1 JOHN 2:3-6
vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience”
(Eph.5:1-6).
“And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless
they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues” (Ps.78:35-36).
“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they
hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart
goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a
pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not”
(Ezk.33:31-32).

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(2:5) Profession, True—Obedience: there is the obedient man. The obedient man keeps God’s Word and knows God
and loves God. Note how obedience is tied to knowing and loving God. All these things are involved in knowing any-
one. The only way to know anyone is...
• to get near them.
• to study them, learn all about them—all about their will, desires, and wants, their nature and thoughts
and behavior.
The same is true with God. The only way to know God is to get near Him and study Him, learning all we can about His
will, desires, and wants; all about His nature and thoughts and behavior. But how can we do this when God is in the spiritual
world, another whole dimension of being, a world that is far removed from this world? By Jesus Christ. Remember: Jesus
Christ came to earth to reveal God and to show us how to draw near God. Therefore, to know God, we must draw near Jesus
Christ and follow the example He left us. We must follow the Word of Christ; we must keep the Word of Christ, living ex-
actly as He lived. This is the person who knows God.
Note a most wonderful result: the person who keeps God’s Word has the love of God perfected in his life. What does this
mean? When we draw near God and begin to keep His Word, we begin to establish a relationship with God. It is just like a
boy who meets a girl and begins to draw near her. He begins to know her and to develop affection for her, and the more he
associates with her, the more he loves her. So it is with God. The more we draw near Him and keep His Word and please
Him, the more we learn about Him and love Him. The word “keep” (terei) is continuous action. It means to continue on and
not to stop. It means day by day obedience. If we keep God’s Word day by day, then we learn more and more about God; we
learn to love Him more and more. His love becomes perfected, completed, and fulfilled in us.
The obedient person is the person who knows God and loves God. He is the person who knows the love of God; he knows
all the fulness of life that God’s love brings. No matter what a person may profess—no matter how religious a person may
be—if he does not obey God, he does not know God. Neither does he love God.

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and
doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the
rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and
great was the fall of it” (Mt.7:25-27).
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and
sister, and mother” (Mt.12:50).
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself” (Jn.7:17).
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father
will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (Jn.14:23).
“But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment,
even so I do. Arise, let us go hence [that I may die]” (Jn.14:31).
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s com-
mandments, and abide in his love” (Jn.15:10).
“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (Jn.15:14).
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the city” (Rev.22:14).
“O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my command-
ments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!” (Dt.5:29).

4
(2:6) Believer, Duty—Walk, Spiritual: there is the responsible man, the man who lives up to his profession. The word
“walk” (peripatein) is continuous action. It means to keep on walking; to continuously walk. If a person says that he ab-
ides in Christ, he must be a responsible person. He ought to walk as Jesus Christ walked. In fact, the word ought means debt,
constraint, obligation. The person who professes Jesus Christ, who claims that he knows God, is obligated to walk as Jesus
Christ walked. He is in debt to walk as Christ walked. How did Christ walk upon earth? He walked...
• believing and trusting God
• worshipping and praying to God
• fellowshipping and communing with God
• giving and sacrificing all He was and had to God
• seeking and following after God
• teaching and telling others about God
• loving and caring for others just as God said to do
• obeying and keeping all of God’s commandments
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