I- THE SETTING OF THE TEXT IN 1 John 2:3-6
     A. THE MESSAGE OF THE APOSTLE
          1. The Focus Proclaimed Message: Eternal Life (1 John 1:1-4)
               a. The Topic of proclamation
The eternal life is no abstract concept (v. 2)
The eternal life is a touchable person (a man with flesh and blood) (v.1-2)
               b. The Target of proclamation
To enter the apostolic fellowship (partnership) (v.3)
The apostolic partnership is with God the Father and his Son (v.3)
               c. The Total Joy of proclamation
Declaring this message completes the apostolic joy (v.4)
          2. Foundational Proposition of the Message: God is light (1 John 1:5)
               a. The Light Exposure of the presence of sin (1 John 1:6-1 John 2:2)
                    1) The sin of denying sin and all sins
The Lie - walking in darkness have fellowship with God (1 John 1:6)
The deception - denying our sinful nature (1 John 1:8)
The slander - no present sin (1 John 1:10)
                    2) The sins that is disturbing as we walk in the light
Cleansing from sin – God fellowship with us (1 John 1:7)
Confession of sins – God is faithful and just (1 John 1:9)
­ Our Advocate is our Savior (1 John 2:1)
­ Our Access is secured (1 John 2:2)
               b. The Light Enlightening the way of our Direction (1 John 2:3- 6)
The false teachers Lies about sin: (We know, We keep, We ought)
The false teachers claim illustrates the instruction rather than leads the instruction (1 John 2:4)
The Two signs in our text
­ v.3 “We do know that we know him;" v.5 “hereby know we that we are in him."
­ The NASB translation for both is “By this we know”
­ The division of the verse occurred before the second “By this we know” (1 John 2:5)
­ These phrases point forward to what comes next

The Assurance that we know God:

 - If we keep his commandments, we know him (1 John 2:3)
 - He who says he knows him but doesn’t keep his commandments is a liar" (1 John 2:4)
 - In the one keeping his commandments, the love of God is complete (1 John 2:5a)
The Duty of abiding (“walk as Christ walked” – 1 John 2: 5b-6)

II- THE STATEMENT OF THE TEXT IN 1 JOHN 2:3-6
     A. THE EVENT – PAST OCCURRENCE (v.3a)
          1. The count the word used (twice) – v.3 (“we do know”; we know him”)
               a. The First time it is used: Present Tense “hereby we do know”
               b. The Second time it is used: Perfect Tense “we know him”
          2. The Continuation if you understand the word
­ The word “to know” refers to knowledge gained by experience or the process of perception
               a. The Continual Effect
­ The idea of “coming to know God” is something that occurred in the past with continuing effect
               b. The Conversion Evidence
­ How do we know presently that we really know God in the past? What is the evidence for our conversion?
­ The wording “we” indeed assumes that have come to know God.
­ Overall, this word is used 25 times in 1 John.
­ A related word, “knowledge of the self-evident” is used 15 times.
          3. The Combat against Gnostic- false teachers is knowing
               a. Frequent Theme of the Ancient Religion (Knowledge of God)
               b. Focus much on Knowledge (Gnostics made much of knowledge - on 2nd Century)
               c. First idea behind Gnosticism began early in history
               d. False Hope of salvation from (mystical experiences, by vision or by initiation into secret rite/knowledge)
               e. Facts of the Greek word Gnostic means to know (“one who knows” or “a knower”)
     B. THE EVIDENCE – PRESENT OBEDIENCE (v.3b)
1 John 2:3 “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” KJV
          1. Certainty by Experience (“hereby we do know” – “by this experience”)
          2. Condition of Obedience is the Evidence
At the end of the verse: By this (NASB)… by what? If we keep his commandments
The obedience of the condition is the evidence of the event
In other words, you first come to know him, then your life shows the evidence
The condition implies that it is possible to have come to know him without the obedience: but then there is no assurance This is exactly the state of someone who struggles with assurance of salvation. They believed in the Lord, but they fail to measure up in obedience (at least in their opinion). They wonder, “am I really saved?”
          3. Complete Obedience (“keep his commandments”)
­ The obedience, then, gives assurance, but look at the verse it is a general statement “keep his commandments”, not not a specific list of commands.
     C. THE EMULATION – PROFESSING ONLY (v.4)
1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
          1. False Claimer are in the State of the True Knowledge of God
An individual is in view: “I have come to know him” – NASB; “I know him,” – KJV
The church is in view: “we have come to know him” – NASB (v. 3); “that we know him” – KJV
­ That is the same tense, but different in number; singular vs. plural
          2. False Claimer are in the State of active Disobedience
Notice there is active professions “saith” – KJV; “says” – NASB; ESV
Notice there is Active disobedience “Keepeth not” – KJV; “not keep” – NASB
          3. False Claimer are Scripturally Condemned as Liar
He is a liar and the truth is not in him
     D. THE EXPANSIVENESS – PERFECT OBEDIENCE (v. 5)
In the obedient Christian God is at work.
          1. Keeping the Word of God
1 John 2:5a “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected:"
It is now keeping the word not just the commandments
­ Keeping the commandments is obvious: no option on commands
­ Keeping the word is expansive: obedient in any matter known as God’s will (Whole revelation of God)
          2. Perfected the Love of God
1 John 2:5 “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
               a. The Implication of the Term perfected (means complete, mature, fully developed)
               b. The Clarification of the Term love of God (ambiguous; not clearly understandable)
                    1) Subjective: God’s love for us
                    2) Objective: Our love for God
                    3) Qualitative: The kind of love God has
As QUALITATIVE: The one keeping God’s word is expressing God’s love to others as God would, his actions bring to completion God’s kind of love.
As OBJECTIVE: keeping God’s word completes or fills up my love for God; I love God, I keep his word, my love for God is full. The problem can any Christian be absolutely sure he has reached this standard?
As SUBJECTIVE: when I keep God’s word, his love works in me to fill out or complete his will in my life
­ This allows for the fact that in my weakness or sinfulness I may not fully cooperate with God
­ It nevertheless demonstrates in me that I have a genuine relationship with God
• Comparing these three options, I presume this last option (subjective) is the best interpretation.