The Old Commandment

Text: 1 John 2:7–11 ESV

If you were to choose one word to summarize Christianity, there's probably a handful you could choose from. But I think a great contender is the word love. 

Love is so central to the gospel, so central to the Bible. For example, faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV). Or our God is love — abounding in steadfast love (1 John 4:8 ESV). God says, “[I] so loved the world that I sent [my] one and only son (John 3:16 ESV). Love is essential to the gospel, and then we as Christians are called to love. 

Today, we're going to take a deep dive into what it means to love one another. This is only an introduction because John in his letter has a lot to say about love. You will probably leave today thinking I have some more questions: I still want to know, what does it mean to love versus hate? And what does love like in this scenario? We can't answer every question in one sermon, but we get to introduce it today. Here is where we are going today then: 

• Something old (7)

• Something new (8)

• Someone in light (9–10)

• Someone without sight (11)

Okay, I couldn't do something borrowed, or something blue. I mean, blue just didn't fit at all in our verse. At least this version still rhymes. But take it if that's helpful or leave it. At the end of the day, where we're going is: Those who love God love others. 

If you love God, you will love others, particularly brothers and sisters in Christ. That's where John's going. That's his point. And so that's where we're going to go today. And I'm sure at the hearing of that statement, you're aware that we need help. We can struggle to love as we ought. It's hard. Let's pray that God will help us as we open up his word, then start in verse seven where John establishes this is something old. 

“Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.” (1 John 2:7 ESV)

John establishes, “What I'm about to tell you is old news. You've heard this before. This isn't a surprise.” You might be thinking, why does it matter to John that this is old news? I think it's because John wants his readers to know that is not a newfangled, hip, fresh idea because in the church, there are these people we've met named the Gnostics. The Gnostics are going around saying, “We've got new knowledge. We've got something fresh.” It's exciting and come and learn something you've been missing this whole time. 

John wants to be very clear that he’s talking to you about something that's old. It's rooted in the core of our faith, unlike these Gnostics who are coming up with new ideas of what it means to live out faith. 

What does he mean when he says it's old? I think he really has two things in mind. The first is that this commandment has literally been around since the beginning. You can go back to the Old Testament and find places where this call to love comes. Here’s one in Leviticus 19:17–18:

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:17–18 ESV)

That is God talking to his people thousands of years before Jesus and before John. In this sense, the command really is old. For John and his audience though, he means it’s old because they heard it from the moment they believed in Jesus Christ. Look again at how he talks about the old commandment: it’s “the word that you heard.” 

What he means is that from the moment that they heard someone proclaim, “Hey, the Messiah has come, his name is Jesus.” They believed, their eyes were open, and they said, “Yes, that's true. We love him.” At that same moment, they also heard this truth: You're called to love others who love this truth.” They would have heard those together. Here's what John says in his second letter in the 5th verse: 

“And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.” (2 John 1:5 ESV)

This is old in the sense that it goes all the way back to the Old Testament. It's all in the sense that they would have heard it when they heard about Jesus Christ in the flesh. John is making it really clear that love isn't a secondary kind of thing. This is central. This is core. This is from the beginning material.

Have you ever seen those posters “Everything I needed to know I learned in kindergarten”? Why do we say we say that? Because in kindergarten, you learn all of these foundations. Then you spend the rest of your life fleshing it out. What do you learn in kindergarten? You learn how to count. You learn how to read. You learn your colors. It's all these basic skills. 

John is saying, “Hey, this is something that is very basic, very foundational.” It made me think this week that one of the areas where I'm always eager to grow is in outreach — in sharing the gospel with those who do not trust it in Jesus. As I was reading this, I thought, you know, “Hey, there's some help here from John. It may not be his main point or main point of application, but I do think it is helpful.”

