And This is His Commandment

John encourages them to live a sinless life and this is because Jesus Christ is our advocate. Jesus not only paid the price for our past sin, he is interceding on our behalf even now. So, the condemnation of sin has been done away and now, we are to walk in the light, to love those around us and let that love shine. There is a warning of those antichrists that would come but this is not a warning of fearful dread as some might think. John tells them they have an anointing, the Holy Ghost, that “remains in you” and “teaches you about all things”. Jesus commandment to us is not burdensome with condemnation as some would have you believe, or a fearful avoidance of the ungodly, instead, it is a commandment to love which comes with joy and peace and a clear conscience.

We Have An Advocate With the Father, Jesus Christ

1 John 2:1–11
John says in 1 John 2:1 he is “writing these things to you in order that you may not sin”. And it is right that we live a sinless life, in fact, Jesus said to the man he healed in John 5:14 “Look, you have become well! Sin no longer” and Jesus also said to the woman caught in adultery, in John 8:11 “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more.” So, we might think we do not sin but John also said in 1 John 2:1b-2 “And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. It is true that we are forgiven and covered by the blood of the cross. It is also true that we ought to live a sinless life. But John is trying to move beyond this consciousness of sin of the old covenant in 1 John 2:7 to the clear conscience that comes with love in 1 John 2:10 where “there is no cause for stumbling”.

You Have Known the One Who is From the Beginning

1 John 2:12–17

You Have an Anointing from the Holy One

1 John 2:18–27
We naturally think that John who is the apostle would be writing to teach them or tell them something they do not know but this isn’t what John says. In 1 John 2:21 “I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it”. And we also naturally think that John is telling them it is the last time and that there are antichrists in 1 John 2:18 so they can be aware of the trouble they face, but that isn’t the important part of the message. The important part is that they have an anointing that teaches them and God is with them in these two statements:

1 John 2:20 And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

1 John 2:27 And as for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you do not have need that anyone 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 reside in him.

Now We Are Children of God

1 John 2:28–3:10