1 John 2:7-14 - The Old & The New, Love Your Brother As Christ Loves You - 8.9.2026

So before we get started, we're going to read

and then I'll pray. Let's read the Word of God

together. All right, so let us read. I'm going

to start off in verse 4 of chapter 2 and then

go through 14. We're going to be doing chapter

2, verse 7 to 14. Whoever says, I know him, but

does not keep his commandments is a liar and

the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his

word in him, truly the love of God is perfected.

By this we may know that we are in him. Whoever

says he abides in him ought to walk in the same

way in which he walked. Beloved, I am writing

to you no new commandment, but an old commandment

that you had from the beginning. The old commandment

is the word that you have heard. At the same

time, it is a new commandment. That I am writing

to you which is true in him and in you because

the darkness is passing away and the true light

is already shining. Whoever says he's in the

light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light

and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But

whoever hates his brother I'm writing to you,

little children, because your sins are forgiven

for his namesake. I'm writing to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning.

I'm writing to you, young men, because you have

overcome the evil one. I'm writing to you, children,

because you know the father. I write to you,

fathers, because... You know him who was from

the beginning. I write to you, young men, because

you are strong and the word of God abides in

you and you have overcome the evil one. Father,

I want to thank you so much for your word. I

ask you, Lord, that you would guide us as we

go through these seven verses. Help us to understand

the importance of your word and help us to understand

the reflection of Christ in our lives as we love

one another. Lord, we give you honor, glory,

and praise in Jesus' name. Amen. So one of the

things I want us to understand, there are a few

things I need you to pay attention to as we go

through this. There are several things you must

pay close attention to. First, John states eight

times, I am writing to you. Second, four times

he mentions commandment, twice a old and twice

a new commandment. And third, darkness is mentioned

four times. So why is this important? Not only

these, he also deals with the word hate. He deals

with the word light. He deals with the word love.

But these main focuses are extremely present

here. And when God mentions things like that,

it is for us to pay attention to. And obviously

the most glaring is. I'm writing to you. To walk

as Christ walked is to love your brother as he

loved us. You are your brother's keeper as Christ

is to his brothers and sisters. Christ is your

keeper. As a matter of fact, the reality of this

truth shows that that is where the doctrine of

perseverance of the saints comes from. You persevere

because Christ is your keeper. understanding

that we are responsible to one another. Now,

so when he says that there is a commandment,

a new one, an old one that was given, and it's

also a new one, you're going to see this in a

minute. So in John 13, 34 through 35, he says,

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. By this, all people

will know that you are my disciples if you have

love for one another. You see, in the Old Testament,

he said, love your neighbor. Jesus summarizes

the commandments concerning your neighbor, and

he says, love your neighbor as yourself. This

new commandment that Christ gives, though it

is an old one, is that you should love the family.

Do you love each other? That is the question

here. Do we love the family? Love for one another.

The world will know that we are his disciples

when we love one another. Now in first John chapter

two, verse seven through 11, kind of clarifies

this reality. Beloved, I am writing you. He's

not writing to everybody. John is writing to

you. He's saying to the believers, That have

been dispersed and are scattered. And he's not

writing a new commandment. No new commandment.

But an old commandment. This is a commandment

that's been from the beginning. That you had

from the beginning. But what is that? We know

what that is. We know because Cain had just killed

his brother. And Jesus goes to him and says,

Cain, where's your brother? And Cain says, am

I my brother's keeper? Yes, you are. This is

nothing new. As a matter of fact, we know because

Christ loved us. The reality of love is from

the beginning. And we know that he loves us because

he has loved us before he created anything. So

the old commandment is the word that you have

heard. What old commandment? To love one another.

This idea that God loves us and has sent propitiation

for us, which we've read previously. This old

commandment that the word that you have heard.

