< 1 John 2 >

We are commanded not to sin, but if we do we have an Advocate with the Father,v.1Waiting for response for 1 John 2:1 Jesus, who is the “propitiation” for our sin.v.2Waiting for response for 1 John 2:2 This word echoes back to the mercy- seat of the ark of the covenant upon which the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled, representing the sacrificial blood of Christ. This blood was shed for “the whole world” but most people do not take advantage of this marvellous salvation. Any of us can have the privilege of intimate fellowship with Christ and can “know him” in this sense if we keep his commandments vs.3-4Waiting for response for 1 John 2:3-4 and follow his example,v.6Waiting for response for 1 John 2:6 and by this means “is the love of God perfected”.v.5Waiting for response for 1 John 2:5 Therefore the apostle exhorts the disciples to keep the commandments, especially to love one another.vs.7-11Waiting for response for 1 John 2:7-11

John wrote to “children”, those newly born in the truth, and to “fathers”, those who had known Jesus from the beginning,vs.12-14Waiting for response for 1 John 2:12-14 and he exhorted them all to love God, and not the world.v.15Waiting for response for 1 John 2:15 The world is full of the influences which lead us away from God and into sin, i.e. “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”.v.16Waiting for response for 1 John 2:16 We should resist these desires for they will pass away for ever together with the present constitution of things, but those who do God’s will shall live for ever.v.17Waiting for response for 1 John 2:17

At the time of John’s old age many disciples were enticed away from the truth by the attractions of the world and the teaching of false prophets. True disciples therefore had to be extremely alert to maintain their faithful position in Christ. Some apostates are identified by the apostle as “antichrists” v.18Waiting for response for 1 John 2:18 "instead of Christ". These men, therefore, while claiming to be disciples of Jesus and believers of the gospel were in fact against Christ! It became imperative from then on, not to accept that people are Christians and disciples of Christ simply because they say so, but to examine what they believe, for Jesus will reject a great many professors in the day of judgment. Matthew 7:21-23Waiting for response for Matthew 7:21-23 A common error in John’s day was to “deny that Jesus is the Christ” i.e. the Messiah,v.22Waiting for response for 1 John 2:22 and this error became virtually universal. How many today believe the truth that Jesus will return as Israel’s Messiah, re-establish the Kingdom of God as in the days of David, sit upon the same throne of the LORD in Jerusalem, and reign over Israel for ever?

The apostles and many first century Christians had the Holy Spirit v.20Waiting for response for 1 John 2:20 to teach them the truth v.27Waiting for response for 1 John 2:27 but they, like us, still had to examine all doctrines against the word of God. In our day we have access to his word only in the Holy Scriptures and these alone teach us how to abide in Christ, and if we do abide in him, then “when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming”.v.28Waiting for response for 1 John 2:28 If we desire to be accepted by Christ at his return and be accounted God’s children we should do righteousness for: “If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him”.v.29Waiting for response for 1 John 2:29