John articulated four fundamental principles that underlie fellowship with God to facilitate his readers' experience of that fellowship. One must renounce sin (1:8-2:2), obey God (2:3-11), reject worldliness (2:12-17), and keep the faith (2:18-29) to live in the light of God's presence.
"If the readers are to have fellowship with the Father and with the Son (v. 3), they must understand what makes this possible. They must know who God is in himself and, consequently, who they are in themselves as creatures of God. So the author first describes the moral character of God in terms of light (v. 5) and then goes on to deny three claims made by those who falsely boast of their knowledge and fellowship with God. The false positions are (1) moral behavior is a matter of indifference in one's relationship to God (v. 6); (2) immoral conduct does not issue in sin for one who knows God (v. 8); and (3) the knowledge of God removes sin as even a possibility in the life of the believer (v. 10). True tests' or evidence of fellowship with God or walking in the light are (1) fellowship with one another (v. 7), with subsequent cleansing by the blood of Christ; (2) confession of sin, (v. 9) which brings both forgiveness and cleansing; and (3) trusting that if we sin we have Jesus Christ as an advocate and sacrifice for our sins (2:2)."43
"It would be difficult to find any single passage of Scripture more crucial and fundamental to daily Christian living than 1 John 1:5-10. For here, in a few brief verses, the disciple whom Jesus loved' has laid down for us the basic principles which underlie a vital walk with God."44
John continued a structural pattern that he established in the previous section (vv. 6-7) in which he used pairs of clauses to present a false assertion followed by his correction.
1:8 This second claim (cf. v. 6) is more serious, and its results are worse: we do not just lie, but we deceive ourselves.
If a Christian claims to be experiencing fellowship with God, he may think he is temporarily or permanently entirely sinless. Our sinfulness exceeds our consciousness of guilt. We have only a very limited appreciation of the extent to which we sin. We commit sins of thought as well as deed, sins of omission as well as commission, and sins of nature as well as action.
Some have interpreted the phrase "no sin"to mean no sin nature or no sin principle.45However this seems out of harmony with John's other uses of "to have sin"(cf. John 15:22, 24; 19:11). Rather, it probably means to have no guilt for sin.46
God's truth as Scripture reveals it does not have a full hold on us if we make this claim. "In us"suggests not that we have the facts in our mental grasp but that they have control over us. They are in us as a thread is in a piece of cloth rather than as a coin is in a pocket. The same contrast exists between intellectual assent and saving faith.
1:9 This verse is the converse of verse 8. Acknowledging the sins of which we are aware is opposite to saying we are not guilty for sinning. The Greek word translated "confess"(homologemen) literally means to say the same thing. Confessing therefore means saying about our sins what God says about them, namely, that they are indeed sins, offenses against Him, and not just mistakes, blunders, or errors.47
"He who confesses and condemns his sins,' says Augustine, already acts with God. God condemns thy sins: if thou also dost condemn them, thou art linked on to God.'"48
If we confess our sins, God will then forgive the sins we confess and will in addition cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Consequently we do not need to worry that He has failed to forgive us for sins of which we are unaware! Sin incurs a debt to God, but forgiveness (Gr. aphiemi) cancels the debt and dismisses the charge. Sin also pollutes the sinner, but God's cleansing (katharizo) removes the stain so we can be holy again.
God absolutely promises forgiveness that is consistent with His justice (because Jesus Christ paid the penalty for allour sins).
Some expositors teach that this verse cannot apply to Christians since God has already forgiven Christians and therefore we do not need to ask for what we already have.49This viewpoint fails to distinguish between forensic forgiveness that we receive at conversion and family forgiveness that we need after conversion. For example, a judge could pay his own son's fine in court but then discipline him when they got home. Jesus instructed His believing disciples to ask the Father for forgiveness (Luke 11:14). The fact that God has removed the penalty for our sins at conversion (Eph. 1:7) does not remove the necessity of confessing our sins frequently (cf. Matt. 6:11-12). Again, the issue is not acceptance by God but fellowship with God. Conversion (forensic) forgiveness makes us acceptable as members of God's family. Continual (family) forgiveness enables us to experience intimate fellowship as sons within God's family.
