1 John 2:3-6 (NKJV) Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
V3 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Do we know Him, Jesus Christ? Are can we be sure? One way to know if we are truly saved is do we have a desire and effort to obey the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)? If yes, saved; if not, not saved. A person may claim to be a Christian but live no differently from non-Christians. A new Christian will still have much to learn and may appear disobedient, but if the attitude and motive to be obedient are present, then most likely they are saved.
V4 “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Living a non-Christian life with little or no effort is a living liar. They claim but don’t live it.
V5 “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” Keeps is literally “is keeping.” The Greek word “keeps” is ( G5083) τηρέω tēréō, which means to attend to carefully (Thayer). It can be applied to a guard watching prisoners, keeping a law (obey), and observing closely. A person who believes and has the desire to obey and effort to obey is most likely a true believer.
V6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” The principle: what we say and what we do are important. It is to be lived consistently. Our Lord Jesus spoke many things. What is truth, He lived, He spoke, and He died for.
We learn:
- A true Christian life will be seen before it is heard
- If we love God, we obey the Scriptures