1 John 2:8 – True in Him

1 John 2:7-8
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.
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.

John is not writing a new commandment. He is explaining that Jesus gave the church a new commandment. The commandment is not the eleventh commandment. The believer is no longer under the law. But God writes this new commandment on their hearts. It’s preloaded in the new birth. But if you hadn’t heard Jesus give this commandment, it might sound like a new commandment.

^“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34) Only God can give commandments. Jesus didn’t add this to the law but He lifted this command above the law. This is Jesus making love the hallmark of the Christian walk. ^“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35).

This is how all will come to know Jesus. True disciples display this important trait—love. Nobody could keep the old law. But anyone that is truly born again will display love in their lives.

It’s Jesus in us that dispels darkness. The true light shines forth in love power. John goes on in the next few verses and questions how can one who has the light of life within hate a brother. If you have the love of Jesus within, you will shine forth His love. God so loved the world He gave. I’m sure you have met many people who aren’t easily loved. God loved them all. And it’s not that He loved good people only, He loved sinners of which we all were. He still loves those out there in the world we would classify as sinners. He wants us to show the love of Jesus to the world. By His love all men will know about Christians. Is that what you think of when you say “Christian?”