Here's a good question in evangelism. I want to encourage you. If you've had someone that you're thinking about, I don't think that they love Jesus, and I want them to, here's a question you could ask them. Have you ever felt like the love you've received in this world has disappointed you? Falling short? I think if people are honest, they're going to say yes. And then from there, we can paint a compelling picture to say, “I want you to know that from the beginning, the God of the Bible has a view of love that looks radically different from what you'll find anywhere else.” Then you can try to invite them into a community of believers where they might see what that love would look like. 

But then I thought, Well, wait a minute. You could ask another question. Have you ever felt like you are the one who's giving love but you have failed to love well? I think if we're all honest, we can answer, “Yeah”. Then you can move them to where we are going in our next point. Not only does the Bible present a love that is far different than this world has to offer, but it gives a promise that if you would trust in this God, it would change your life and your heart so that what would overflow with a love that you never could have had before. 

The gospel is the kind of good news that literally changes who you are so that you love differently. Which is where John is now going to go in point number two:

• Something old (7)

• Something new (8)

Look with me now at verse 8: 

“At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8 ESV)

You might be scratching your head saying, “John, you just said it was old and now you are saying it’s new. Say what?” What are you getting at? John is acknowledging this is old news and since you saw in the OT and heard it from the beginning, but there is a newness to it. Jesus captures the newness in his own words in John 13:34–35:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35 ESV)

John has now reminded his audience that, hey, this isn't new in the way the Gnostics are trying to sell new things, but it is new in the sense that because of who Jesus is and what he has done, the kind of love that we have as a church is more real, more true, because we have seen in Jesus in the flesh, what love looks like. 

Here's how John describes it: it's true in him, meaning Jesus embodied this love. The fullness of God's love is expressed in Jesus. And now it's true in him and in you. Why? Because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 

John is saying, when Jesus came, the life he lived, the death he died, and rising from the dead, what happened is that light broke through, and God's glory began to shine. Those living in Old Testament times saw and understood what was prophesied. He's saying, now the light has come in, it's shining, and now we see what has always been there, but it's been illuminated by God's own Son.

“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” (1 John 3:23 ESV)

This type of love wasn't possible until Jesus came. But Jesus came, and he displays a love that now we're called to imitate. 

Picturing it like this. I don't know if you've ever seen those kids books called, “Shine a Light.” There’s a page you read, for example, about passengers on the train. On the page is a picture of a train. Then you take a flashlight and you shine it at the back of the page. All of a sudden, it illuminates these passengers on the train. They have always been there, from the beginning. God's love has been very clear. But Jesus comes and the light shines, and everything that was there comes into focus, and you see what's been there the whole time. Or think of those black lights that used to be popular. When you shine them on certain things, it illuminates what has always been there, but now it is in focus. You can think of the Old Testament prophets as shining flashlights and illuminating the wall for people who had eyes to see to see what was there. Then Jesus is the sunrise and he illuminates the whole place.

We could spend the rest of the time just talking and fleshing out what this means. Jesus spent a lot of his ministry spelling out what this love looks like? I mean, think of the Good Samaritan. The Pharisees walk to the other side, and this person says, “I'm going to pay for your night. And if you overspend, I'll come back and cancel the debt.” Or I thought of Peter, who genuinely asks Jesus, “Look, if my brother comes to me and asks for forgiveness. When do I say, ‘Look, all right, you've asked too many times. Game over’' What's Jesus's response? You keep going. Forgiveness? What do you do? You forgive them again, and again and again. Next day, same story, same answer—7 times 70.

If you're hearing that, and saying, I need to grow in my love, even more specifically, I need to grow in my understanding of love shaped by the person and ministry of Jesus, you’re not alone. Here's where I’d begin. Here’s what I would encourage you to do in the month of February—the so-called month of love because of Valentines day. 

Do a deep dive in the Gospels. Circle, underline, write out, every time Jesus is talking about love or see what that portrait of love looks like, because that's the portrait to put up to say that's what we're wanting to look like. 

Let’s be honest. We are all going to get our definition of love from somewhere. Our family, friends, songs, movies, you name it. We have to be intentional and come to the Bible to let it shape our view of love. Would we be the kind of people who are informed by what the Bible says about love? 

