1 John 2:7-11

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Scripture 1 John 2:7-11(ESV)

“7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.”

John begins a new thought here with “Beloved”. A term of endearment to the sheep of his flock. He says he is writing no new commandment but a commandment that had been with them since Moses. “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev 19:18). He says it is the word that they had heard since the beginning as a nation. At the same time, it is a new commandment that they had received from Jesus himself. “It is new because love is also the commandment of Jesus (John 13:34; cf. Matt 22:37–40).1” It is a new/old commandment that we should love one another and even our enemies. As that is the greatest commandment that God has given us to love God with all our beings and love our neighbor as ourselves.

The commandment is becoming true as the light is advancing and the darkness is retreating. Despite what you may have heard on the news. Day by day in the true followers of Christ (those walking in love and light) the darkness is being put to death, and the true light is shining. This is a process that has been going on since the advent of Jesus and will continue until the day of his return.

John warns of those who say they are in the light but still harbor hatred towards others. Saying such a person is still in the darkness and not in the light. Walking in the darkness will cause you to stumble. But walking in the light, and hence walking in love for his fellow human.

For example, I used to have good eyes that could see well in the dark as I got older my eyes deteriorated to the point that I have to have lights on or night lights in order to see in the dark. I got tired of stumbling in the darkness and decided to be in the light with regard to my physical sight. The same is true in my spiritual life. There was a time when I was living in spiritual darkness. I came to see the light and I gradually stopped tripping and stumbling around. Now most of the time I walk in the light I still stumble sometimes but Jesus always meets me with his forgiveness and love to restore me to the light.

1Campbell, Constantine R. 1, 2, and 3 John (The Story of God Bible Commentary) (p. 66). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

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