Thursday, November 20, 2025

One Year Journey Through the New Testament

1 John 2

Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!

If You Sin

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

(1 John 2:1–2, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• John starts off Chapter 2 with a discussion of sin and forgiveness.
• His reminder in Chapter 1 of the need to live holy is then followed by this discussion which says that Christians should not sin.
• He then moves into a solution “if” a Christian does sin. If so, we have an Advocate, the strong son of God, Jesus Christ. He made the payment for our sins and the sins of the whole world. What a Savior!

The Test of Knowing Him

³ Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵ But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. ⁶ He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

⁷ Brethren, 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. 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.

⁹ He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. ¹⁰ He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 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. 

(1 John 2:3–11, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• Conditions or signs of conversion/salvation is the subject of this section.
• First, a Christian should keep the Lord’s commandments. We must walk as Jesus walked as well.
• Second, Christians should obey the commandments that have been in place for most of history. However, he is teaching a new commandment as well. It revolves around the light that shines through Christ.
• Those who say they are in the light but hate their brother are actually in the darkness still. But those who love their brother are walking in the light. Love is the new commandment.

Their Spiritual State

¹² I write to you, little children,

Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.

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.

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. 

(1 John 2:12–14, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• There are other observable signs of salvation:
  • Knowing God
  • Overcoming the enemy
  • Strength
  • Word of God dwelling in one’s soul.

Do Not Love the World

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

(1 John 2:15–17, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• John warns the readers that loving the world shows that one does not love God.
• He identifies the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life as three categories of sin that are not in the Father.
• The world is passing away, but those who do the will of God will abide forever.

Deceptions of the Last Hour

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. 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.

²⁰ But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 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.

²² Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 

(1 John 2:18–23, NKJV)

Points to Ponder:

• In this final section, John warns that the last days are upon us, and that many antichrists are leaving the church to deceive vulnerable Christians.
• We need to operate in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. We have the knowledge of the truth of the Lord, but we need the Holy Spirit to guide us.
• Those who deny Christ are liars. The antiChrist denies Christ and the Father. Those who acknowledge the Son also acknowledge the Father.
• Believe in both the Father and the Son, and be saved!

Let Truth Abide in You

1 John 2:24–27 (NKJV)

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. 25 And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 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.

Points to Ponder:

• John instructs his readers to abide in the gospel they learned from the beginning. This leads to a deep relationship with the Son and the Father, culminating in eternal life in heaven with them.
• Do not allow anyone to deceive you. Instead, walk in the anointing that the Holy Spirit provides.

The Children of God

1 John 2:28–29 (NKJV)

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

Points to Ponder:

• As the children of God, abide in Him. When He comes to take His church home, you will confidently join that group. You are born of God, and will dwell with Him if you remain true and connected.

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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.