Book & Chapter
Version

Summary

1 John 2:1–2 – Christ our advocate and atoning sacrifice

What happens: John writes so believers will not sin, yet if they do, Jesus Christ the righteous is their advocate with the Father. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and also for the whole world.

What it means: God is just and merciful, providing His Son to intercede and atone. Assurance rests on Christ’s work, not our performance. The principle is run to Christ when you sin.


1 John 2:3–11 – Obedience and love as tests of knowing God

What happens: We know we know Him if we keep His commandments. Claiming to abide while hating a brother shows darkness. The old yet new command is to love, and love proves the light has dawned.

What it means: God’s nature is love and holiness; true knowledge of Him produces obedience and love. The principle is that doctrine and life must agree.


1 John 2:12–14 – Encouragement to all stages

What happens: John addresses children, fathers, and young men, affirming forgiveness, knowledge of the Father, and victory over the evil one.

What it means: God cares for believers at every stage and supplies strength to overcome. The principle is identity and assurance rooted in God’s word.


1 John 2:15–17 – Do not love the world

What happens: Do not love the world or its desires: the desires of the flesh and eyes, and pride of life. The world passes away, but whoever does God’s will remains.

What it means: God calls for undivided devotion; worldly cravings fade, but His will endures. The principle is to set desire on what lasts.


1 John 2:18–27 – Antichrists and abiding truth

What happens: Many antichrists appear, denying that Jesus is the Christ. They depart from the church, showing they were not of it. Believers have an anointing from the Holy One and know the truth. They must let what they heard abide in them.

What it means: God equips His people with the Spirit and the word to resist deception. Denying the Son rejects the Father. The principle is to abide in the gospel to remain secure.


1 John 2:28–29 – Abide and practice righteousness

What happens: Abide in Christ so you may have confidence at His coming. Everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him.

What it means: God’s new birth produces righteous living and bold hope. The principle is steady abiding that bears visible fruit.


Application

  • When you sin, go to Jesus your advocate and trust His atonement.
  • Reject worldly desires and let the gospel abide in you.
  • Prove your knowledge of God by loving obedience and righteous practice.

Bible

1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.

10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.

11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

12I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

13I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.

14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

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