by Gary L. Evans
(revised 8/2/2023)
Epistles of John — Part 1
1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
We have heard and seen and looked upon with our eyes and handled with our hands The Word of Life. Two meanings are implied by this statement. The disciples had literally heard, seen, and touched The Lord Jesus, The Living Word made flesh. But we also have heard, seen with our eyes, looked upon, and touched The Written Word of God.
1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
Jesus explained that He was the way to Eternal Life.
Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
The spirit or mind is what gives life to the body. The flesh is just earthly material. When the spirit leaves the body, the flesh will die. The Words that came out of our Lord’s mouth are The Holy Spirit, that is, The Holy Mind, and Eternal Life.
1Jn 1:3-4 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
These things have been written for our benefit, so that our joy may be complete, so that we may have fellowship with The Father in Heaven and with The Son. We have The Written Word of God, which is also The Living Word, because God’s Word is Eternal.
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
It is impossible for God to lie. God is Light, and light is symbolic for The Truth, and there is no Darkness in Him, and darkness is symbolic for Falsehood. Therefore everything God says is true.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
The word “fellowship” is from the Greek “koy-nohn-ee’-ah”and means “partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction.” If we claim to have partnership with God but practice deceit and falsehood in our lives, then we are liars, because we cannot have true fellowship with God.
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
But if we practice The Truth as He does, then we have a partnership with Him, and The Blood of Christ atones for our sins. The continued practice of being truthful implies full repentance from sin. If we are honest with ourselves and acknowledge The Truth of God’s Word, then we will change the way we have thought about sin in the past and stop doing it. And that is repentance.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
We all have sinned in the past, therefore we all must repent.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The word “confess” is from “hom-ol-og-eh’-o” which means “to assent, that is, covenant, acknowledge.” We must acknowledge to God where we have failed Him, which is the process of true repentance and the first step in entering into The New Covenant. And when we do so, He forgives us. This does not mean we must confess to some man, because man cannot forgive sins on behalf of God. For example, if a man steals from someone, then he should confess to that person his transgression and do his best to make amends. And hopefully that person will forgive him. But then he must also confess in prayer to our Heavenly Father, because He was also wronged by that sin.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
God’s Word declares that we all have sinned, therefore we all must repent. If anyone claims otherwise, then he literally calls God a liar, so God’s Word cannot possibly be in him.
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
John is writing this so that we do not sin anymore. But if anyone does sin, we have a defense attorney, Jesus Christ.
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The word “propitiation” is from “hil-as-mos’” which means “atonement, that is, (concretely) an expiator.” The Blood of Christ Jesus is the atonement for our sin.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
How do we know that we know God? By our very obedience to His Law which is His Word. This is the evidence that we have truly entered into The New Covenant, which promises to give us a New Heart and a New Mind, even The Heart and Mind of Jesus.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Epistles of John — Part 2
1Jn 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Anyone who claims to know God, but does not obey God’s Law, is a liar, and The Truth of God’s Word is not in him. The word “commandments” is from the Greek “en-tol-ay’” which means “injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription.” So if anyone claims to know God, but does not obey God’s Injunctions and Authoritative Prescriptions, he is a liar, because he really does not know God at all.
1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
But anyone who obeys God’s Word, God’s Love is manifested in him and through him. God’s Law is The Law of Love. And our very obedience to God’s Law is how we know that we are “in” Him. This is a critical precept, because here we learn what it means to be “in” Christ, and what it means to be “in” The Father. The preposition “in” implies obedience in both cases, obedience to our Lord’s Teaching and obedience to our Heavenly Father by obedience to His Law.
1Jn 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Anyone who claims to be “in” Christ must be obedient to God’s Law just as Jesus was when He walked this earth. How can anyone claim to be “in” Jesus if he refuses to obey His teaching? That’s impossible. And Jesus obeyed all of God’s Law and taught us that He did not come to change any of it, not even a dot of an “i” or a cross of a “t,” and that means not even the tiniest little bit.
1Jn 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
We have learned God’s Commandments, His Word, all the way from In The Beginning, which refers to all five books of The Law starting with the book of Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and finally Deuteronomy.
