We belong to Christ because His word lives within us and we love one another

1 John 2:1-11

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• If we sin, Jesus Christ does the right thing by speaking for us to His Father.
• We know that we know Him because His word lives in us.
• The Old Testament is the same as the New but brought to life through Jesus Christ.
• The light of Christ brings love for one another, but darkness brings conflict and hostility.

If we sin, Jesus Christ does the right thing by speaking for us to His Father.
“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. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2

The Apostle John addresses us followers of Jesus Christ, guiding us away from a life of sin. He acknowledges that while sinning is an inevitable part of human nature, it should not be seen as an excuse to persist in sin, as Paul also said through the Holy Spirit, “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” Romans 6:15

If any one of us sins, Jesus Christ serves as our intercessor before God, advocating on our behalf. He ensures we remain in God’s grace. Jesus Christ is the sole figure who can maintain our favor with God; no other person, minister, or priest can fulfill this role for us. Jesus’s forgiveness extends beyond Christians; He offers forgiveness for the sins of the entire world. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The grace and forgiveness of God sustain us believers, keeping us moving forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His grace and mercy also stand ready to embrace any unbelievers who seek to come to Him through Jesus Christ.

There is an atheistic entity in this world that has power over physiology that constantly wants to make us stumble into sin. “One, two, three, the devil’s after me, four, five, six, he’s always throwing bricks…” The atheistic entity is able to influence thoughts and desires to pollute the Christian mind and feelings. The aim of Satan is to cause us to stumble into a consistent lifestyle of sin through our words and actions. But “…if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” The atheistic entity enlivens the image of the beast to live and speak through people so that they live without God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Today’s culture is groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do, but God’s grace and mercy are there for them too, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

We know that we know Him because His word lives in us.
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2:3-6

We understand we belong to God through Jesus Christ, as we hold His word in our hearts, in the presence of the Holy Spirit. God forgives the shortcomings of our sinful nature as we continue to abide in Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4 The Word of God is written upon our hearts, and for this reason, He shall forever be our God, and we will forever be His people., “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Hebrews 8:10

Those who claim to live for God through Jesus Christ but do not keep God’s word in their hearts are liars, and the truth is not in them. This is why our Lord Jesus taught us that we recognize them by their fruits. “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7:17-20

As we walk with Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, God’s love is perfected within us. Although we will never achieve perfection in our flesh and blood bodies, which are marred by inherited sin, we are daily being perfected in God’s love. Imperfections of our flesh and blood carnal nature will always exist, yet we can attain perfection in God’s love by living in the Spirit. Jesus Christ served God in the Spirit, and it is in this manner that we should walk, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are assured of an eternal body that awaits us beyond the grave. We groan under the burdens of this earthly body, yearning for the day when we will experience what is promised to us in eternal life, “…the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” Romans 8:21

“For we know that if our earthly house, this [body], is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this [body] groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee…you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance…” 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, Ephesians 1:13-14

The Old Testament is the same as the New but brought to life through Jesus Christ.
“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. 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.” 1 John 2:7-8

The Apostle John is giving the reassurance that he is not writing a new commandment but is adhering to the teaching of the Old Testament, which has been from the beginning. At the same time, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies gives us a new commandment through Jesus Christ, the New Testament. The darkness of living by the letter of the law, with all of the animal sacrifices required, has passed away, and the true light is now shining with the word of God written on our heart through Jesus Christ.

During the time of the Apostles, the Old Testament scriptures were the primary means to reveal that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Son of God. This is the reason the New Testament contains quotations from the Old Testament. Below are some examples where our Lord Jesus Christ is shown to be present during the Old Testament times,

Jesus said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46

Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” John 8:56

“…all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:2-4

“Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents…” 1 Corinthians 10:8-9

“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26

Jesus said, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying: The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’? If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” Matthew 22:43-45

“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” Galatians 3:8

The light of Christ brings love for one another, but darkness brings conflict and hostility.
“He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 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 John 2:9-11

Claiming to live in the light is one thing, but causing conflict, turmoil, and strife among others, including the followers of Jesus Christ, indicates a life still in darkness. Such darkness is a path that leads to the destruction of lives and even death. “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:56 Those of us who love others and follow Jesus Christ walk in the light, bringing life and Salvation to others. Walking in the light of Jesus Christ, we desire to show others that God loves them and offers life and eternal life., “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Today’s culture think they are walking in the light with their uncanny knowledge and heightened intuition that is given to them by the atheistic entity giving them what to think, feel, say, and do. “And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 However, they are walking in darkness as they despise anyone who believes in God, or lives for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or embraces the presence of the Holy Spirit. Their eyes have been blinded and their conscience and spirit replaced to give life to the image of the beast to live and speak through them. They have no idea where they are headed as they are conformed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do.

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11