Basic Principles Of Knowing God (Part 2) Series

Series: 1 John

Week: Six

Passage: 1 John 2:7-11

Title: Basic Principles of Knowing God (Part 2)

Focus: Furthering Fellowship

Last Week in Review

Week 5 – PRINCIPLES (Knowing God): (1) Keep His Commandments (2) Keep His Word (Conclusion) Walk Like Jesus.

TITLE: Basic Principles of Knowing God (1 John 2:7-11)

INTRODUCTION: John communicates the importance of obedience in the last verses that we have already discussed (1) 3-6 – keep God’s commands (10) and (2) Keep God’s Word (Bible). When one obeys the Lord by walking as Jesus walked there is a personal intimacy and deeper knowledge of God. Remember, Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17) so John goes deeper past the (10) commandments God gave and speaks about that commandment which is the greatest (as we talked about last week). Perhaps you are familiar with the story…

“Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40

This is nothing John’s audience had not heard before as John was simply speaking about Jesus reciting that, which was in the Old Testament…

“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 19:18

This commandment, as John says is “no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.” (1 John 2:7) and is critical to continuing to get to know God more.

TITLE: Basic Principles of Knowing God (1 John 2:7-11)

Point #1: Know the Father if You Keep the Greatest Commandment (1 John 2:7-8)

• Explanation: What is sometimes old seems old when delivered in the original packaging. However something old can be “made new” by taking that which was old and restoring it to a condition that is acceptable. As John states, the “old” commandment is “at the same time” (1 John 2:8) “new”. Two different individuals realize this in/at two different times.

o Realization of Christ: Jesus, being while 100% God and still 100% completely human came to the realization in his earthly ministry that what was once old was not to be eliminated but reinstated. (“The law and the prophets hang on these two commands. Matthew 22:40). There must be a love for God and a love for each other.

o Realization of Christ Followers: What is true in Christ is also true in us because “the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8). This means that whatever Christ deemed important because of Him being God, that we too must also put in importance as we continue to walk the ways Jesus walked. He says that the old and new commandments are not in opposition but are two heads of the same coin. They (Old and New Testaments) contain the same basic truth.

• A conformation to Christ is that which one willing chooses to eliminate the darkness in his or her life and allow the light to illuminate his or her path properly for proper living.

• Illustration:

• Application: For us it is important to note that what Jesus did in His work on earth to paves the way for us as believers. Jesus gives the believer an opportunity to no longer walk in darkness. The believer is to be in the light (1 John 1:5-10).

o NOTE: This does not mean that there is no longer darkness in the world (Col 2:8, 20) but that the believer has strength through the Spirit to walk in the light and to have full confidence in the eternal victory of Christ over darkness (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

• “A new command (Old with a facelift) I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

• Since the new commandment contains the same basic truth as the old commandment, but the new commandment is demonstrated in 5 notable ways:

o Jesus (God) showed love

• Through experiences and fellowship with GOD

o Jesus (God) reaffirmed love

• Through experiences with others

• Examples: Disciples, Mary, Martha, Lost souls, Peter’s mother in law, etc.

o Jesus (God) taught love

• His disciples were to love others as he had loved them – with humility