Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

The Test of Knowing Christ

I John 2:¹ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

I John 2:² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

The Test of Knowing Him

I John 2:³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.

I John 2:⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

I John 2:⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God (has been completed) is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.

I John 2:⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

I John 2:⁷ Brethren (Beloved), I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

I John 2:⁸ Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

I John 2:⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

• Hate evil, love your brother. Evil is demonic but all men sin.
• What’s the difference between sin and evil? “Evil has no consideration in which to acknowledge its sin and no intention of being other than what it is. Its darkness has no open doors to Light. Men sin, but evil is demonic. Evil has no capability to repent. Sin can be forgiven, evil cannot. Evil can only be cast out by the Son of God. Jesus died to forgive men of their sin, not to forgive demons of their evil.” ~Barbara Grover
• “Be wise as a serpents and harmless as doves.”~Jesus the Christ. (Matt 10:16)
• Don’t be naive in your innocence.

I John 2:¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

I John 2:¹¹ But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Their Spiritual State

I John 2:¹² I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

I John 2:¹³ I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.

I John 2:¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is 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 wicked one.

Do Not Love the World

I John 2:¹⁵ Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

• If you’re not happy with what you have, what makes you think you’ll be happy with more? Happiness does not come from the things you own but from the relationships you treasure.

• It’s not the house, it’s the people in the house. Happiness is surrounding yourself with people you love.

• God wants us to live from the inside-out, not the outside-in. The problems of the world come from the heart of men, which is why spiritual problems cannot be solved with secular answers. Unless the heart is changed, nothing else will change.

• Corruption is like a body that decays. When there is corruption in society, the body of that society decays.

I John 2:¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

• In Genesis chapter 3:
  
  • Eve was tempted by the pride of life: “you will be like gods”.
  • Eve was drawn to the forbidden fruit by the lust of the eye. It was pleasant to look at.
  • Then, Eve was hungry, the lust of the flesh, “it tasted good”.

I John 2:¹⁷ And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

“I am afraid we are too much like the world for the world to hate us.” ~Charles Spurgeon

I John 2:¹⁸ Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

• John believed Jesus could return at any time. This is what every believer should believe: His appearance is imminent. However; the concept of the rapture was revealed to Paul. (I Thess 4:17) The rapture and the return are two different events. During the rapture, the believers meet Jesus in the air. At Jesus’ return the believers return with Jesus for the battle of Armageddon. Does the rapture happen before the tribulation (is it imminent?), during the tribulation (at what point?), or when Jesus returns at the end of the tribulation when no one knows the day or the hour of His return. However; during the tribulation there is a famine of God’s Word (Amos 8:11).
• This indicates all those who know the Word of the Lord are absent or they would be aware it would last seven years and then Jesus would return. Even then, the time is shortened and no one knows how short. (Matthew 24:22)
• See Topic: Rapture, Is it Real?
• See Topic: Pre-Trib Rapture, Deep Study

• All scripture indicates that the rapture will occur just before the Seven-Year Tribulation.
• This includes wording, symbolism, patterns, types and shadows which all point to a pre-tribulation Rapture.

• The rapture is for the “Bride of Christ” (Gentiles with Jewish Exceptions).
  The return is for Daniel’s 70th week which is the Old Testament Jewish wife of God (with Gentile Exceptions).
• See Topic: Jacob’s Two Wives (God’s two agendas)

I John 2:¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

I John 2:²⁰ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things (you all know).

I John 2:²¹ I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

I John 2:²² Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

I John 2:²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

Let Truth Abide in You

I John 2:²⁴ Therefore 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.

I John 2:²⁵ And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.

I John 2:²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who try to ^{[lead you astray]} deceive you.

I John 2:²⁷ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.

The Children of God

I John 2:²⁸ And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

I John 2:²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.