Think of John as a close friend, sharing this wisdom with you over a hot beverage. He opens today’s passage with “Dear friends,” after all. John gets right to the point by telling us to love one another, a commandment that has been around for generations. John was privileged to see love lived out before his eyes in the person of Jesus. John encourages us to love like that when we let the light of Christ dispel the darkness in our lives.
The darkness of this world will always scream for our attention. When I speak of the “world,” don’t think I’m referring to the beautiful earth and stars that God created, or the people God loves so much. The “world” refers to the attitudes and distractions that pull us away from Jesus, and a sinful humanity, enticing us to ignore and rebel against God.
John does a good job of describing the false and temporary pleasures the “world” offers. He warns us not to love the world. It’s “fading away.” We should put our trust, hope, and love into what lasts forever. John says, “But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.” What pleases God? We find clues in His Word all over the place.
We don’t want to be one of those people John refers to as being blinded by the darkness. We need Jesus as our protector and guide to avoid situations that are dark and treacherous. We should be looking for the light we find in God’s Word, the truth about life. How can we trust any other source?
John emphasizes why he writes and to whom, covering several verses that even repeat themselves. His message is for believers, old and young, applauding all for knowing right from wrong and battling evil. I felt empowered knowing John wrote me a message. He said, “So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies.” According to John, I know the truth, Jesus, and because of his discerning Spirit, I can tell the difference between truth and lies. I have to say it’s getting a lot harder these days with so much misinformation being shared as truth. One more piece of evidence showing how the “world” corrupts.
John tells us to love our neighbors and not to love the world. Loving God should be our number one priority. John felt it necessary to warn us about antichrists who will come pretending to be God. Again, the Holy Spirit can help us see through those lies and expose the darkness. How do we know?
John says, “Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist.” Many people could fit into that category, so you’ll notice the lowercase “a” in that reference. The notion of a coming Antichrist with a capital “A” would signal an end-times battle with Jesus himself. You can read more about that in my blog post entitled “Jesus the Warrior.”
Any time we are lost or confused, we can turn to the Holy Spirit. John didn’t want us to forget that. “For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” How reassuring in our day! The messages of the world will confuse. Remember this: Love God and Love Each Other.
Let’s pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for the perfect example of love and truth you gave us when you walked this planet. Help me follow your example. Protect me from the lies of this world and fill me with your discerning wisdom. Help me to love as you loved and give me eyes to see as you see. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
