1 John 2:7 ...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.

INTRODUCTION:

1. In our study of 1st John, we have seen thus far...
a. That John's aim is that we may have fellowship with the Father
and the Son, so our joy may be full (1 John 1:1-4)...
b. That fellowship with the Father is contingent upon:
1) Our walking in the light (1 John 1:5-7)...
2) Confessing our sins (1 John 1:8-10)...
3) Making use of our "advocate" and "propitiation", Jesus Christ
the Righteous (1 John 2:1-2)...
c. And that fellowship with the Son (Jesus) depends upon our:
1) Keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3-5a)...
2) Walking as He walked (1 John 2:5b-6)...
-- Otherwise, it is not true that we "abide in Him", nor truly
"know Him"

2. Having stressed the importance of keeping the commandments of Jesus if we are to have fellowship with Him and the Father...
a. John proceeds to discuss one commandment in particular (text)...
b. He discusses what we can call "An Old, Yet New Commandment"..

Let's consider first...

I. THE COMMANDMENT ITSELF...

A. IT IS AN "OLD" COMMANDMENT (v.8)...

1. He does not write about something totally new to them...
2. But something they had heard "from the beginning" (i.e., from
the beginning of the gospel)...

B. IT IS A "NEW" COMMANDMENT (v.9)...

1. That is, it is ever fresh; though old in time, it is never stale...
2. It is a commandment that is ever true in Jesus, and it is true
in His disciples...
3. It is both true and new because...
a. "the darkness is passing away, and the true light is
already shining"
b. With the coming of the Messiah (Jesus), light has begun to
penetrate the darkness..

Matthew 4:13 ...And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet (9:2), saying: 15 "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned." 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

John 1:4 ...In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it....8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

C. IT IS THE COMMAND TO "LOVE ONE ANOTHER"...

1. How do we know this?
a. It is implied by vs.9-11...
b. It is stated clearly in 1 John 3:11; 4:21...

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,...And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

c. This command was "from the beginning" (of the gospel)...

John 13:34 ...A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."....15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you....17 "These things I command you, that you love one another.

2. What does it mean to "love one another"?
a. It may be helpful to first review the different Greek words
for "love"...
1) "storge" - describes love of family
2) "eros" - carnal, sexual love
3) "phileo" - love for dear friends
4) "agape" - active goodwill toward others
b. It is "agape" love that we are commanded to have in this
text...
1) This is the love commanded in John 13:34-35...
2) It is that concern to meet the needs of others that is best
exemplified in the life and death of Jesus...

1 John 3:16 ...By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

c. Therefore, to "love one another" is to consider the needs of
one another, and to actively work toward meeting those
needs (i.e., follow Jesus' example!)...

Having identified what commandment is being discussed, consider what John says about...

II. THE EFFECT OF NOT KEEPING THIS COMMANDMENT...

A. ONE "IS IN DARKNESS" (v.9)...

"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."

1. When a person claims to walk in the light, but hates his brother,
he is still in darkness!
2. Indeed, he has always been in darkness!
a. Notice; "is in darkness until now"...
b. Despite what they may claim, they have not yet passed from
darkness to light!
c. Or as expressed later, they have not yet passed from death
to life!

1 John 3:14 ...We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

B. ONE "DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS GOING" (v.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. He may "think" he has fellowship with God, that he is saved, but
he is blind!
2. He fails to realize the absurdity of his claim to know and love
God...

1 John 4:20 ...If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

3. Blinded by darkness (hate), he cannot see that he is on the
road to hell!

Does this not illustrate the importance of keeping this "old, yet new"
commandment? Its importance is further illustrated as we consider...

III. THE EFFECT OF KEEPING THIS COMMANDMENT...

A. ONE "ABIDES IN THE LIGHT" (2:10a)...

1 John 2:10 ...He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

1. Meaning that they are in full fellowship with the Father!

1 John 1:7 ...But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

2. And they enjoy the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus!
(1 John 1:7b)
-- So unless we love one another, fellowship and forgiveness is
not possible!

B. "THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR STUMBLING" (2:10b)...

1. Abiding in the light, he can see clearly as he walks...

2. Fellowship with God makes it possible to "know where he is
going" (unlike the one who hates his brother and is in darkness)...
3. This does not imply sinlessness...
a. Remember 1 John 1:8,10...

1 John 1:8 ...If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.... 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

b. But as one walks in the light (in fellowship with God), he
knows what to do when he sins, and in what direction he
should be headed...

1 John 1:9 ...If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

CONCLUSION:

1. This "old, yet new" commandment is very important:
a. If we are not keeping it, we are still in darkness!
b. If we are in darkness...
1) We are not walking in the light!
2) We are not having fellowship with God, and the blood of Jesus
does not cleanse us from our sins!
3) We cannot have that "fullness of joy" (1 John 1:4)...

"And these things we write to you that your joy may be full."

2. It is only appropriate, then, to close this lesson with the
admonition of John found later in his epistle...

1 John 4:7-8 ...Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

By Ron Lehde