1:10 The false claim here is that what we have done is not really sin. This is the third and most serious charge (cf. vv. 6, 8). It puts God's revelation of sin aside and makes man the authority for what is and what is not sin. This claim says God is wrong in His judgment of man and is therefore a liar. The claimant dismisses His Word as invalid (e.g., Ps. 14:3; Isa. 53:6; John 2:24-25; Rom. 3:23).
Note that each of these three false claims in verses 6, 8, and 10 is a denial of the truth that immediately precedes it in verses 5, 7, and 9 respectively. The corrective to each false claim follows in the verse immediately after it.
"What then is the principle of fellowship with God? Succinctly stated, it is openness to God and full integrity in the light of His Word."50
2:1 John's preceding comments on the inevitability of sinful behavior (vv. 6-10) led to his assuring his readers here that he did not want them to sin. Avoidance of sin is important even though it is not entirely possible.
John used the Greek word translated "children"here (teknia) as a family term of endearment. It means "little born ones"(2:12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; John 13:33; cf. Gal. 4:19). "My"adds a further note of tenderness. These terms do not require us to conclude that the recipients were necessarily John's personal converts.
"May not sin"does not mean "may never ever sin again."Sinning is inevitable for sinners, even forgiven sinners, but in every instance of temptation there is always the possibility that we will not fall (1 Cor. 10:13). "If"introduces a condition assumed to take place for the sake of the argument (a third class condition in Greek).
As our Advocate (friend in court, or defense attorney) Jesus Christ pleads the cause of the sinning Christian before God the Father (cf. Heb. 7:25). This ministry appears to be broader than simply aiding the sinner after he or she sins. It evidently includes pleading the sinner's cause with the Father whenever that becomes necessary, as when Jesus prayed that Peter's faith would not fail (Luke 22:31-32). Here, however, the emphasis is on Jesus Christ's help after we have sinned. Since Jesus Christ is righteous He is the perfect Advocate with God (cf. Acts 3:14; 7:52).
The Greek word translated "Advocate"is parakletonthat transliterated into English is "Paraclete."It means one who gets called to the side of another to help. Jesus used this word four times in the Upper Room Discourse to describe the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). He called the Holy Spirit another Paraclete like Himself (John 14:16).
"Whereas in the first part of this v[erse] John is anticipating too lenientan attitude toward sin, in the second half he is countering the possibility of too harsha view."51
2:2 Jesus Christ did not just make satisfaction for our sins, though He did that. He is the satisfaction Himself. The Septuagint translators used the same Greek word translated "propitiation"here (hilasmos, satisfaction, cf. 4:10) to translate the "mercy seat"on the ark of the covenant. Jesus' body was the site where God placated His wrath against sin. Verses 1:5-2:2 all have Old Testament tabernacle connotations. Jesus' death not only expiated (cleansed) sins, but it satisfied God's wrath against sin.52
This verse provides strong support for the fact that Jesus Christ died for all people (unlimited atonement). In His death the Lord Jesus provided salvation that is sufficient for all, though it is efficient only for those who trust in Him (2 Cor. 5:14-15, 19; Heb. 2:9; Rev. 22:17). "Our"refers to the sins of all believers, and the "whole world"means all humankind, not just the elect (cf. John 1:12; 3:16). Those who hold to "particular redemption"(i.e., that Jesus died only for the elect) limit the meaning of the "whole world"to the world of the elect.
John reminded his readers in this section (1:8-2:2) that fellowship with God is possible only when we deal with sin in our lives. This is true of believers (1:5-2:1) as well as unbelievers (2:2).