We also know that because in John 1, 1, 1, John

1, 1, it says that which was from the beginning,

which. We have heard, which we have seen with

our own eyes, which we've looked upon and have

touched with our hands concerning the word of

life. In the beginning was the word and the word

was with God and the word was God. The Logos,

the word became flesh. It is an old commandment

from the ancient of days. So this word that we

have heard to love one another. At the same time,

and this term at the same time means again or

on the other hand. On the other hand, it is a

new commandment. We know what that is because

Jesus gives it. Love one another, not just the

neighbor. We know that the Jews were commanded

to love their neighbors because when a sojourner

would come into the country and into the city,

they as Jews were to host them. and take them

in and feed them and house them. And then eventually,

when they leave, to send them off with food.

They were to be good neighbors to the sojourner.

And so what we see here is this new commandment

is, are you loving towards one another? With

that, I'm writing to you, he continues in 1 John

2, which is true in him and in you. What's true

in Christ? Love. He is the word. He is love.

And if he is love and he is in you, then you

are to love. You are to walk as he walked. And

that's what he means here. Which is true in him,

in Christ. And is also in you because love lives

in you. Because the darkness is passing away.

I love this statement. in a state of transition.

Now I know, I think we can all agree, that if

we were looking to hope or looking to win on

this battlefield, it's not going to happen. The

reality is we've already won in Christ. But this

idea where we know that the world will get darker,

But here John states something that's quite remarkable.

Darkness is in a state of transition. There's

something we know concerning the reality of darkness.

And that is what? The darker the darkness, the

brighter the light. As dark gets darker, light

gets brighter. And there's one thing that we

know. Darkness cannot and will not. ever have

victory over light because light chases away

the darkness so the reality is is that darkness

is passing away darkness is in a state of transition

because we see that in creation in genesis 1

in the beginning god created the heavens and

the earth and the earth was void and without

form and and there was darkness over the face

of the deep and the spirit of god was hovering

over the God said, let there be light. And what

happens to the darkness? Whoosh, it's gone. You

turn off all the lights in this room. If there

is one light, it will start to eat away the darkness.

And that's what he means here. Just because we

live in a dark world and the darkness seems to

get darker, we should not fear that the darkness

will overtake us. Because where darkness is,

Light is brighter. And that's what he means here.

And, he says, continues, and the true, the real,

the genuine light. And we know what this word

is in the original because it's dealing with

the issue of the light of Christ, the phos. The

light of Christ is already shining. What a victory

statement. What a confidence we have as believers.

That even in the midst of the darkest darkness

you can imagine, the brightest light of Christ

is already shining. And this word already shining

means even now and before now continues to give

light. In other words, he was giving light before

creation and he's even now giving light and that

light will continue to give light. Wow. We will

never. be in darkness again. Whoever says he

is, or he exists in the light, the light of Christ,

and hates, detests, has ill will, or abhors his

brother, who is a fellow believer and a family

member, united by our common bond, is still in

darkness. You cannot say that you exist in the

light of Christ and still hate. Or have ill will

against your brother. Who is a believer. One

who is supposed to be in common union with you.

And still be in darkness. And expect to be in

the light. Because you won't be. The reality

is you are still in darkness. You remain in the

ignorant. You remain ignorant of divine things.

And you remain in wickedness and misery. To not

love your brother is to not exist in the light.

But you still remain in your wickedness, in your

misery, in your sin. Whoever loves his brother

abides, means to be held or kept continually.

This is again proof that we persevere. That Christ

holds us and keeps us continually. Because he

is our keeper. This understanding of abiding.

Do you abide in Christ? Are you being held and

kept continually in the light? And in him there

is no cause for stumbling. In a brother or sister

who is held and kept continually in the light

of Christ. Will not stumble. He doesn't walk

in the dark. Even the darkest of paths are his

light to us. We never really walk stumbling.

And that's what he means here. There is no cause

for us to stumble. But whoever hates his brother.

This word hate is a very clear term which we've

just read previously. Is in the darkness and

walks in the darkness. Continues to live in wickedness

and misery. And does not know where he is going.

He is walking and leading away in his life in

the blindness of his sin. Because the darkness

has blinded his eyes. Wow. So why so clearly

stated, John? Why is he clearly stating this?

Because there was a continual problem among those

who say they believe. They did not love one another.

