

See: 1 John 3:4-10 ..... more specifically, verse 6 !

7) but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 

The Prerequisite:   "IF".... Far too often, if someone comes to church a few times, or semi-regularly, they are quickly tagged as "brother/sister" (especially if they become a member), without ANY (or very little) fruit/evidence of actually being a true follower of Jesus Christ!  "...if we walk in the light..." infers an examining of said person to see if indeed their "walk" is truly 'in the light'!

8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If ANYONE besides Jesus has NO sin, then the Gospel/Redemption story is untrue and we are without the Messiah... and hope! The one who says they have NO sin, evidences that they are yet in darkness, and do not know God!
Romans 3:23... shows anyone who thinks they have no sin to be deceived/delusional.

9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The ultimate verse of HOPE!  Once again... "IF"... the prerequisite ...... He has told me here that if I confess my sin to Him, He guarantees that He will forgive me of my sins, and blot out my unrighteousness.... Praise God!

10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Very straightforward, and...once again Rom. 3:23 applies.
 NOW... look at the end of verses 6, 8, & 10...6) "do not the Truth", 8) "the Truth is not in us", 10) "His Word is not in us"!

The teaching/instruction here is...let's go backwards from verse 10, to 8, to 6.... "IF" we put the Word "in" us.... then, the Truth will be "in" us.... and, the Truth will of course come from us as we "walk" this life! We can only "do" the Truth, if the Truth is resident in us, and the Truth will only be resident in us to the degree that we feast/feed on His Word! By the way.....Who is the Word....the Truth?

SUMMATION CHAPTER 1:
     He... which was from the beginning, was manifested to us, and we hereby give testimony that He (this...Jesus) is the Son of the Living God. He is the One who was with the Father... in the beginning! Now... these things we tell you, so that your joy may be full. The message (which we got from Him... no other), is that God is light, and in Him is NO (none/zip/nada) darkness at all. In the closing of chapter 1 ..... If we say that we know Him and have a relationship with Him, but walk/live in darkness... we are not truthful. On the other hand, if we live in & by His light, we have sweet friendship with the brethren, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin! AMEN! But, if we claim to have no sin, we are delusional... and know nothing of these things because... His Truth is not in us! He does promise though...that if we will confess our sins, He will totally forgive and cleanse us from them all! Hallelujah! Now... if we say we have not sinned, that's like calling Him a liar. That only proves that His Word (and thus...His Truth) is/are not in us, and we are yet dead in our trespasses and sins!