A Life of Obedience and Love

1 John 2:3-17 - Riley Boggs

Have you ever talked to someone, and it seems like no matter where the conversation started, it ends up at the same place. Every time you talk to them, in a matter of only 5-6 sentences, you are talking about whatever it is that they love to talk about.

The Apostle John is sort of like this. I mentioned briefly last week that this book does not have a well-defined structure, and that is true. But what this book certainly does have is repeated themes. It seems like John cannot go more than 10 verses without talking about knowing God, love, or things from “the beginning”. And in our text today, we get all 3 of them. We are going to be looking at verses 3-17, and it may feel like we are jumping around a bit as we work through this text, but this is the way John wrote it and so it is the way that I will preach it.

I’ll also add that just because it seems like John jumps around a bit, doesn’t mean it is not affective in fulfilling the purpose that John had in mind when writing this. Remember he is writing to remind these believers of the foundational truths of what it means to be a Christian. And so as we work through this text, hopefully you will be able to see that each of these things are compiling to create a overarching picture of the Christian life. So the first point, 

1.) Our obedience is evidence that we know God (vv.3-6)

If you know something, there is no going back. Once you know something, your life just cannot be the same. This is true with all knowledge, though some knowledge doesn’t have a major effect on our lives. I was talking to Shelby about this, and she gave the example of a surprise party. If someone is throwing you a surprise party, and you find out, there is nothing you can do to make yourself be surprised in the way you would’ve been if you hadn’t found out about it. Now of course, we can doubt what we know to be true. Sometimes we can forget what we know to be true. But once we really know something, it changes something about us. It makes us live differently.

So what have you come to know, and how has it changed your life? This is the question John wants these believers to ask themselves so that they may be reminded of their salvation. That they may be reminded that they do indeed know God, and that knowledge has come to bear on their life in their obedience.

This is the reasoning John uses to encourage these believers to press on in the faith, be sure of who they are in Christ, and not fall prey to the false teaching. Look what he says in verse 3. “By this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” And vise verse 4, “whoever says, ‘I know him’, but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Our obedience is the evidence that we know God, because those who do know God, do not have a desire to obey. Only those who have been given a new heart, who have been born again, who are seeing their desires rearrange. This does not happen to anyone unless they come to saving knowledge of God, through Christ, and by the Spirit.

It’s important to note here, that when John says obedience, he does not mean sinlessness. Of course if we were to obey perfectly that would be the case, but as we saw last week that isn’t it. No to obey is to repent when you sin, and not pretend that you don’t have sin. John could have also said this, “How do you know that you know God? Because you seek to obey Him and repent of your sin when you come short. This is what it means to walk in the light.”

John goes even further in his encouraging words in verse 5. He says, “whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know the love of God is perfected.” What does he mean by “the love of God is perfected.” I think he has in view here the sanctifying work of God in His people. Sanctification is the day-by-day process of growing in holiness. It is the process of purifying whereby we become more holy. Not holy in the sense that you wear white robes and sing Gregorian chants, but more holy in that you walk a life that more closely reflects the life that Jesus lived. John makes that clear in verse 6 when he says, “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Who is this? It is Jesus Christ!

In other words, when he says “the love of God is perfected” he means that as we are obedient and seek to walk in the way that Jesus did, He will sanctify us more and more. He will cause us to grow in obedience. The love of God will be made more and more perfect as we walk, until one day when die, and the love of God is completely perfected in us, and we are glorified and made like Christ.

So how do you know that you God? Your obedience is the evidence that you know Him.

2.) Loving God’s people is not optional for believers (vv.7-11)

We’ve all heard someone say it before. “I love God, I follow Jesus, but I hate the church.” Is that an okay place for a true believer to be? Can you be a Christian and hate the church? Can you be a Christian and just not have the patience to deal with other Christian’s week after week, and just leave the whole church thing behind? The answer, on the authority of the Bible, is no. 

Loving God’s people, the church, is not optional for believers. I think John shows this to be the case in verses 7-11. Here he lays out the commandment to love one another in the church, your brothers and sisters in Christ. But he does so in a way that may be hard to read at first. Look at these verses with me.

