Knowing Him
(Our Relationship to the Commandments of God)
(verses 3-5)

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. (1 John 2:3-5)

No other knowledge is as important as the knowledge of God. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3). We send our children to school all day long, five days a week, nine or ten months out of the year, for twelve years, so they might gain secular knowledge. We expect them to study their schoolwork at night. Many go on to college for four, five, or even ten years! And yet many parents seldom or never study the word of God with their children, bring them to Bible class, or require them to study in preparation for Bible class. How foolish!

But to know Christ and the Father means far more than an accumulation of facts or memorization of verses. The apostle begins his thought by showing us how we may know "we know Him" but concludes by revealing how we may know "we are in Him." To truly know Him is to be in Him. It is to be intimately connected to Him (John 15:1-8) so that we live with and through Him (Ephesians 2:4-7) and have all spiritual blessings through Him (Ephesians 1:3).

Whereas knowledge of school subjects may imply nothing more than an assimilation of useless facts (trivial pursuit), the knowledge of God and His Son Christ Jesus is preeminently practical. We prove we know Him by keeping His commandments. Which commandments? All of them! (Matthew 28:19-20). In fact, we are not just to obey the parts of His word that are stated as commands, for the apostle equates keeping "His commandments" with keeping "His word." We must obey all the will of the Lord.

Sam Morris, a well known Texas Baptist preacher of two generations ago, contended, "The way a Christian lives, what he says, his character, his conduct, or his attitude toward other people have nothing whatever to do with the salvation of his soul." This is the "once saved - always saved" position. A gnostic would say, "Amen!" "Gnosticism generally and docetism specifically encouraged the spurning of the commandments of God" (King. 51).

But the inspired apostle John begs to differ. "He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." How we live makes all the difference for all eternity.

Knowledge is perfected by obedience. The verb "perfect" means "to bring to an end by completing or perfecting" (Vine. 3:174). We bring knowledge to its intended goal through obedience, just as we perfect our faith through works (James 2:22).

Abiding in Him
(Our Relationship to Christ)
(verse 6)

"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked."

The word "abide" properly means to remain, to continue, to abide. It is used of persons remaining or dwelling in a place, in the sense of abiding there permanently, or lodging there, and this is the common meaning of the word, Mat 10:11; Mat 26:38; Mar 6:10; Luk 1:56, ...." In the writings of John, however, it is quite a favorite word to denote the relation which one sustains to another, in the sense of being united to him, or remaining with him in affection and love; being with him in heart and mind and will, as one makes his home in a dwelling. The sense seems to be that we have some sort of relation to him similar to that which we have to our home; that is, some fixed and permanent attachment to him. We live in him; we remain steadfast in our attachment to him, as we do to our own home. (Barnes. 316)

If we claim to abide in Christ, we bring ourselves under the obligation to live the way He lived. "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’" (1 Peter 2:21-22).

John doesn’t command us to try to live like Christ. He instructs us to actually "walk just as He walked." Yes, we have all sinned (1 John 18,10). But, no, we don’t have to sin. If we profess to abide in Christ, we are obligated to live the same way He lived. And the Lord doesn’t expect any more of us than we are capable of giving (1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 John 5:3).

Conclusion

Friend and brother, you can know if you know God, love Him, are in Christ, and abide in Him. Do you keep His commandments, His word? Do you live the way He lived? Don’t relate a better felt than told experience. Demonstrate your knowledge and love by your life. Obedience, not feeling, is the test. Those who really know Him don’t relate experiences; they live their love.

Works Cited

Barnes, Albert, Notes on the New Testament (James, Peter, John, and Jude).
King, Daniel H., Sr., The Three Epistles of John (Truth Commentaries).
Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.