STUDIES IN 1 JOHN

LESSON 5

ON HATING YOUR BROTHER

1 John 2:8-11 (KJV)

 ⁸Again, 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. ⁹He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. ¹¹But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1 John 2:8-11 (AMP)

⁸Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness (^[a]moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light (^[b]the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining. ⁹Whoever says he is in the Light and [yet] hates his brother [Christian, ^[c]born-again child of God his Father] is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰Whoever loves his brother [believer] abides (lives) in the Light, and in It or in him there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin. ¹¹But he who hates (detests, despises) his brother [^[d]in Christ] is in darkness and walking (living) in the dark; he is straying and does not perceive or know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1.    A NEW COMMANDMENT v.8

v  In v. 7 John claims he is not writing a “new commandment” yet in v.8 he says he is; no contradiction here, just renewing the old and refining it’s meaning in Christ

v  He says this is true in Him and in us (we know this by the Spirit & the Word)

v  We see evidence that the darkness is leaving & the light is appearing

2.    CLARIFICATION & UNDERSTANDING v.9

v  This applies not only to family but to Christian relationships as well

v  If we “say” we are in the Light but hate a person in relationship with us, we are in darkness and the Light of Christ is not in us

3.    LOVE IS THE KEY v.10

v  Whoever loves lives in the Light

v  “there is no occasion for stumbling or cause for error or sin”

4.    WARNING ADDED FOR EMPHASIS v.11

v  Anyone who hates his brother (applies to all – no reason or excuse)

v  Is in darkness – walking & living in the dark

v  Straying – not perceiving or understanding where he is going

v  Because darkness has blinded his eyes

WALK IN THE LIGHT AS CHRIST DOES AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DARKNESS.

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