26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
Children of God
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
So for a quick recounting John has “stated the reality of salvation” in 1:5-10. We know that he’s not writing to question but to confirm this in those who believe in the name of the Son of God (5:13).
He then went on to explain the testing of that “stated reality” starting in chapter 2. The initial test dealt with the sensitivity to sin in 2:1-2, (I previously stated obedience was the first test but sensitivity to sin is…then obedience) he then jumps right into obedience in 2:3. This obedience to the commands yields a perfecting of God’s love revealed in walking in the way Jesus walked. We know there is ongoing action from this stated reality revealed in the tests because he’s already used 10 perfect verbs. He starts 2:7 by explaining it’s not a new commandment but an old commandment (the word that you heard) but it is a new commandment that is true in him and in you. The reality of this new commandment is revealed in how you relate to your brother…do you love him, then the light abides in you. Do you hate him…then you are really walking in darkness and darkness has blinded his eyes and he does not know where he is going. A brief additional comment to this “New Command” which is really no new command. The newness of this command has actually changed the standard previously from loving others like you love yourselves Matt 22:39) to loving others as Jesus loved us…He died for us (John 13:34).
John then stops to address his audience with a delayed parenthetical address. This address is complete with indicatives and perfects that reveal that sins being forgiven, knowing, overcoming all have an ongoing effect that leads John to give them an imperative that in light of all this “Do not love the world or the things in the world”. John then slides in a third class conditional statement that says a great deal more than the English will allow. “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” I’ve mentioned this elsewhere but if a third class conditional sentence has in the protasis a subjunctive (if anyone loves the world) that is conditional in apodisis with a present tense the condition and is met, it is an absolute (the love of the Father is not in them…presently). John’s point, if you love the world…the love of the Father is not in you. He closes this section with a principle he has expressed twice before but in this case he ties it with doing the will of God. Abiding…what does it mean to abide. There are 12 sections (actually more uses, but this pattern is similar, 2:6,10,17, 24, 27; 3:6, 9, 15, 24; 4:12, 15, 16) where John talks about either abiding in: Christ, the light, forever, God’s seed (actually abiding in us 3:9), eternal life (actually eternal life abiding in us 3:15), in God and in love. This abiding reflects nothing more than ultimately spending eternity with God (aka Heaven).
John closes this section with a litmus test, complete with 2 perfect verbs (remember –ongoing effect). The litmus test starts with the command to abide and closes with the two perfect verbs of “if you KNOW” and “has been BORN”. If you KNOW that He is righteous…there is an ongoing effect. What is this ongoing effect, you practice righteousness. John closes with “being BORN of Him” results in, you guessed it practicing righteousness. So do you practice righteousness? Paul has stated that we have been set free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and it’s end, eternal life (Rom 6:22). We have been set free to practice righteousness. So I ask again, do you practice righteousness. John will close our next section with a similar litmus test in regards to purifying ourselves but let’s not miss his message. He is writing to his beloved to confirm their salvation, not to harp on them or annoy them but to confirm what God has done in them. What God has done in those that believe on the name of His Son is revealed in how they live their lives…they practice righteousness. More on this later but don’t miss the question now: Do you practice righteousness? Is this the pattern of your life? Remember this is not your ability to perform but God’s character being revealed. All for now. Hope you are well and growing in grace. Alan
