Called 4 Jesus

Living in the Light of Christ

Scripture Text:

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

3. We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6. Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” 7. Dear friends, I am not writing you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

A Heart of Love and Protection

John begins by reinforcing what he established in chapter one, using a tender phrase—”my dear children”—that reveals the deep love he has for his readers. This isn’t merely casual affection; it demonstrates a pastoral heart concerned for their spiritual well-being.

The central message of this passage is clear: do not sin. However, John also acknowledges a sobering reality—accidents happen, and when they do, we have an advocate: Jesus. An advocate serves as our representative before the judge, who is the Father. Much like a lawyer speaks on behalf of a client, Jesus stands with us and speaks for us. Furthermore, this advocate is completely trustworthy and dependable.

Yet here’s the critical warning: if a person deliberately refuses to obey God’s commands while on earth, they risk being without an advocate when they need one most. To put it plainly, when someone purposefully sins against God, they are gambling with their salvation and eternal judgment.

The Urgency of Today

Consider how quickly life can change. I remember joking around with my friends one moment—minutes later, they were gone. Do you think any of us were discussing death in those carefree moments? Of course not. We were young, living with the assumption that death was 50 or 60 years away.

Think about the young man who was crossing railroad tracks while absorbed in his cell phone conversation. A train struck him, and he was dead in the blink of an eye. Do you imagine he was telling his mother, “I have 30 seconds to live—do you have anything important to tell me?” Death rarely announces itself.

The Bible makes no promise of tomorrow. Today is the day of genuine repentance, and we must take it seriously. Just because you’re alone in your room doesn’t mean you’re safe from the reality of mortality. Live each day as if it might be your last, because one day, you’ll be right.

Our Righteous Advocate

Jesus stands in right relationship with the Father. He is the atonement—the complete reparation for our sins. This is not something we should ever take lightly or forsake.

Importantly, Jesus doesn’t evaluate people based on intelligence or productivity. Jesus wants your heart—not merely in words, but in your soul, heart, and body. He gave us a new commandment that encompasses everything: Love God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Choosing Love Over Offense

I work to live out this commandment as an example. Truthfully, there’s plenty I could be offended by, but I choose love instead. My personal struggles could easily dominate my perspective—my limitations, financial pressures, physical weakness, lack of sleep. Then there’s the overwhelming nature of the world itself: pain, bills, cruel people, and even those who claim to follow Christ but act otherwise.

If I focused on the negative, I could become a monster. Instead, I deliberately choose to restrain my reactions to demonstrate something better to my family and friends. I give my problems to God, which significantly reduces my desire to sin against both people and God.

Truth Revealed Through Obedience

The passage continues: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

Keeping His commands demonstrates that we have truly come to know and understand Him. Conversely, the opposite is equally true: those who deliberately, persistently sin are liars, and the truth is not in them.

This connects to Jesus’s declaration in John 14:6, where He identifies Himself as “the way, the truth, and the life”:

The way – our spiritual journey

Truth – shining light on the things that belong to God

Life – zoe, meaning God-breathed life

This means God illuminates our spiritual journey, providing a clear path to follow. Where does this path lead? Toward eternal life. The choice is yours: allow God’s presence to direct you rather than unholy desires. Follow life or follow death.

The Old Command Made New

John concludes this section: “Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.”

The “beginning” John references echoes what he established in chapter one. The command he’s highlighting is the most essential truth: eternal life exists only in Jesus. He is the sole access point to the Father—nothing added, nothing subtracted.

Many religious systems that claim to be Christian add their own requirements: “It’s Jesus plus our doctrine.” However, anyone who teaches this fails to understand the ancient commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me”—before Jesus. No other idols. The new command flows from this: love God with everything you have.

John personally saw Jesus, met Him, knew Him intimately, and understands Him as the truth itself. As we grow in knowing Jesus, the darkness passes away from us, and the true light shines progressively brighter in us and through us.

An Obsession Worth Having

I’ve been called obsessed with Jesus, and I gladly accept that description. The world offers countless things to obsess over, but in time, they will all pass away. Jesus and His words will never pass away.

That’s an obsession worth having.

God bless