Plenty more to say, but let's finish with John's last two points:

• Something old (7)

• Something new (8)

• Someone in light (9–10)

• Someone without sight (11)

“Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.” (1 John 2:9–10 ESV)

John establishes what it means to be someone who's in the light. Someone who, in our words — is a Christian, or born again, or trusts in Jesus, the Son of God who came in the flesh. What does that person who's in the light do? They love their brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Verse nine says what they don't do. If he says he's in a light, but he actually hates his brother, then he's not in a light. In verse 11 he says, okay, well, let me then tell you, just to make it really clear, what someone who's in darkness looks like — someone who doesn't have sight. Look at verse 11: 

“But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:11 ESV)

This person who has no sight. They're walking around bumping into things because they can't see. And what are they doing? Hating their brother and sister in Christ.

Let me take a minute to see if I can at least begin to fill out the difference between hating and loving your brothers and sisters in Christ. There is so much to say here. but let me get started with this. 

First, notice there is no middle ground here. For John, you either love or you hate. But I don't think that John or the Bible has in mind that by loving people you don’t have disagreements or hard moments. Think of the numerous examples, especially in the book of Acts, about different ways that brothers and sisters in Christ can treat each other. They treat each other in not so soft ways at times, but yet it doesn’t cross over into hate. 

In other words, I think the Bible leaves room for differences and even disagreements and parting ways and those kinds of pieces, but yet there's still a love for them. The principal examples are Paul and Barnabas and John Mark. Paul did not go with Barnabas. But Barnabas goes with John Mark. You get a sense though they disagreed, they still loved each other. 

I think if someone came to Paul and said, “That Barnabas guy is trash. What a phony. And don’t even get me started on John Mark.” I think Paul would have stood up and said, “Do not talk about Barnabas and John Mark that way. There are brothers in Christ.” In fact, you see this when Paul calls for John Mark to come to him at the end of his ministry. 

The Bible then is not painting a picture of love that is fluffy and fake and not real. No, it’s painting a picture of a church that would be the kind of people who are real, who are honest, who are okay with disagreements and things that are challenging and hard but still get this still love each other. They don't hate each other. So what would it look like to hate each other vs love each other? 

I think at the core of that is a heart that is for them. A heart that says I want the best for them. I want them to thrive and grow. You're not out there thinking I want their demise and their destruction. I want them brought down. 

I think we get a great example of the differences between those two hearts in the story in the Old Testament between Saul and David. On display are both hearts in action. David a heart that loves, and Saul a heart that hates. 

Remember what happens? Saul becomes envious of David, jealous. He's jealous. Why? Because Saul has killed us 1,000s and David his 10,000s. David’s better than him, and Saul can't stand it. He wants to kill David. You see in Saul, both in the words that Scripture uses to describe Saul's heart, and then how Saul acts, you see that he does not want the best for David. Someone comes in and slanders David. Saul is all about it. If someone presents an opportunity for David to be killed, Saul takes advantage. In fact, Saul goes on to kill people if they are for David. He orders the killing of 70 priests because they help David. Saul hated his brother. 

David, on the other hand, has a heart of love for his brother. After Saul tries to kill David, he is given the opportunity to become Saul’s son-in-law. He joyfully accepts. David has a chance to kill Saul. How does he respond? He cuts off the corner of his robe to say to Saul, “I'm not going to kill you.” He gets another chance to kill Saul. He takes the water jug and his spear instead. David wants the best for Saul. You even see it in how he responds to Saul's death. David's heart is one of love, even if the whole time he disagreed with Saul. 

John wants us to know that we are called to have a heart not only like David, but a heart like the one David pointed to, Jesus. Jesus was the perfect embodiment of God's love. David showed a sample of God’s love here. Jesus gives us the full version. 