It's a demand to be right. It's a demand to be

in control. It's a demand and all these other

things. And they weren't loving. And Jesus says

it this way in John 11, 10. He says, Jesus said,

if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because

the light is not in him. So you can't say you

are in Christ and walk as if you're not in him.

That's hypocrisy, obviously. I love in Pilgrim's

Progress what John Bunyan states here. Christian

states concerning talkative, quote unquote. This

is in play one. If you ever read it, it's a play.

And he gets together with, he's talking, I believe

he's talking to Pliable at this point. I can't

remember if it's Pliable or, I can't remember

who it is. And Christian had just got done talking

to talkative. Talkative is a terrible dude. Talkative

is just that dude that just talks but doesn't

live. He just blabs. And that's the point here.

As a matter of fact, Christian states it this

way, quote unquote, for my part, I am of opinion

that he, talkative, has by his wicked life caused

many to stumble and fall and will be if God prevents

not. the ruin of many more. Quote, unquote, John

Bunyan. Wow. This type of quote, unquote, believer

is really the ruin of many people. And this is

what John was stating concerning the reality

of, am I walking as Christ walked? And if I am

walking as Christ walked, I will not be a stumbling

block. Nor will I stumble in the dark as if I

can't see. Second, have you ever asked why did

God give us his word and why Jesus is the Logos?

Why is Jesus the word? Why did God give us the

Bible? What's the purpose? In 2 Peter chapter

2 Peter 1 · chapter mention

1, 3 through 4, his divine power has granted

to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.

Through the knowledge of him who called us to

his own glory and excellence. By which he has

granted to us his precious and very great promises.

So that through them you may become partakers

of the divine nature. Having escaped from the

corruption that is in the world because of sinful

desire. Why has God given us his word? That we

may know him. The one place you can come to know

Jesus. This is important. Because far too often,

we have this statement. You are the only Bible

anybody will ever read. If you're the only Bible

anybody will ever read, you're a terrible Bible.

Because there's one thing I know about my Bible.

It's the inerrant, infallible word of God. And

I am not. And I'm a very inconsistent example

sometimes of this word. So don't be the only

Bible that someone will read. Be the one who

will quote the Bible. Because man does not live

by every example you show or that comes out of

your mouth. Man lives by every word that comes

out of the mouth of God. Think about that. You

aren't. sharper than a two -edged sword, dividing

soul and spirit, bone and marrow, judging the

thoughts and intentions of the heart. The word

is. And so when we look at this, we know why

the word is important. We know why he's given

it to us. As a matter of fact, in 1 John chapter

12, verse 14, 12 and 4, chapter 2, sorry. 1 John

1 John 2:12–14

chapter 2, verse 12 through 14. Listen to what

John states here. I am writing to you, little

children, because your sins are forgiven. I want

you to get this term. What happens here is many

pastors will go, oh, do a little, they'll do

a children's, little children's corner thing

and they'll go, listen, little children. This

isn't John writing to little kids. This is John

writing to you. Because Jesus calls you children.

He calls me child. He calls you child. Those

who believe in his name have been given the right

to become a child of God. We are children. And

he's implying here the issue of immaturity. Little

children. Little children don't know much. So

he's implying that for those who are just starting

off in their Christian walk, who are immature

in the faith, The one thing that is the reminder

for you is that you are forgiven. That's the

simplest thing, right? For a child, they want

to know that mom and dad aren't upset. That's

what he's implying here. I'm writing to you,

little children, to you. And I'm a little child,

to be honest with you. You're like, you're a

pastor. You shouldn't be looking. There's a lot

of things I'm immature in, a lot of things I'm

mature in. How about the things I'm not maturing?

I got some work to do. So he says, I'm writing

to you little children because your sins are

forgiven. This word sins is harmatia. And the

reason why this word is important is because

it's where we get the word harmatology from,

which is the study of sin. It's the doctrine

of sin. And this word is important because we

need to know why we're forgiven or what we're

forgiven from, which is our sins. And the word

forgiven here means to send away. As far as the

east is from the west. The deepest part of the

ocean. Christ has sent away your sin. He has

removed it. And when he has removed it, for your

sake? No. For his name's sake. For his name's

sake, you are forgiven. It's his name is on this

work. And what's interesting, he says, this word

sake means on account of his name, we have obtained

something. It's the name of Christ that you have

obtained forgiveness. It's on account of his

name. It's on account of his name that you are

considered the righteousness of God. It's on

the count of his name that you are. are delivered.