In verse 7 he begins by saying that he isn’t writing a new commandment, but an old one. One that they had from the beginning. Then, in verse 8 he says, “at the same time, it is a new commandment.” What is going on here? Is it old or is it new? With some help from John Piper, this is what I think he is getting at. The sense in which is old, and they have heard it from the beginning, is that they have heard this commandment since they first became believers. From the beginning of their Christian walk, they have been commanded to love one another. This isn’t a revolutionary idea, it isn’t new. Christ Himself clearly commanded this to His people.

Actually John recorded this command from Christ himself. We see that in John 13: 31-15… He says this. “31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There it is! The old commandment they have had since the beginning. 

Okay, so now in what sense is it new? It is new in the sense that the love of God is actively, day-by-day being poured out on these believers, through these believers. Their obedience to this commandment, which they must seek to obey newly each day, creates a newness. The love of God is fresh among them. Yes, this commandment is one that they have known from the beginning, but as they live it out, the love of God refuses to grow dim, but it is new.

John then applies this in simple terms in verses 9-11. He says that though some claim to be in the light, their hatred of their brother shows them to be in the dark. For those who do love their brother, they abide in the light. And then, verse 11, “whoever 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.” 

Put simply, they are not believers. They do not know Christ, because if you love Christ, you must love His people. He knows that these false teachers prove themselves to be unbelievers in this way. It’s easy to pretend to be a Christian standing in front of people and spouting lies. It’s a lot harder to pretend when you get in the weeds of people’s lives. Guess what? Christian’s sin. They sin against one another. They hurt one another. They make mistakes. And yet, we are called to forgive and to love, just like Christ.

Let me ask you this. Do you want this church to grow? Do you want to see this church grow in health and in number? This is how we do it. We love one another. There is no new strategy or idea or plan that will accomplish what love will accomplish. If we each decide to lay down our pride and truly love another, we will be blown away by the blessings that God will bestow on us.

So can a true believer abandon the church? The Word is telling us no, or at least not for long. What about if someone was genuinely hurt by the church? Still, the Word tells us no. They must find a body and love it, even if it’s hard. It may take time and healing, but it is what is right. When God saves us, He calls us both to Himself and to His body. Loving God’s people is not optional for believers.  

3.) God’s love for us will empower us to persevere (vv.12-14)

In verses 12-14 we get a section where John addresses 3 different groups of people. He starts by addressing the children, then the fathers, and then the young men. After that he repeats the list, keeping the same order, which I think is important. I think he is building on a beautiful truth as he addresses each group. The truth is this. God’s love will keep you from the enemy. It will empower you to persevere. So let’s just walk through these one at a time looking at what he says to each group.

First, the children. In verse 12 he reminds them their sins are forgiven for his namesake, and then at the end of verse 13 he reminds them that they know the Father. What is he trying to say? I think he is simply reminding these young believing children of what they have professed to be true, and what that means. And so this applies to the young believers here today. He is telling us that your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ namesake, not your own. Jesus, the one who is faithful and true, who has no sin, has paid for your sins. And that rest not on your name, but on His. He is telling you that that you know the Father, and He loves you with a Fatherly love. A love that that protects you from the enemy, and is a refuge when you are scared. What a sweet reminder for all of us. You have been saved and you are loved, the enemy will not be victorious over you.

Second, the Fathers, or more generally, seasoned believers. In verse 13 he tells them that they have known him from the beginning, and then in verse 14 he reminds them of that same truth again. What is he trying to say? He is reminding them, and the seasoned believers here today, that you have experienced the love of God for some time now. You know that it is real, that it is powerful, that it is sufficient. He is reminding you to consider what you know, and press on. He knows that there is no reason for him to try and convince those who have walked with the Lord for many years that He will keep them. They know He will, you know He will. You have walked through hardships, you have encountered your fair share of false teachers and deceivers, and you are here. Still being held by God, still experiencing His love. Press on in what you have believed for some time. Keep going! Again, what a great reminder.

Lastly, the young men. This one is my favorite because I see it as something young men, including myself, so sincerely need to hear. If you haven’t noticed, there is a severe lack of Godly young men at this time. This message from John needs to be heard by so many young men today. He says in verse 13 that they have overcome the evil one. Then in verse 14 he tells them that they are strong, that the Word of God abides in them, and that they have overcome the evil one. What is he trying to say? One of my previous pastors, Tom Fox, who has a way with words, said this in pastorally applying this texts to young men.

