"And hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments."
1 John 2:3
Part 3
Yesterday:
“We do know that we know Him.” (b)
Our knowledge of God must be more than a theoretical familiarity with Him. It’s more than knowing “about” God. If someone could memorize the entire Bible, he/she would know plenty of facts about God, but this is not “knowing Him.”
Today:
“We do know that we know Him.” (c)
This word “know” is used twice in our verse. The first time it means that we “keep on knowing.” The second time it means that there was a once-for-all event in the past where we got to know Him, and the results of that meeting are continuing into the present.[1]
First: “We know…” – “we perceive.” We know this…
Second: “That we know…” – “we have come to know.” We have trusted in Him. “We know” that we have this personal relationship with Him. We continue to learn of Him.
Do you have this kind of relationship with the Lord? Do you “know that you know” Him?
And how can we know that? What’s the proof?
“If we keep His commandments.”
“If we keep on keeping His commandments.”
In his writings, John wrote this phrase “keep His commandments” twelve times[2] in his Gospel, six times in his epistles, and six times in Revelation. These are essential words for believers!
“Keeping” the commandments means “to attend to carefully, take care of…to guard”[3] (Thayer).
“The word ‘to keep’ …means to be on the watch to obey and fulfill; it covers both outward and inward observance.”[4]
It is as if we are the guardsmen protecting a valuable treasure. We handle very carefully Jesus’ commands, and we do not take them lightly. From today’s text, the assurance of our salvation is coupled with “keeping His commandments.” This is in the long term “doing” of them. My fidelity to Christ shows through my obedience to Him. This is where the proof lies… Am I “keeping His commandments?”
A lost person trying to “keep His commandments” is an eternal impossibility and endless frustration. A dead man cannot do anything. When a person is “dead in trespasses and sins,” there is no way to obey God. This is one reason that “works salvation” is impossible. Until there is life, there can be no keeping of the commandments.
It is the believing man or woman that is told to “keep His commandments.” The Christian life is one of obeying commands, His commands. Being His slaves (douloi), we expect to do what He tells us. We obey Him without question or hesitation. We love and obey Him as the Old Testament love-slave obeyed his/her owner (Exodus 21:5-6).
Believers, let us be faithful in our obedience to Him!
Quote: “And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt, therefore, obey the voice of the LORD thy God and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day” (Deuteronomy 27:9-10).
[1] The first time “know” (ginosko) is in the present tense. The second time “know” is in the perfect tense.
[2] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[4] Cambridge Bible, the electronic version in eSword.