"The author is explaining to the members of his church, in answer to developing heretical tendencies, the nature of true Christian belief and practice, and the way in which these interact. To do this he first chooses as his theme and for his exhortation the necessity of living in the light' (1:5-7). The first (negative) condition required for a genuinely Christlike existence, the writer suggests, is the renunciation of sin (1:8-2:2). The second (positive) condition he now proceeds to discuss: it is obedience, especially to the law of love (2:3-11)."53
"Though the immediate effect of the light is to expose sin, its primary purpose is to reveal duty."54
From his comments on fellowshipwith God, John moved to a discussion of knowingGod. He did so to enable his readers to appreciate the fundamental importance of knowing God as well as having intimate fellowship with God. These concepts are virtually synonymous.55John said similar things about knowing God as he had said about having fellowship with God.56Increased fellowship with God and increased knowledge of God are inseparable.
"Again the false claims to knowledge by the opponents are stated first, this time introduced by the clause he who says' (cf. vv. 4, 6, 9). Each of these claims is again denied and the evidence or tests' of the true knowledge of God is set forth: obeying his commands (v. 5), walking in his likeness (v. 6), and loving one's brother (v. 10)."57
2:3 John proposed a test whereby we can measure our experiential knowledge of God (Father and Son, 1:3). He said, look at your response to God's revealed will. All believers know God to some extent (John 17:3). However some know Him more fully than others do (John 14:7-9, 21-23). Occasionally a person who has been married for a long time and then gets a divorce will say of his or her spouse, "I never really knew her (or him)."Obviously they knew each other in one sense, but their knowledge of one another was not intimate. John's point was that our personal experiential knowledge of God will affect the way we live, and the way we live, obediently or disobediently, will reveal how well we really know God.
"The sign of knowledge of God is obedience to his commands and recognition of the way of life that he expects from his people."58
"In other words, to know' God is not a matter of correct thought-processes, but of a genuine spiritual relationship. The knowledge of God, and fellowship with him, are complementary aspects of Christian experience."59
2:4 The profession in view, in the light of the context (1:6, 8, 10), is evidently another claim to having close relationship with God, not a claim to being saved.60If a person says he knows God intimately but is not obedient to the revealed will of God, he is a liar. Furthermore, God's truth does not have a controlling influence over his life (cf. 1:8, 10).
". . . who is not keeping God's commands does not know God experientially no matter what he claims verbally."61
Verses 4, 6, and 9 contain three more claims (cf. 1:6, 8, 10).
"The three assertions about knowing God, abiding in him, and being in the light (as he himself is in the light, v 7), are parallel versions of a single claim to be in a right relationship with the Father through the Son."62
2:5a On the other hand the Christian who is careful to observe all of God's Word (not just His commandments, v. 4) gives evidence that he has come to understand and appreciate God's love for him. God's love is perfected in him in the sense that the Christian has perceived it, has responded to it, and it is having its intended result in his or her behavior. Our love for God is in view here rather than His love for us (cf. v. 15; 5:3).63Loving God is parallel to knowing God (vv. 3-4).
Bible students have often called John the apostle of love because of his frequent references to love.64Likewise many have referred to Paul as the apostle of faith and to Peter as the apostle of hope for the same reason.
2:5b-6 John's use of the phrase "in Him"is different from Paul's. Paul used this phrase to describe every believer's relationship to Christ. The unsaved are not "in Christ."However, John used "in Him"as Jesus did in the Upper Room Discourse to describe not all believers but the group of believers who abide in Christ (John 15:1-8). To abide in Christ means to obey Him (John 15:10).
"Thus the test of abiding' in him is, as before, whether or not the claimant is living a life of obedience to God."65
Abiding in Christ is another synonym for having an intimate relationship with Him, as are having fellowship with God and knowing God experientially. John's point was that a believer who is abiding in God will obey God just as Jesus Christ abode in God and gave evidence of that by obeying His Father. John used the word translated "abide"(Gr. meno) 24 times in 1 John.66This indicates a major emphasis on the believer's abiding relationship in this epistle. The obligation of every Christian is not just to obey God's orders (vv. 4-5) but also to follow the example of His Son (v. 6).
