1st John 2: Many Antichrists Have Already Come

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Parent Category: Division 7. Letters-James/Peter/John/Jude
Category: 1st John-Jude
  1. Overview
  2. Chapter & Audio
  3. Q&A

Overview

In this chapter, John discusses the role of Christ, as an advocate for the sins of believers.

He outlines the commandment of love, and warns against, loving worldly things.

He also addresses spiritual children, young men, and fathers, reminding them of their relationship with Christ.

This chapter provides further depth, and clarity, on the nature of sin, righteousness, and how believers are to live their lives in this world.

Bible Study/Commentary

Verses 1-2: Christ as Advocate

John's aim here is not to encourage sin, but rather, to provide reassurance, for those who falter.

He identifies Jesus Christ, as the righteous advocate, which means He is our attorney.

He says that Jesus is, the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation means that His death made the full payment for our sins.

John emphasizes that Jesus' sacrifice, was not only for the believers he is directly addressing, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Verses 3-6: Knowing God Through Obedience

John argues that obedience, to God's commandments, is the test of knowing God.

He says that a person, who claims to know God, but does not keep His commandments, is a liar.

John asserts that obeying God's word, and living as Jesus did, are the hallmarks of a true believer.

Verses 7-11. The New Commandment of Love.

In these verses, John reiterates, the commandment of love.

He says, that the old commandment, which was taught from the beginning by Jesus, is the new commandment of love.

He also says, that the commandment is this, that we are to believe in Jesus.

He argues that hatred, symbolizes darkness, and causes a person to live in darkness, and to be spiritually blind.

He contrasts darkness as hatred, with love representing light.

Verses 12-14: Addressing Believers, as little children, young men, or fathers!

Here, John addresses three levels of spiritual maturity: They are little children, young men, or fathers!

John emphasizes, the forgiveness of sins in Christ, the knowledge of God, and the overcoming of the evil one.

Verses 15-17:  John Warns Against Loving this World

John's warning, is to not love the world, or the things that are in the world.

He sees love for the world, as incompatible, with love for the Father.

John elaborates, that the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, do not come from the Father, but from the world.

He concludes by stating, that the world and its desires, is passing away, but whoever does the will of God, will live forever.

Verses 18-27: Warning Against Antichrists

In this section, John warns believers about antichrists, who deny Jesus as the Christ.

These people, according to John, are deceivers and liars.

He reminds believers, of the anointing they received, that teaches them, all things that will lead them to truth, and righteousness.

Verses 28-29: Abiding in Him

John concludes this chapter, by encouraging believers, to abide in Christ, so that they will not be ashamed, when He returns.

He also links righteousness, to being born of God, emphasizing that those who practice righteousness, are born of Him.

Overall Summary

1st John Chapter 2 provides teachings for believers, emphasizing the role of Christ, as an advocate for our sins.

He also emphasizes the importance of obeying God's commandments: to love one another, and to believe in Jesus.

The commandment of love, is central to the life of a believer.

John gives special warnings, about the love of worldly things, and the presence of antichrists, in the world.

The chapter is marked, by calls to spiritual maturity, right living, and abiding in Christ, underscoring the foundational themes of love, obedience, and truth.

1st John  2

Christ Our Advocate

2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

The New Commandment

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.

12 I am writing to you, little children,
    because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
    because you have overcome the evil one.
I write to you, children,
    because you know the Father.
14 I write to you, fathers,
    because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
    because you are strong,
    and the word of God abides in you,
    and you have overcome the evil one.

Do Not Love the World

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Warning Concerning Antichrists

18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.

