As we dive into our daily devotional on 1 John 2, we’re invited to reflect on a fundamental question: are we pursuing the ways of the world, or the ways of God’s Word? This chapter calls us to examine our hearts and ask where our true devotion lies. John writes to encourage believers to keep God’s commandments, walk in His ways, and resist the pull of worldly desires. Through Christ, we have forgiveness and an advocate before the Father. This chapter challenges us to turn from temporary things and embrace the eternal, to focus less on worldly ambition and more on a life grounded in God’s love and truth. Let’s read or listen to 1 John 2 together, seeking a renewed commitment to live in alignment with His will. To read about forgiveness from sins, read the daily devotional on 1 John 1.
1 John 2 Commentary by Allen J. Huth
We continue our study in 1 John by looking at the twenty-nine verses of chapter 2. Are you pursuing the ways of the world or the ways of the Word? Please read or listen to 1 John 2.
What Does It Mean to Keep God’s Commandment?
In 1999, I wrote in my personal Bible reading journal concerning 1 John 2, “Much like yesterday in 1 John 1, John writes, ‘So we can avoid sin’ but realizes we are sinners and clearly explains this plan of forgiveness. He also encourages us to keep His commandments, keep His Word, walk as He walked, and if we do these things, we will avoid sin. And the things of this world and the love of God are perfected in us. Accepting Christ may get us in heaven’s door, but obedience keeps us walking with Christ while He perfects His love in us.”
What Religion Is Forgiveness of Sins?
In 2003, I read this passage and wrote, “John writes ‘these things to you so that you may not sin’, according to verse 1. But if we sin, Jesus is our advocate with the Father. He pleads our case and because He paid the price of sin, our sin and death, we get eternal life. Not only me, ‘but also for those of the whole world’ (v. 2). So sin is real and so is forgiveness. There’s no other religion that offers forgiveness. No other religion can, because they do not have Jesus the advocate, the Lamb of God, the propitiation, according to verse 2, and that’s why it’s all about Jesus.”
What Does Propitiation Mean Biblically?
I wrote a little bit more about this in 2012, “Jesus is the propitiation. What does that mean? A sacrifice that bears God’s wrath and turns it into favor for our sins and also the sins of the whole world.” So Jesus is an advocate. He is our propitiation, those big words that basically mean He is the substitute for our sins, so we can gain righteousness through Him.
I continued to write in my journal, “No one else makes such a claim. Not Mohammed, not Buddha, not any religious figures have ever, ever claimed to be able to forgive sin except Jesus Christ.” I continued in my journal, “How do we show we know Jesus? We do it by keeping His commandments, keep His Word, walk in the same way He walked, according to 3-6. And how do we overcome the evil one? We stay in the Word, according to verse 14. We are not to love the world and who it points to.”
What Did John Say about the Antichrist?
Then we get into this thing about the antichrist, one who denies the Father and the Son, according to verse 22. Many people want to believe in God, but not in Jesus. The Bible says that is not possible, according to verse 23. We must believe in both the Father and the Son for eternal life as described in verses 22-25:
Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.
What Is the Explanation of 1 John 2:15-17?
How do we apply this chapter to our lives today? I want to focus our thoughts on verses 15-17:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
What are some of the things of this world you might be in love with? What are you striving for? What are you trying to attain? Is your heart set on the things of the world or the things of the Word?
This passage reminds me of my first trip internationally to Thailand on behalf of The Gideons International. I never traveled outside of the United States before and I thought everyone lived like we did here in the USA. After two weeks in Thailand, I realized that was hardly true. Thailand was a wonderful country with wonderful people, but they did not seem to have the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride in possessions we seem to have here in the United States. On my way home on the airplane, I remember thinking about this. I saw people there that were pretty happy when they had so little. But we seem to have so much, but we do not seem to be very happy.
Why Do I Have a Desire to Buy Things?
I thought about my own life, how I strive to accumulate things. Then I have to take care of the things. Then I have to replace the things and get more things. And I thought about re-shifting my focus to more of the things of the Word and less of the things of the world.
Maybe you are caught up in the same trap, striving for things, striving for the desires of the flesh, striving for the desires of the things of the eyes, and your pride is in your possessions. Today’s reading might help us all focus our thoughts a bit more on the things of God rather than the things of this world. Verse 17 says, “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” Where is your heart? Where are your eyes? Where are your desires today? Are they on the things of the world or are they on the things of God? As we ponder these things, let’s pray.
Prayer
Father, we thank You that You sent Jesus as the advocate. You sent Him as the propitiation for our sins. You provided a way of escape so we may have eternal life. We pray You will refocus our thoughts away from the things of the world and more toward the things of the Word and the things You care about. Help us focus more on Your will for our lives and less on our selfish ambitions. We pray these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
