Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 1 John 2:7-9

The “New” Commandment is an old commandement, which everyone says they embrace, however most of our actions tell a different story. Everyone loves to throw around the word “Love” , but do we actually love our brother and sister? Or do we use this as a catchphrase, do we really love The Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, mind, and soul, or do we just love the idea of eternal life? 

Our first love needs to begin with The Lord, as Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) If we truly love Jesus, then why don’t we submit to His authority? If we are going to identify as a Christian we need to be more like Christ, not like this world.People will always say “Jesus loves me” to justify their lifestyle, and it’s true Jesus does love you, and died for you, however the question is “Do you really love Jesus”? If you do your actions should support your statement

 As the Apostle John said “Because the darkness is past, the true light now shines” You are either in the light or the darkness, there is no in between. You are either Born Again or you are still dead in your sins (John 3, Ephesians 2) There is no sitting on the fence when it comes to be a Christian, you are either all in or all out. True love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, because God is love. You can’t continue to live in the darkness and claim Christ is your Lord. If Christ is in your heart, let your light shine for the world to see, so the world sees Jesus

One issue I would like to address is the hatred in the Church, as the Apostle John said “He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother , is in the darkness even now” There is so much hatred and division within the body of Christ. As I write these words, multiple wolves will come after me who claim to be Christians, there is no light or love in them. Many who claim to be Christians, refuse to gather or fellowship with the body of Christ, there is no light or love in them. If you are truly in Christ, then you can’t hate your brother or sister in Christ. The disobedience to gather with the saints is fruit you truly hate The Lord and his Church

Love One Another, sounds like a simple concept, even has become cliché or a bumper sticker. However to love one another can be one of the most difficult things you can do, however if we truly love Christ, then we truly love one another because our Lord commands this. We love because Christ first loved us (1 John 4:19), because we are filled with the Holy Spirit and sanctified, because The Father has chosen you before the foundations of the world, Amen!

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 1 John 2:3-6

Are you a Christian? Millions , perhaps Billions of people claim to be a Christian, but the Apostle John says here “We do know that we know him (Christ), if we keep his (Christ) commandments” Are we keeping Christ’s commandments? Do we truly love Jesus Christ as our Lord? Or do we just like the thought of eternal life ? There’s a big difference between claiming you are a Christian and actually living like a Christian.

Jesus said “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) There are many people who claim to love Jesus, but they don’t live like they love Jesus. Think about a Parent/Child relationship, the child claims to love their parents, yet doesn’t do anything they ask them to do. Is this love to be disobedient and disrespectful? No this isn’t true love, because true love is action, its not just words or feelings, it’s actually demonstrating your allegiance to someone.

The Apostle John goes on to say “He that says , I know him, and keeps not his (Christ’s) commandments, is a liar” Those who claim to be a Christian and not live like Christ are a liar, they are deceived. Anyone can claim to be something, but if you don’t know or do that thing, you are a liar. For example, I can claim to be a doctor, but if I never practice medicine, if I never was educated, ect. Am I really a doctor? No, I’m deceived, you can;t just claim to be something and not live that identity.

When I was younger, I always claimed to be a Christian, I heard of Jesus therefore I believed I was a Christian. I was decieved, I wasn’t a Christian, I didn’t put my full faith in Jesus Christ , I didn’t submit to Christ’s authority and teachings, I was a false convert like many. But when I truly repented of my sins, I submitted my life to Jesus Christ as my Lord, I was Born Again by the Holy Spirit, I walk in the newness of life, I abide in Christ and Christs abides in me

The Apostle John goes on to say “Whoever claims to abide in him (Christ), ought himself walk just as He (Christ) walked” If we claim to be a Christian, we need to walk like Christ, if you don’t your a liar according to the Holy Spirit. You can’t claim to be a Christian and not abide in Christ, we need to walk with and for Jesus. Everything we do should be for the glory of God, not for ourselves. 