 “The young men are on the frontlines of the battle in the Christian life. It important for you to know because you are twice told, you have overcome the evil one. You are not fighting for victory but from victory. I know youthful temptations are daunting. You wonder if you can prevail in the battle. Perhaps you’ve married a wife, and you are desperate to lead but are filled with self-doubt. You may be learning to be a father, and you fear you are going to fail. You have pressure to provide and protect, and you wonder if you are up to the task. All of these anxieties are best case scenario. What if you are barely scrapping by financially? What if you desire a wife but can’t seem to find one? All of these things can be consuming and insurmountable. More than one before you has faltered under the load. On top of it all, the devil is on your back to remind you everyday that you don’t measure up.”

“Brothers, You have overcome the evil one (perfect tense). Don’t be self-consumed. You are strong. The Word of God abides in you. Be who you are. Do what God has called you to do. Take your place in the community of faith. Stop messing around. Stop wasting your life. Man up. You don’t have to click that button. You are not powerless, you are strong. Lead that woman, but don’t be a jerk; marry that wife; work that job; learn the Bible, teach your children. Let them see a man of passion and strength. Be captured by a vision, not tossed about by every esoteric conversation. Stop looking for a mission, God has given you one. Be churchmen; don’t think your strength is outside the community of faith. Don’t major on the minors and the non-essentials; these things are quests for self-importance and self-congratulation. Young men, God is calling you to be all in.”

Isn’t that good? Man, this is the message young men need to hear today. Fight the good fight, don’t compromise, don’t give in. Paul tells us in Romans that we are more than conquerors, and we ought to act like it.

John knows these believers need a reminder of how they will persevere against the enemy who is working through the false teachers, so he tells them in these verses. It is the love of God that will empower you to persevere. The same love that called you to Himself will empower you to stay the path until the end.

Lastly, in the final 3 verses John stays on this theme of love. But this time, he tells us that there are things we shouldn’t love. 

4.) Love what is eternal, not temporary (vv.15-17)

In verse 15 he tells us that believers should not love the world or the things of the world, and that if anyone does love the world, they are proving themselves to not a believer at all. Does that mean what it sounds like it means? I mean, I love some things of this world. As fall approaches, I am reminded of my love for crisp fall air, chili, bonfires, and football. Does that mean I don’t know God? No, that isn’t what he saying. 

He goes on in verse 16-17 to explain what he is getting at. He says, “for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 

In other words, do not treasure the things of the world, more than you treasure the things of God. You can love chili, bonfires, and football. You can love all of these things, but they must be loved in perspective. Don’t spend your life in pursuit them, they don’t last. More generally, this world isn’t mean to last, don’t treat it like it is. 

He gives us examples of what this looks like with the 3 categories in verse 16. The desires of the flesh, and of the eyes, and the pride of life. If you spend your life seeking these things, you’re going to be miserable. There’s so much more than what your flesh wants, what your eyes see, and the praise you can try to attain from others. Immediate gratification on earth is a short-sighted pursuit. It’s cheap and easy, but it doesn’t last. Don’t spend your life running after it. It is passing away.

Brothers and sisters spend your life with your eyes fixed on Christ. Seek Him and His will, and John says that you will abide forever. In other words, be patient because your gratification is coming, a hundred-fold. Your reward is awaiting. Simply be patient, seek God, obey His Word, and press on.

This is a reminder we need often, because the world never stops trying to pull our eyes away from Christ. And so John reminds these believers to love what is eternal, not temporary.

Have you ever thought about why God gave the church the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper? It’s to remind us, weekly, of this same truth. We come and eat and drink so that we be reminded of what has been done and what is to come. We eat the bread as a reminder that Christ suffered bodily as a man, on our behalf. His body was broken for us. And we drink the cup as a reminder of the blood that was shed on our behalf. The blood of Christ that was and is poured out on us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. And it a foreshadowing of the marriage supper of the lamb, when we will feast in eternity forever. In the ordinance of communion we have been given a reminder of what is eternal and where we should cast our eyes.