1 Jn 2:3-6

Are you a Talker, or a Walker?
(The Test of Obedience)
1 Jn 2:3-6

Introductory Thoughts

· “The point of the arrow” for this passage—this is a test for each individual to apply to himself or herself. This is shown by two key phrases or terms used in the passage.
· The First vital term: “…The One saying…” Verses 4, 6, 9

1 John 2:4 "He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
1 John 2:6 "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."
1 John 2:9 "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."

a. The Key issue here—saying versus doing!

(1) “The one who says…” is negative.
(2) The “one who says…” is not the one who does, but he ought to be the one who does. James 1:21-27

b. The next key term “…By this…” Ties the message together


1. By this we Know that we have come to know Him.

a. Review—the two basic words for “know” used in this letter
(1) Oida
(2) Ginosko—the word for experiential knowledge

b. The tenses of Ginosko in this phrase
(1) First tense—Present—
(a) By this we know now and continuously
(b) By this we know by experience, not just mentally
(2) Second tense—perfect—by this we know that we have come to know Him

c. Reminder, our coming to God is individual, and it happens at a point in time

(1) Rom 10:9-10—the ultimate “if, then” statement in the Bible!
(2) If we confess with out mouth—

(a) Confess—2nd person, singular è
(b) Confess—aorist tense

(3) and
(4) Believe in our heart—

(a) Believe—2nd person, singular
(b) Believe—aorist tense

d. Bottom line—what John is about to tell us is a sign, a test, by which we can know by experience that we have, at some time in the past, come to know God.

2. The Sign of True salvation—if we keep His commandments.

a. What this doesn’t mean—

(1) It does not, and cannot mean any form of perfectionism, because the apostle has just roasted all forms of perfectionism in 1:8-10
(2) It does not mean external conformity to a set of principles, but internal conformity to the Holy Spirit. Jesus made it plain that it is the heart that is important.
(3) Having said that, if there is internal conformity, there will be a growth in external conformity.

b. What it does mean—the same thing that Jesus said, that Paul wrote, etc.—Christianity has ethical boundaries!

(1) John 14:15—"If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
(2) Mat 28:19-20: the great commission includes teaching disciples to observe (keep, same word) all that He has taught. Note, if a church or a preacher wants to be true in discipleship, that discipleship MUST include the teaching of a consistent walk.
(3) “…he does not mean that those who wholly satisfy the Law keep His commandments (and no such instance can be found in the world), but those who strive, according to the capacity of human infirmity, to form their life in obedience to God…” John Calvin

3. The Examples

a. First example—the big talker who is not a walker
(1) If you say you are saved and don’t live like it, you are a liar!
(2) There is a double condemnation
(a) You are a liar if you say this
(b) The Truth is not in you: you are lost!
(3) This is a Negative Example “…The one who says…” this is a specific example, and this is a personal example—first person

(a) The word is a participle—“…the one who is saying…”
(b) “…that I have come to know Him…” perfect tense, ginosko
(c) “…and who is not the one keeping…”
(d) “…is a liar…” AND “…the truth is not in him…”

b. The second example—the walker—the one who keeps the Word (but who is not shown as saying anything).
(1) Whoever keeps—the “whoever” that is not as popular!
(2) Keeps the Word—present tense, speaking of a habit
(3) Truly
(4) “…in this one the love of God has been perfected…”
(a) Perfect tense—an accomplished fact
(b) Passive voice—the perfecting comes from outside
(c) The love of God—not feelings, but ACTION!
(d) The definition of Love!
(5) By this we know (by experience) that we are in Him!

4. The challenge—The talker needs to be a walker

a. The one who says “I abide in Him…”
b. The challenge to this one—walk like Jesus!

(1) First—this is impossible without great grace
(2) Second—this is the standard

c. Key word—walk what is the sum of your lifestyle?
(1) How can we walk as He did?
(2) The understanding of this
(a) Jesus walked according to His nature
(b) We should walk according to our new nature.
(c) Since Jesus is perfect, His walk is perfect
(d) Since we are imperfect, our walk may be so, but it will reflect our nature!

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.""

Rom 6:4 "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Rom 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

Rom 8:4 Rom 13:13 1 Cor 7:17 2 Cor 5:7
Gal 5:16 Gal 5:25 Gal 6:16 Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Eph 4:1 "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,"

Eph 4:17, Eph 5:2, Eph 5:8, Eph 5:15, Phil 3:16, Col 1:10, Col 2:6, Col 4:5, 1 Th 2:12, 1 Th 4:1, 1 Th 4:12, 2 John 1:6, 3 John 1:3-4
Rev 21:24 "And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it."