In this passage, Yochanan emphasizes the importance of abiding in Messiah and recognizing our identity as children of God, highlighting the transformative power of His love and righteousness. This post can help Believers find assurance in their faith and inspire them to embody God’s love in their actions, reminding them that their true identity is rooted in being children of God despite their struggles and weaknesses.
Remaining with God
2 24 Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in union with both the Son and the Father. 25 And this is what He has promised us: eternal life. 26 I have written you these things about the people who are trying to deceive you. 27 As for you, the Messianic anointing you received from the Father remains in you, so that you have no need for anyone to teach you. On the contrary, as His Messianic anointing continues to teach you about all things, and is true, not a counterfeit, so, just as He taught you, remain united with Him.
You have no need for anyone to teach you. Both “you’s” are plural and refer to the believing community as a whole; there is no ground here for a hyper-individualistic understanding of the Gospel wherein the views of other Believers and the gathering of Believers together are considered unimportant (see Messianic Jews 10:25).
God’s Children
In 1 Yochanan 2:28–3:10, Yochanan characterizes God’s children, those who remain in authentic relationship with Him, as those who obey Him and refrain from sin. He contrasts them with those who left the congregation.
28 And now, children, remain united with Him; so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink back from Him in shame at His coming.
Shame refers to the guilt and terror of God’s judgment. Those who remain in Him avoid this grim prospect.
29 If you know that He is righteous, you should also know that He is the Father of everyone who does what is right. 3 1 See what love the Father has lavished on us in letting us be called God’s children! For that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it has not known Him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now; and it has not yet been made clear what we will become. We do know that when He appears, we will be like Him; because we will see Him as He really is.
We are God’s children now (compare Romans 8:15); although it is not yet clear what we will become, clues point to this, such as Romans 8:29–30. From 1 Corinthians 15:35–54, we know that when He appears to collect His people (1Yochanan 2:28; Yochanan 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18), we will be like Him. We will see Him as He really is (compare 1 Corinthians 13:12).
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him continues purifying himself, since God is pure. 4Everyone who keeps sinning is violating Torah – indeed, sin is a violation of Torah.
Sin is defined as a violation of Torah; conversely, “where there is no law, there is also no violation” (Romans 4:15).
5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him. 6 So no one who remains united with him continues sinning; everyone who does continue sinning has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Yochanan was aware that Believers sin (2:1). They can receive forgiveness through Yeshua’s death (1:7) as they confess their sins (1:9). By everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him, Yochanan had in mind flagrant sin by false “Believers” whose confession of Yeshua was false (2:23), whose love was set on the world rather than God (2:15), and whose obedience was lacking (2:4). Yeshua Himself warned about people who called Him “Lord” and did great things in His name but ultimately were not genuine Talmidim (Matityahu 7:21–23).
7 Children, don’t let anyone deceive you – it is the person that keeps on doing what is right who is righteous, just as God is righteous. 8 The person who keeps on sinning is from the Adversary, because from the very beginning the Adversary has kept on sinning. It was for this very reason that the Son of God appeared, to destroy these doings of the Adversary. 9 No one who has God as His Father keeps on sinning, because the seed planted by God remains in him. That is, he cannot continue sinning, because he has God as his Father. 10 Here is how one can distinguish clearly between God’s children and those of the Adversary: everyone who does not continue doing what is right is not from God.
Don’t let anyone deceive you. Everyone who does not continue doing what is right and does not keep loving his brother is not from God, but from the Adversary, HaSatan. The anti-Messiahs (2:19) are such deceivers (4:2); what they preach may sound good, but their actions belie their words. Yeshua promised that false Messiahs and false prophets would come and deceive “even the chosen, if possible” (Matityahu 24:23–26), but “you will recognize them by their fruit” (Matityahu 7:15–20).
The Command to Love
Likewise, anyone who fails to keep loving his brother is not from God. 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning: that we should love each other 12 and not be like Kayin, who was from the Evil One and murdered his own brother. Why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Don’t be amazed, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We, for our part, know that we have passed from death to life because we keep loving the brothers. The person who fails to keep on loving is still under the power of death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. [1]
We have passed from spiritual death to spiritual life. Romans 8:6 explains what this means: “Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom.” The proof that we have passed from death to life is not in our beliefs and professions, but in the fact that we keep loving our brothers and sisters. Is still under the power of death, literally, “remains in the death”.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed and measure your worth by your work, remember 1 Yochanan 2:15-17, which warns against loving the world’s system. Set boundaries for your work-life balance. Dedicate time each week for a spiritual retreat, a quiet space to refocus on God’s love for you beyond your achievements at work. Journal your thoughts and ask God to reveal areas where you might need to shift your focus from your career to loving Him and others better..
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[1] 1 Yochanan 2:24-3:15.