It's on account of his name that you are redeemed.

It's on account of his name that you are regenerated,

justified, sanctified. His name, it's on account

of his name that you are all these things. And

in John 1, 12, but to all who did receive him,

who believe in his name. He gave the right to

become children of God. On account of his name,

you're a child of the living God. It's his name.

And there is power in the name. In Acts 10 .43,

to him all the prophets bear witness that everyone

who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins

through his name. You have been forgiven. Why?

Because his name is God saves. That's his name.

His name is God forgives. That's his name. His

name is the righteous one. God the righteous

one. That's his name. His name is God heals.

That's his name. I am the bread. I am the everlasting

water. That's his name. What a wonderful name.

In 1 John 1 .1. Well, let me just do this. Verse

13, I'm sorry. I'm writing to you fathers because

you know him. Now, I shared this earlier. When

we lived in Delaware and my kids first learned

father and mother in Greek, they'd never stopped

saying it to me. So they wouldn't call me dad

or pops or they'd call me pater. Because that's

what father is in Greek. And they do it with

the typical real bad English. It's not like they're

Hispanic. They should know how to roll the R's.

Pater. But they don't do that. They go, hey,

pater. Pater. It's true. But it's good. What's

implied here is that he's implying maturity.

So you see the extreme. You see little children

immature. Here, a father is seen as mature. The

one who is the caregiver, the mature. And a father

implies that we know things. What do we know

as fathers? You know him who was from the beginning.

We know him. And that's why in 1 John 1, which

I read earlier, that which was from the beginning,

which you have heard. which we have seen with

our own eyes, which we have looked upon and have

touched with our own hands concerning life. We

know him. And we know we know them. It's sort

of like when you come home and your kids are

like really little. I used to go through this.

Now my kids never rush the door. I walk in, Mocha

shows up. My dog. She's like. You know, she's

wiggling and, but she knows me. I wish my kids

knew me like that. Right? But what happens is

they hear the voice of the father and they come

running in. Dad's home. Pater. And they get excited.

And that's the implication here. That little

children know him. My sheep know me and they

know my voice. And he even says to Philip, Philip

goes, show us the father. And he says, Philip,

have you, have I been with you so long that you

still don't know me? You should know me. And

we know because he also then says to Philip,

you know him and have seen him. And then he writes

to the young people, the young adults. Not really

to the young adults, it's to us. We are fathers

and mothers. We are mature and we are also little

children. And there are times when we are also

young adults. Young men and young women. I'm

writing to you, young men, because you have overcome

the evil one. Interesting that they put the word

one in there. Because I really don't want to

just overcome the devil. Like, what is that?

How about if I overcome the evil that's in me?

To overcome sin. I want to know that I have overcome

evil. And that's what John is implying here.

This is not particularly talking about the devil,

though we have overcome the devil. The question

is, have you overcome the evil that is present

there? And the way we overcome is that we are

strong in the Lord. In Ephesians 6 .10, finally

be strong in the Lord and in the strength of

his might. I don't want to just be strong in

the Lord and in the strength of his might when

I have to deal with the devil, which barely ever

happens. How about being strong in the Lord and

in the strength of his might when I look at myself

in the mirror and I have to deal with my junk?

And I go, why do I keep doing the things I don't

want to do, but the things I hate I keep on doing?

Because I have not, because I haven't realized

that I have overcome the evil already. And that's

why Paul states in Ephesians 6 .10, finally be

strong in the Lord and in strength of his might.

So this implication of being a young man and

a young woman is also implying this understanding

of what it means to overcome. If you want to

overcome, you must be self -controlled. Older

men teach the younger men to be self -controlled.

We know what the fruit of the Spirit is. The

fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,

and self -control. Self -control. Is the strength

of the Lord and his might on display. I have

truly overcome evil. And then he says again,

I write to you children. Because you know the

father. Yes, we do know him. Which I had said

earlier. As a child, as a father walks in the

door from a hard day at work. And they hear dad's

voice. They come running. Because they know him.