1Jn 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
The deception of Satan is now in the past, and The Truth of God’s Word is now within us. How? Because of what John just said about us, that we already have God’s Commandments, The Word of God, within us. Is this true of you, my friends? Is John speaking of you?
1Jn 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
The word “hateth” is from the Greek “mis-eh’-o” which means “to detest (especially to persecute); by extension to love less,” and is from the primary word “misos” which means “hatred.” Anyone who claims to be a Christian but also detests or persecutes his neighbor is still engaged in lies and deceit even now.
1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
The word “loveth” is from “ag-ap-ah’-o” which means “to love (in a social or moral sense).” If we love other people in a social and moral sense, then we are “in” The Truth. How? Because we are obedient to The Truth of God’s Law which is His Word. And there will not be any situation in which we commit sin, because we remain obedient to God’s Law of Love, which illuminates our path.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
Anyone who detests someone else is deceived by Satan, and is behaving according to Satan’s deception, and in that sense is blind. Now we see how the preposition “in” can also apply to Satanic influences, by being “in” Satan’s lies and deception. Anyone who practices lying and deceiving is “in” Satan, and certainly cannot be “in” Christ Jesus. And falsehood causes blindness.
1Jn 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
We are all God’s children. Upon repentance, God forgives us, not because we deserve it, but because of The Blood of Christ Jesus.
1Jn 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
Who is from In The Beginning? The Word. How have we overcome The Wicked One? Good question. How do we know that we know The Father?
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
We know that we know God by our obedience to God’s Word.
1Jn 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
The Word of God is Eternal and dwells in us by The Heart and Mind of Christ Jesus, now that we have entered into The New Covenant. This is how we have overcome the deception of The Wicked One, That Old Serpent, Satan, The Devil.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Epistles of John — Part 3
1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
We must not love the things of this world, because Satan is the god of this world. The first two occurrences of the word “love” is from the Greek “ag-ap-ah’-o” which means “to love (in a social or moral sense).” The third occurrence is from “ag-ah’-pay” which means “love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast.” If we love in a social or moral sense the things in Satan’s world, then it is impossible for us to have any true affection or benevolence for our Heavenly Father.
1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The word “lust” is from “ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah” which means “a longing (especially for what is forbidden).” The word “pride” is from “al-ad-zon-i’-a” which means “braggadocio, that is, (by implication) self confidence.” Now we see that the problem with focusing our love on things in this world is that they are not of The Father. So this precept is not regarding what is unlawful or forbidden, but what is lawful for us to enjoy in this world but which becomes a distraction from what is truly most important.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
This world of flesh is temporary and will end when our Lord returns as promised. Even before then, if we die before He returns, nothing in this world will be important anymore where we are going. But everyone who obeys God’s Will has Eternal Life. Obtaining Eternal Life is truly most important. Nothing else matters.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
The phrase “the last time” means “The Last Days.” This was written nearly two thousand years ago, so we see that The Last Days so far are almost two of our Lord’s “days.” A day with The Lord is a thousand years with man, and a thousand years as one day. John references our Lord’s teaching in The First Seal, where He taught that many would come in His Name deceiving many, and also one would come literally claiming to be Jesus Christ returned.
John uses the term “antichrist” which is from “an-tee’-khris-tos” which means “an opponent of the Messiah.” It is a compound from two words. The first is “an-tee’” which means “opposite, that is, instead or because of (rarely in addition to).” So “antee” means “instead of.” The second word is “khris-tos’” which means “anointed, that is, the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.” Note that everyone who claims to be a Christian literally claims to be an “anointed one,” a Christ-man or Christ-woman, and even to have come in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God. So an antichrist is someone who comes “instead-of” a true Christian, and The Antichrist will be one who comes “instead-of” Christ.
1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
These antichrists went out from the Christian assemblies, and no doubt claimed to be Christians, but they were not “of” those assemblies because they did not remain in the faith. The notion of not being “of” the assemblies implies that they did not continue in the true doctrines taught in the assemblies.
1Jn 2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
The word “unction” is from “khris’-mah” which means “an unguent or smearing, that is, (figuratively) the special endowment (‘chrism’) of the Holy Spirit.” This is the “anointing” which we all receive when we enter into The New Covenant, The Holy Spirit. The word “know” is from “i’-do” which means “properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know.” In other words, we now have eyes to see and ears to hear.
1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
We know that no lie is of The Truth, because that is impossible. It would be a self-contradiction.
1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
The word “denieth” is from “ar-neh’-om-ahee” which means “to contradict, that is, disavow, reject, abnegate.” Contradiction can occur in three forms, addition, omission, and abnegation. For John’s example, the belief that Jesus is The Messiah and The Only Begotten Son of God is the very foundation of Christian doctrine. Therefore if anyone in the assembly disavows that belief, then obviously their claims of being a Christian are false, since they do not believe the very first thing that a true Christian must believe.
John presents this point as an example of how a lie cannot be of The Truth. An antichrist literally speaks or teaches a lie by contradicting The Truth taught by The Father or by The Son while claiming to be a Christian. That is, he contradicts The Word of God.
1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Anyone who contradicts The Son of God cannot possibly believe The Heavenly Father, but anyone who professes belief in The Son and in His teaching also believes the teaching of The Father.
Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Our Heavenly Father spoke through The Only Begotten Son. So the teachings of Jesus were literally The Words of God.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.
Epistles of John — Part 4
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
What have we heard from In The Beginning? The Word of God. The word “continue” is from the Greek “men’-o” which means “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy).” If God’s Word remains in us, then we will stay in The Only Begotten Son and in The Father. Jesus taught us about this precept.
Joh 14:1-2 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
The word “mansions” is from “mon-ay’” which means “a staying, that is, residence (the act or the place).” This word is derived from the primary verb “men’-o.” Christ promised that if we would believe in Him, then He would prepare a place of residence for us to dwell in, not only in the future after His return, but also right now while we continue to dwell in these flesh bodies. Christ is our refuge from the trouble in this Satanic world.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Jesus promised to return and to gather us to Him. We know that when He returns in The Second Advent, He will gather all of His Elect from the four corners of the earth to Him. But also, even now, by His Holy Spirit, The Comforter, He gathers us to Him even in this world of flesh. This is that “mansion” He promised to go to prepare for us before His crucifixion.
1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
Our Lord promised to give us Eternal Life. The Word of God is Spirit and Life. The Word of God is The Holy Spirit and Eternal Life, and also The Comforter, and also our mansion and dwelling place in this world today and forever. Let this precept not seem mysterious to you.
You know that God created us in His Image, and He is a Mind and from His Mind comes His Word, therefore we are also minds and from our minds come our words. We have union with The Son and with The Father when our words are in agreement with Their Teaching, but we break off from that union when our words contradict God’s Word. This is the nature of God and also our nature as His dear children, and also the Life and Death issue that lies before every man and woman on earth.
1Jn 2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
The word “seduce” is from “plan-ah’-o” which means “to (properly cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue).” We are being warned about those who try to cause us to fall away into apostasy from The Truth, thereby forfeiting The Lord’s promise to give us Eternal Life. How do men lead other men into apostasy? By the words that come out of their mouths.
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
The Holy Mind which we have received by The New Covenant dwells in us, and teaches us the true Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, and Discretion found only in God’s Word. All true Wisdom comes from God. And He is The Spirit of Truth and cannot lie. We must remain in Him, and with His help we will be enabled to remain in Him.
1Jn 2:28-29 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
Everyone who obeys God’s Law is righteous in God’s sight. This is the very definition of righteousness. Even though we all sinned in the past, now having repented and having received The Heart and Mind of Christ Jesus by The New Covenant, we are empowered to obey God’s Word continually, even to live a sinless life. Note that only The Heart and Mind of Christ Jesus can do that. Only God is righteous. Without Him dwelling in us and us dwelling in (obedient to) Him, alone in this world we are as good as dead. So stay in Him, my friends.
Whosoever has eyes to see and ears to hear, let him hear.