Go back to our verse though. How can John have so much confidence that this idea of loving your brothers and sisters in Christ is a sure litmus test to whether or not you love God? Go back to our verse 9: 

“Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.” (1 John 2:9 ESV)

I mean, he's saying flat out that if you hate your brother, you are not a Christian. If you love your brothers and sisters in Christ, you're showing that that new birth is alive in you. But it’s black and white for John. 

I remember growing up my grandma would talk about the Red Hat society. I don't really know that much about it. But here's my guess — you have to have a red hat to be a part of it. I think you also have to be an older lady. But the point is very simple. If you're part of the Red Hat society, you have a red hat. If you don't have a red hat, yeah, you're not really part of the group. 

Pretty simple for John. If you're a Christian, you've got love for your brothers and sisters. If you say you're a Christian, and you don't have that, you’re not a Christian — it’s black and white or red, if you will. The reason this is so clear for John is explained in 1 John 4:20. 

“If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” (1 John 4:20 ESV)

The reason this is a litmus test for John is because right before you are brothers and sisters in Christ. If you are not compelled to love them, who you see, who you interact with you cannot pretend that the God whom you cannot see with your eyes or touch at this moment, is someone you love. The idea is, if you're not doing it with what's right in front of you, you cannot pretend that you are genuine about loving God whom you are not seeing.

Imagine you meet a high school student and you ask them what you want to do when they graduate. “I want to be a racecar driver.” They are going on about the car that they're going to drive. So you ask them, “What kind of car? Do you drive your own car?” No, I don't even have my license. Do you plan on getting it? No, I'm not going to get my license.”

John would say, look, if you’re not going to get a license to just drive any car that you can see right now, don't get it in your head that you're going to be a racecar driver. Something that's the pipe dream, down the line, that you can’t actually do now. 

If you can’t live this out with what you have in front of you, you aren’t living it out with something you can’t see. It’s not a perfect analogy, but hopefully you can see that John wants us to know it matter how you handle what is before you. 

In this case, there's brothers and sisters in Christ right in front of you. And you are called to love them. Here’s one more statement from John to hopefully clarify: 

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.” (1 John 3:14 ESV)

Don’t get the wrong idea though. John does not mean that we need to be perfect in our love, as if we need to disregard the ‘if you confess your sins’ section we just read. If you feel this weight to love others, let it spur you on to God for help. Don’t let it crush you. I want to close by pointing you back to where John began.

John did not begin by saying, “You know what? You who are struggling to love who find it hard, but are still doing it, sorry. Not good enough.” No, he rebuked those who hate their brothers. If you're here saying, “No, I don't hate them. But it is hard to live out the life of love.” I want you to go back to where John begins in verse 8: 

“At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8 ESV)

I want to call you back to the source of light because if you're anything like me, I look at this and say I need help Lord. It can be hard to love at times. So where do you go for help? The darkness is passing away and true light is already shining. I think you go to Jesus.

Go to Jesus and you fill up on light. What does that mean? I think it means that you begin to acknowledge though the darkness is passing away and the light is already shining that there's still some darkness lingering. You acknowledge that you need more light. 

You begin with a confession and say “I'm falling short”. After you confess, you come and you say, “God would you forgive me?” And then you receive, like John said, if we confess our sins, He's what? faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. You receive that. And then what? There's still in front of you the person that you need to love. Here's what I think you do. You've received forgiveness, now you ask for help and then you walk in that help. 

Very practically what I think that looks like is that you find there's this person in my church, and they're just hard to love. I know I'm going to see him this Sunday, and they're going to want me to stop and talk. It’s going to be hard for me. 

You think that's not how I want to act. So you confess to God, here's how I treat them. You receive forgiveness, and you ask for help. Then you show up on Sunday, and when they come and talk to you, you enter the conversation believing God is going to meet you there. As you believe that God is going to be there, you are preaching the gospel truth to your soul to say, “I want to love them. I want to love them as Jesus loved them with help from Christ himself.” And you begin to act as one who's trusting in Jesus to work for you. 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35 ESV)