Now, for those of us who are fathers of girls,

they know exactly what to do. Being jerks. They're

being jerks. Because they know. They take advantage

of dad. Because we just, that's my baby girl.

Boys, we just like toughen up and suck it up.

Let's go. Be a man. Girls are like, we melt.

It's not fair. But that's the implication here.

We know the father. We know we can go to him

and sit before him and ask of him and he will

give and seek and we will find because the father

wants to give good gifts. So as children, we

know the father. Verse 14, I write to you fathers

because you know him. who was from the beginning.

And again, he brings us back to the same understanding.

Not only do the children know the heavenly father,

but the fathers know the heavenly father because

he's from the beginning. And I love this statement

here. It's the reminder when Jesus says, I am

the alpha and omega. He is the everlasting father.

We know him. He is in you. He is light present

in you. We know him. I write to you, young men,

because you are strong. I kind of like that.

As children, we depend on the father to be our

strength. As fathers, we know him and we've learned

to grow and know that he is all he says he is.

As young men, We need to be reminded. Why? Because

young people think they are invincible, but they're

not. So again, John is reminding them. I'm writing

to you, young men, young women, young people,

because you are strong in Christ. Why are you

strong in Christ? Because the word of God abides

in you. Christ lives in you. His word is present

in you and he is present in you. And you have

overcome evil. It's more than just the evil one.

And this is important because we have settled

that our battle is with a fallen angel. That's

bad theology. We get to blame. The creature.

It's the devil's fault. The devil made me do

it. And here the reality is, if we overcome,

we have overcome evil. How have we overcome evil?

I asked the question earlier. Why did God give

us his word? Because it requires that I read

it. What good is the word? If it's closed, it's

sitting on your end table. What good is the word

if I don't have a Bible app on my phone or it's

off? What good is the word? What good is the

word if you don't read it? Why is John saying

I'm writing to you? Because he's telling them

you have to read. I'm writing to you that you

may read it so that you will know. The question

is, do you know? Do you read it? Or do you just

come on Sunday because you think Sunday's enough?

It's enough word for me. I get my word on Sunday

morning and I go home and I'm good for the rest

of the week. Because such and such gave a good

message or I learned this. No, man does not live

by bread alone, but by every word that comes

from the mouth of God. And you have heard from

many pastors. I'm sure even I've said it, right?

If you feed your physical body, you got to feed

your spiritual body. I mean, after all, we don't

want to be spiritually initiated. It's more than

that. The very life of being comes from God's

mouth. And he, in his wisdom and kindness and

goodness, has given us his word, which he has

written through men for you to read. Spend time

in it. If you read one chapter, it'll take you

less than five minutes. Even if you listen to

it. And my challenge to you is if you are going

to read it, read it out loud so you hear yourself.

Because faith comes from a hearing and hearing

that of the word of Christ. How important is

the word to you? Or as I said to the young ones,

is it boring? Granted, the begats are hard to

get through. But there's a reason why it's there.

And all the begats give you life. So enjoy reading

the begats. As you get through the begats, you

move on to another thing. But all of it's important.

All of it's important. All of it is life -giving.

How important is the Word to you? We are a Word

-centered church because we are Christ -centered

people. Be in the Word. Read it. Because He gave

it to you. Father, I want to thank you so much

for your goodness and faithfulness. Thank you

for your word. Thank you for what you're doing

in our lives. Lord, I do pray that you would

give us a hunger and thirst for your word, but

that we, when we are initiated and we are not

hungry because we have gone beyond the spiritual

pain of hunger, where we have just surrendered

to a life of lifelessness. I pray that you would

wake us up through your word. I have hidden your

word in my heart that I might not sin against

you. How can a young man keep his way pure by

living according to your word? Lord, I thank

you and praise you for your word. And I most

of all thank you and praise you for you, the

living and true God, the one whom we worship.

And thank you that you have given us an opportunity

to know you, not only in spirit, but also in

truth.