Let’s examine ourselves, are we truly a Christian or are we deceived? If we claim to be a Christian, do we abide in Jesus? Do we keep Christs commandments? Do we love the Lord God with ALL our heart, mind, and soul? Amen!

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2

As the Apostle John revealed to us earlier, we all have a sin problem. As the Apostle John said “if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves”(1 John 1:8) But the good news is (the gospel) that God has a solution for our sin problem, its Jesus Christ, the Advocate and propitiation!

Now of course John begins the message with “I write these things unto you, that you would not sin” Anytime you start talking about sanctification or holiness, people start getting very uncomfortable. But the idea and application of sanctification is Biblical and is what is going to happen to us if we are truly Born Again Christians. If the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, then you are going to be changed and sanctified by the Holy Spirit, you will produce fruits of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7, Galatians 5) which includes abstaining from sin.

Make no mistake about it , we are in a spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6) Your flesh and the Spirit will war with each other on a daily basis. When you become Born Again, its not that you are no longer going to be tempted by sin, however as the Apostle John said “if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteousness” Now of course, this doesn’t mean we continue in sin because we have mercy, but God is merciful when we fall during our Christian walk

This brings up an important point, we can’t save ourselves from our sins. There are no good works that will save you from the penalty of your sins, its only the blood of Jesus Christ, the propitiation , that can atone for your sin and cleanse your sin. Its only Jesus Christ that can justify you and declare you righteous before God the Father. There is absolutely nothing you can do on your own accord. That’s why you must put your genuine faith and trust in Jesus Christ as your advocate, as your propitiation, as your Lord, as your everything, or there is no hope for you

But this is the good news, that we have a Savior, that we have an Advocate, that we have propitiation for our sin, that God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son, because otherwise we would be condemned to eternal damnation by our own actions. When we understand this, we understand how great and merciful God truly is, to save a wretch like me! 

As the Apostle John says “And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” We need to share the good news, the gospel of Christ to the whole world because Christ died for the whole world. And Christ died for you also, the advocate, the propitiation for your sins, repent and put your faith in Christ, receive the Holy Spirit, walk in the newness of life, Amen!

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from  all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

The greatest thing that is keeping people away from Christ, is their refusal or inability to understand their sinful state. When people understand their sinful state, they repent of their sins and cling to Christ for salvation. When people say “I’m a good person” there is no desire for Jesus , because they are deceived into believing they don’t need a Savior. Without a knowledge of sin, there is no desire for salvation, this is why there is so many false converts 

If you walk around and ask people “Are you a good person”? The overwhelming majority will tell you “Yes”, then they will list anything they do good. However if we judge our lives based on the moral law of God (The Ten Commandments) we quickly confirm what scripture tells us “For we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) If you don’t believe me, just walk through the commandments, have you ever lied? Yes, have you ever stolen? Yes, have you ever used Gods name in vain? Yes, We already broke 3 commandments and just got started! The Law brings revelation of sin to us and understanding our sinful nature

As the Apostle John writes here “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” Why do most people have no desire for Jesus Christ? Why do people have no desire to go to Church? Why do they have no desire to read the Bible? Because they are deceived, they believe they have no sin and there will be no consequences on judgment day. 

Scripture tells us “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) There are consequences for your sin, everytime we sin we are storing up the wrath of God , because its the “wages” we have earned for our actions. People will say “How can a loving God send people to Hell”? God doesn’t send anyone to Hell, you send yourself there, the wages of sin is eternal death. 

However there is Good News for everyone, that is the gospel of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle John continues to say “If we confess our sins, He (Christ) is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” God is just and faithful, and not only will Christ forgive our sins, but he will also cleans us by the Holy Spirit from all of our sins. 

We as the Church, its our duty to share this good news with everyone, to share the gospel so everyone can have knowledge of sin and The Lord Jesus Christ, as scripture says “How will they know without a preacher” (Romans 10:14) Preach the gospel , Christ has died, Christ has Risen, Christ will come again! Amen!