First John Chapter Two Commentary by
Pastor Ron Beckham
Audio
Our Advocate
The writer named John was likely over 90-years old at the time he wrote to mostly younger people, addressing them (and us) in Verses 1-2 as “My little children.” He got right to the purpose of this letter by stating, “I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” Humanity became the enemy of God when we insisted on our own way instead of His, but Jesus entered this human race and became our “Advocate with the Father.” “Advocate” here is a form of the Greek word “paraclete,” someone like a defense attorney who is called alongside to help us. “Jesus Christ (is) the righteous” One who lived a perfect life and is qualified to be our representative before the Father. He became our “propitiation,” the payment in full for the sins of the world.
John’s letter gets a little scary at this point because John continues in Verses 3-6: “By this we know that we have come to know Him, IF we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Someone counted 613 commandments in the Old Testament alone. In places like the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew Chapters 5-7), we find even more, and it’s worse because places like Matthew 5:27-28, show us that if we thought it, we did it!
Can you imagine perfectly obeying the commandments of God? We aren’t even sure what they all are and we’re supposed to keep them? What are they, anyway? Reading into Verses 7-8 we find, “Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.”
In relation 1 John 1:7, we saw that this “light” John speaks of is about honesty – being who you really are. We catch more of this in Verses 9-11, where he cautions us, “The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” You don’t have to scream at the brother you secretly hate, shouting, “I hate you.” Instead go to the Lord and tell Him, Lord, I have read First John and see that my heart is not right with God because of my lack of love. I fall short, Lord. Please help me to love. In Jesus Name. Amen.
John was likely approaching 100-years of age in a time when most people died in their 40’s, and so he said to the “young” in Verse 12, “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.” He continued in Verses 13-14, “I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” Whatever category you are in, you will be “forgiven” by trusting in the Lord Jesus. You “know Him,” and “have overcome the evil one.” We may be outwardly weak as Paul the Apostle said about himself in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, but in Christ “you are strong and the word of God abides in you.”
Note that the tendency of everyone, whether we recognize it or not, is to “love the world,” as John said in Verses 15-17. We love to look good, sound right and receive the approval of those around us. With such an idea in mind, consider what John said: “Do not love the world nor the things 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 lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." His words are the exact opposite of every television or other ad we have ever heard or seen. To have our focus on the things of this world will interfere with the “love of the Father” that is supposed to be ours. Why is our prayer life so weak? Why don’t we read God’s Word more and be drawn to help those in need? Because the “lust of the flesh… the lust of the eyes… and the pride of life” is in us. John concluded Verse 17 by observing that this world we love so much “is passing away,” along with its “lusts,” but if we look to and do the “will of God,” trusting in the Lord, we will live “forever.”
When Jesus Christ ascended to the Father with the certain intention of returning to rescue those who trust in Him and to judge the rest, it became the “last hour” for this world, as John observed in Verses 18-19. He tells us in Verse 18 that “antichrist” is coming, the name for a religious-appearing future leader who will actually be against Christ, as his name indicates in the Greek. Then he continues with the interesting news that “many antichrists… appeared” in John’s time, many have come since that time and there will be more. Their very existence tells us that “it is the last hour” and note that “they went out from us, but they were not really of us.” Many who are dressed as Christians and talk like Christian leaders are “not of us.” Don’t fear them.
The word “Christ” actually means “the Anointed One,” for He is our Anointed King, and it’s amazing that He includes those who trust in Him by stating in Verse 20, “YOU have an anointing from the Holy One." The better translation for the rest of that verse is: “You know all things.” It’s not that we individually know it all, but all are gifted and TOGETHER we do “know all things.” The “truth” has been given to us as seen in Verse 21, and we are told, “no lie is of the truth.” We will find ourselves “speaking the truth in love” as Paul the Apostle said in Ephesians 4:15 and we who were not true are being made people of truth, for the Lord is in us.
“Who is the liar?” is the question asked in Verses 22-23, and John answers, “the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ.” You don’t have to wonder about the “antichrist.” He is “the one who denies the Father and the Son.” If you deny “the Son (you do) not have the Father (but) the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” If you aren’t sure about this, take the risk, accept the Son and you will find God the Father for yourself.
“As for you,” John says in Verse 24, “let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father." Let your theology be, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” The promise of faith in Jesus is found Verse 25 – “eternal life.” No more fear of death for we have “eternal life.” There were deceivers in and around the church then, just like today, as seen in Verses 26-27: “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.” We are to “abide” in the Lord.
As in Verses 28-29, “abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him". Listen to Psalm 46:10 – “Be still and know that I am God.” Trust in Jesus Christ, look to His Spirit and be "born of Him."
Dear Lord, our Advocate, our Savior, we trust in You. Help us, Holy Spirit, to follow God and live in righteousness. In Jesus Name. Amen.