26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Children of God

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Q&A

  1. a. Why did John write these things? 2:1
    b. If we sin, what do we have with the Father? 2:1
    c. Who is the propitiation for our sins? 2:2
    d. Who else is this for? 2:2
    • 1 My little children,
      these things I write to you,
      so that you may not sin.
      And if anyone sins,
      we have an Advocate
      with the Father,
      Jesus Christ the righteous.
       2 And He Himself
      is the propitiation
      for our sins,
      and not for ours only
      but also for the whole world.
  2. a. How do we know that we know Him? 2:3
    b. If a person says he knows Him and does not keep His commandments, what is he? 2:4
    c. Who is the love of God truly perfected in?
    d. If we do this, what do we know? 2:5
    e. How should we walk? 2:6
    • 3 Now by this we know that we know Him,
      if we keep His commandments.
    • 4 He who says, “I know Him,”
      and does not keep His commandments,
      is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
    • 5 But whoever keeps His word,
      truly the love of God is perfected in him.
      By this we know that we are in Him.
    • 6 He who says he abides in Him
      ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
  3.  a. How long had they had the old commandment? 2:7
    b. Who is the new commandment true in? 2:8
    c. What is passing away? 2:8
    d. What is already shining? 2:8
    e. When a person says that he is in the light, but hates his brother, what is he actually in? 2:9
    f. When a person loves his brother, what does he abide in? 2:10
    g. Why will he not stumble? 2:10
    h. What is he who hates his brother, walking in? 2:11
    i. Why does he not know where he is going? 2:11
    • 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,
      ecause the darkness
      has blinded his eyes.
  4. a. What does John want little children to know about their sins? 2:12
    b. For whose sake are they forgiven? 2:12
    c. Why did he write to fathers? 2:13
    d. Who have young men overcome? 2:13
    e. Why did he write to little children? 2:13
    f. Who do fathers know? 2:14
    g. Why are young men strong? 2:14
    • 12 I write to you,
      little children,
      Because your sins
      are forgiven you
      for His name’s sake.
    • 13 I write to you, fathers,
      Because you have known Him
      who is from the beginning.
      I write to you,
      young men,
      Because you
      have overcome the wicked one.
      I write to you,
      little children,
      Because you have known the Father.
    • 14 I have written to you,
      fathers,
      Because you have known Him
      who is from the beginning.
      I have written to you,
      young men,
      Because you are strong,
      and the word of God abides in you,
      And you have overcome
      the wicked one.
  5. a. What are we not to love? 2:15
    b. If anyone loves the world, what is not in them? 2:15
    c. What three things does John say are in the world? 2:16
    d. Who are all these things not of? 2:16
    e. What is happening to the world? 2:17
    f. What is passing away with the world? 2:17
    g. Who will live or abide forever? 2:17
    • 15 Do not love the world
      or the things in the world.
      If anyone loves the world,
      the love of the Father
      is not in him.
    • 16 For all that is in the world—
      the lust of the flesh,
      the lust of the eyes,
      and the pride of life—
      is not of the Father
      but is of the world.
    • 17 And the world
      is passing away,
      and the lust of it;
      but he who does
      the will of God
      abides forever.
  6. a. What hour did John say that it was? 2:18
    b. Who had they heard was coming? 2:18
    c. Who had already come back then? 2:18
    d. What do we know by this? 2:18
    e. Why had some gone out from them? 2:19
    f. If they were of them, who would they have continued with? 2:19
    g. When they went out, what did it manifest (bring to light) about them? 2:19
    • 18 Little children,
      it is the last hour;
      and as you have heard
      that the Antichrist is coming,
      even now many antichrists
      have come,
      by which we know
      that it is the last hour.
    • 19 They went out from us,
      but they were not of us;
      for if they had been of us,
      they would have continued with us;
      but they went out
      that they might be made manifest,
      that none of them were of us. 
  7. a. Who do we have an anointing from? 2:20
    b. What things will He allow us to know? 2:20
    c. Why did John write to them? 2:21
    d. What are lies not of? 2:21
    e. What does a liar deny about Jesus? 2:22
    f. What is a person who denies the Father and the Son? 2:22
    • 20 But you have an anointing
      from the Holy One,
    • and you know all things.
      21 I have not written to you
      because you do not know the truth,
      but because you know it,
      and that no lie is of the truth.
      22 Who is a liar
      but he who denies
      that Jesus is the Christ?
      He is antichrist
      who denies the Father
      and the Son.
    • 23 Whoever denies the Son
      does not have the Father either;
      he who acknowledges the Son
      has the Father also.
  8. a. If a person denies the Son, who do they not have? 2:23
    b. If a person confesses or acknowledges Jesus, who do they have also? 2:23
    c. What should we let abide in us? 2:24
    d. If what you heard from the beginning (the true gospel) abides in you, who will you abide in? 2:24
    e. What promise has He given us? 2:25
    f. Why did John write these things? 2:26
    g. Who do we have an anointing from? 2:27
    • 24 Therefore let that abide in you
      which you heard from the beginning.
      If what you heard from the beginning
      abides in you,
      you also will abide
      in the Son and in the Father.
    • 25 And this is the promise
      that He has promised us—eternal life.
      26 These things I have written to you
      concerning those who try to deceive you.
    • 27 But the anointing
      which you have received
      from Him abides in you,
      and you do not need
      that anyone teach you;
      but as the same anointing teaches you +
      concerning all things,
      and is true,
      and is not a lie,
      and just as it has taught you,
      you will abide in Him.
  9. a. If a deceiver tries to sway us from the true gospel, why do we not need them? 2:27
    b. Who have we received our anointing from that teaches us all things? 2:27
    c. Why are we to abide in Him? 2:28
    d. If we abide in Him, what confidence can we have now? 2:28
    e. What do we know about everyone who practices righteousness? 2:29
    • 28 And now, little children,
      abide in Him,
      that when He appears,
      we may have confidence
      and not be ashamed before Him
      at His coming.
    • 29 If you know that He is righteous,
      you know that everyone
      who practices righteousness
      is born of Him.