The New Commandment Is the Old Commandment

“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. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” (I John 2:1-3 NKJV)

(https://www.bible.com/bible/114/1jn.2.1-3.nkjv)

John refers to his readers as, “My little children,” which some may condescending. Consider, however, that by the time he wrote this letter, John was likely around 90 years old (written around AD 85-90). To him, therefore, pretty much all the believers to whom he wrote were young enough to be his children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren. As the last remaining of the Original Twelve, he was revered by the church of the day, so likely no offense would have been taken.

He then says, “these things I write to you.” To what things was he referring? He had just previously told them, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (I John 1:8-10 NKJV)

While encouraging them to be perfect, John acknowledged that everyone sins. He even cautioned them not to claim to be sin-free; to do so would make a liar of God. What does he say happens when one does sin? Verse 9 of chapter 1 tells us to confess our sins and He will forgive us and cleanse us. Verse 2 of chapter 2 tells us that Jesus advocates on our behalf with the Father. Being the one who gave Himself as a substitutionary sacrifice (propitiation) for us, His advocacy carries a lot of weight.

In the final analysis, our responsibility is to obey His commandments. What does John tell us Jesus’s commandment is? “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. . . . 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.” (I John 2:6, 9-11 NKJV)

The new commandment is the same as the old commandment – love one another. What does that entail? I Corinthians 13 and other passages give us deeper understanding on this topic. It’s not easy, but it’s also not all that complicated.

Related Scriptures

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34 NKJV)

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying— a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” (I Timothy 2:5-7 NKJV)

“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25 NKJV)

“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:24-26 NKJV)

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-26 NKJV)

“Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17 NKJV)

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (I John 4:10 NKJV

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29 NKJV)