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, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1. God has commanded us to love (2:7-11)

2.  We are born of God & His Spirit lives in us (3:10-24)

3. God first revealed His love to us (4:7-21)

A. That is “an old commandment”

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…

Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5; Mk. 12:28-34

“from the beginning”

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.

1 John 2:24 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.

καινός (kainos) new as to form or quality, of a different nature

nέος (neos) new in time, recent

B. That is “the Word”

God did not give us a sermon; He gave us His Spirit

Romans 5:5  …the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

B. That is “the Word”

God did not give us a sermon; He gave us His Spirit

1 Thessalonians 4:9 …concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

New in Emphasis – Jesus gave love a new meaning for He loved…

• not only friends, but also enemies.• not only good people, but also bad people.• not only the righteous, but also the sinner.• not only the acceptable, but also the rejected.• not only the clean, but the dirty.

New in Source – Jesus gave us His Spirit so that we can love as He loves…

John 13:34–35  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

C. That is “true in Him and in you”

8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you,

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

A. The Truth:

…which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

Darkness is

passing

True lightis

already shining

Darkness = walking in hatred

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Darkness = walking in hatred

John 12:35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

Darkness = walking in hatred

II Corinthians 4:6  For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of dark-ness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

B. Those in Darkness: (9)

1) “Says he is in the light”

2) “But hates his brother”

3) “Is in darkness until now”

1 John 2:9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

1 John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Matthew 6:23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

C. Those is the Light (10)10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

1) “Abides in the Light”

2) “Loves his brother”

3) “Is no cause for stumbling in him”

Consequences of HateConsequences of HateEvidences a life without God (2:9-11; 4:19-21)

Blinds & remains in darkness (2:9-11)

Lives without direction & purpose (2:9-11)

Marks one as a child of Satan (3:10)

Bars one from eternal life (3:15)

Proves one does not love God (4:19-21)