The New And Improved Commandment Of 1st John! Series

Perhaps you have noticed with me that one of the marketing techniques that manufactures use is to stimulate a new interest in their product by making the assertion that there product, though it is the same old product, is now, new and improved!

What is the point of this introduction?

Well one of the greatest challenges that the apostles had I believe, when trying to convert their Jewish brethren, was to convince them that God was doing away with an Old Covenant that He had established through Moses, in lieu of a Covenant that was new and improved, even though it was prophesied by Jeremiah!

Jeremiah 31:31 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.-NIV

Why?

Hebrews 8:7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. -NIV

Hebrews 8:9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. -NIV

And so it’s improvement would be based on several better ingredients according to the writer of Hebrews…it would be a..

Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. -NKJV

Because…it is based on..

Hebrews 7:19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. -NKJV

Because it is…

Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. -NKJV

And upon…

Hebrews 9:23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. -NKJV

Insuring us..

Hebrews 10:34 for you had compassion on me[fn] in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. -NKJV

Because it is founded on a…

Hebrews 1:4 (Jesus better name) having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

In fact Paul refers to the 1st covenant as….

2 Corinthians 3: 7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! – NIV

Well the reason that I took you down this road, is because of the topic that John brings before his readership, and what I’ve entitled this message after…

The New and Improved Commandment of 1st John!

And I base this statement on this:

1 John 2: 7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. 8a On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in Him -NASB

It’s Old, and Yet it is New, my take on it is that it is new and improved…

And so my proposition to you from this passage today is this:

An examination of the “New and Improved Commandment” of 1 John 2, will place before us the essence and the evidence of eternal life!

In other words…

My obedience to this command is the evidence as to whether I possess eternal life or not!

And this is one of the major thrusts of the writings of John….

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. -KJV

So let’s begin with…

I. The Importance of the commands.

1 John 2:3a By this we know that we have come to know Him,( if )

A) Point?

1. If – introduces a condition.

a) Condition?

1 John 2:3b we keep His commandments.

John 17:3 “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent. -KJV

B) Proof?

1. Of possessing eternal life?

a) Keeping his commands!

1 John 2:4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: