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He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
Verse Takeaways
1
Love: The Litmus Test
Commentators unanimously agree that your love for fellow believers is the ultimate test of your claim to be "in the light," or a Christian. A profession of faith without genuine love for others is, according to John, a self-deception. As Charles Spurgeon puts it, hatred is "proof positive" that God's grace is not present, leaving one in spiritual darkness regardless of their claims.
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Book Overview
1 John
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9
18th Century
Presbyterian
He that saith he is in the light. This means that he has true religion, or is a Christian. See 1 John 1:7.
And hate…
And hateth his brother (κα τον αδελφον αυτου μισων). Sharp contrast between the love just described and hate. The only way to walk…
19th Century
Anglican
Here (1 John 2:9–11) is the chief way in which the old commandment, the new commandment, the word from the beginning, the walk in light…
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Baptist
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.…
This verse brings us to the third false claim that the author denies. Whereas obedience to the new command leads to love among the Christian commun…
17th Century
Reformed Baptist
He that says he is in the light Is in Christ the light, or has the true knowledge of the light of the Gospel, or is …
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What knowledge of Christ can that be which does not see that He is most worthy of our entire obedience? A disobedient life shows there is neither r…