"We cannot claim to abide in Him unless we behave like Him."67
2:7 What commandments did John have in mind? He explained in this verse that he referred to no new responsibility with which his readers might be unfamiliar. He referred to the old commandment they had known about from the beginning of their experience as Christians (i.e., the command to love each other, vv. 9-11; cf. John 13:34-35).
2:8 In another sense, however, this old commandment was new (fresh, Gr. kainos). With the Incarnation, the light of God had entered the world more brightly than ever before (Heb. 1:1-3).
"It is not a recent innovation, yet it is qualitatively new as experienced in Christ."68
This light was dispelling the darkness of sin and would continue to do so until the final increase of that light will result in the complete annihilation of darkness. When Jesus Christ issued the great commandment anew He called it a new commandment even though God had given it previously (Lev. 19:18). Now it was important in a new sense due to His coming as the Light of the World (John 13:34-35).
The new commandment "is true"in Christ and in Christians in this sense: Jesus Christ's obedience to His Father fulfilled it first, and Christians' obedience to God is fulfilling it now.
2:9 This verse contains a concrete example of what John had been talking about. It is another claim to intimate fellowship with God that behavior shows is spurious (1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6). Hatred of other Christians is a sure sign that one is not walking with God in fellowship.
"Hate is the absence of the deeds of love. . . . Love unexpressed is not love at all. Love has no neutral capabilities. When it is absent, hate is present."69
Obviously genuine Christians have hated other Christians. It is naive to claim that the one hating must be an unbeliever. Moreover John regarded the hater and the one hated as brothers. In this letter the community of Christians is in view so John probably meant a "brother"Christian rather than a neighbor.70
2:10 The cause of stumbling is hatred in the heart. Hatred causes the hater to stumble in his or her walk with God.
". . . whoever loves his brother remains in the light; and being in the light he can both see where he is going, and therefore avoid yielding constantly to temptation, and also (as a result) avoid causing others to fall."71
2:11 The hater's sin affects him in three ways. It places him in darkness outside God's fellowship. It leads to aimless activity in which he is in great spiritual danger and in which there is the possibility of a fall. It also results in mental confusion (cf. John 12:35). The Christian who hates his brother loses his sense of spiritual direction in life partially or totally.
John argued that intimate fellowship with God is possible only when a person is obedient to God (2:3-11) as well as renouncing sin in his life (1:5-2:2).
John continued to urge his readers to cultivate intimate fellowship with God who is light. To do so they also needed to reject worldliness.
"The first part of the Epistle (1:5-2:11) involved untrue assertions made by the author's Gnostic-type opponents and provided tests' for exposing the false claims as well as for assuring those who walked in the light. The next section is in two parts. The first (2:12-14) contrasts the position of the believer who walks in the light with that of the Gnostics who walk in darkness. The second part (2:15-17) warns the believer not to fall into the trap of worldliness, as the false teachers did."72
"Since 1:5 the author has been discussing the conditions for living as a Christian in the world. Starting from the leading statement of the good news that God is light' (1:5-7), John outlines four practical conditions whereby believers may practice and test their own spiritual commitment: by renouncing sin (1:8-2:2), by being obedient (2:3-11), by rejecting worldliness (2:12-17), and . . . by keeping the faith (2:18-29). . . . the four conditions described by the writer follow the pattern ABAB, where the generally negative appeals for renunciation and rejection (AA) are followed in each case by the more positive demands of obedience and faith (BB)."86
John needed to alert his readers to special deceptions they would encounter to enable them to identify and defend themselves against these temptations. Previously John had been less direct in dealing with false teachers who perverted the truth about intimacy with God. Now he became more direct and labeled them antichrists (vv. 18-19). First, he exposed their method. They lie and deny that Jesus is the Christ (vv. 20, 23).
John again used a three-fold structure at the beginning of this section of the text. He described three signs or marks: of the end (vv. 18-19), of the believer (vv. 20-23), and of living in the light (vv. 24-25). Verses 26-27 recapitulate and develop the content of verses 18-25, and verses 28-29 summarize the first major section of 1 John and anticipate the second major section respectively.87
