Old and New Commandment (1 John 2: 7-11)

OLD AND NEW COMMANDMENT (1 JOHN 2: 7-11):

After writing about continually keeping God’s commandments, Apostle John calls the believers as beloved and tells them that he is not writing them new commandment but an old commandment that they had from the beginning. Apostle John also clarifies that the old commandment is the word that they had heard. Apostle John acknowledges that the new commandment and old commandment complement each other, which the believers had heard from the beginning. Apostle John continues to write by saying that he is writing a new commandment to the believers, which is true in Jesus and themselves at the same time, because the darkness is passing away in them and the true light is already shining. It’s not altogether new commandment but the reiteration of the commandment, which is according to the facts that Jesus stated and even it is according to believing people because they started to leave living according to the world of sin and started living according to the Word of God that could be testified by many.

Apostle John then writes the commandment he wanted and quoted that whoever says that he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. There could not be existence of hatred when a person really wants to follow the commandment of God because hatred is not from God. The person who hates another person can say that he is good and following what is Godly but doesn’t really do it in heart and mind. A person whoever loves his brother abides in the light and in Jesus and there is no cause for stumbling because of him. Love wipes out the selfishness and putting the self to the first, but enabling to consider others better than the self. A person who really loves his brother in spite of all differences, is in God and he need not stumble at any cause. A person who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and doesn’t know where he is going because the darkness had blinded his eyes. There are always differences and everyone needn’t have the best solution for everything. Sometimes some people hold on to what they need and they never agree to others which may lead to hatred and walking in darkness. The person who is in hatred gives excuses for that, looking at the limitations of others and justifying the hatred. The person in hatred doesn’t know what he does because it had blinded them.

Stimulations for Self-Reflection:

1.      What does the author say about the old commandment?

2.      Why does the author say that he is writing no new commandment but an old commandment?

3.      Why does Apostle John say that what he writes is a new commandment?

4.      What does Apostle John say about the commandment he gives?

5.      What is the commandment that Apostle John gives?

6.      Who is still in darkness according to Apostle John?

7.      Who is in light according to Apostle John and what good they have?

8.      Why a person who hates his brother walks in darkness?

9.      How darkness has blinded the eyes of who hates his brother?

10.  How can we love our brother and walk in the light?