1 John 2:12-27
Reasons for Writing
Dear children, I’m writing to you
because your sins have been forgiven.
They have been forgiven because of what Jesus has done.
Fathers, I’m writing to you
because you know the one who is from the beginning.
Young men, I’m writing to you
because you have won the battle over the evil one.
Dear children, I’m writing to you
because you know the Father.
Fathers, I’m writing to you
because you know the one who is from the beginning.
Young men, I’m writing to you
because you are strong.
God’s word lives in you.
You have won the battle over the evil one.
Do Not Love the World
Do not love the world or anything in it. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. Here is what people who belong to this world do. They try to satisfy what their sinful desires want to do. They long for what their sinful eyes look at. They take pride in what they have and what they do. All of this comes from the world. None of it comes from the Father. The world and its evil desires are passing away. But whoever does what God wants them to do lives forever.
Warnings About Saying No to the Son
Dear children, we are living in the last days. You have heard that the great enemy of Christ is coming. But even now many enemies of Christ have already come. That’s how we know that these are the last days. These enemies left our community of believers. They didn’t really belong to us. If they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But by leaving they showed that none of them belonged to us.
You have received the Spirit from the Holy One. And all of you know the truth. I’m not writing to you because you don’t know the truth. I’m writing because you do know it. I’m writing to you because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. The person who says this is the great enemy of Christ. They say no to the Father and the Son. The person who says no to the Son doesn’t belong to the Father. But anyone who says yes to the Son belongs to the Father also.
Make sure that you don’t forget what you have heard from the beginning. Then you will remain joined to the Son and to the Father. And here is what God has promised us. He has promised us eternal life.
I’m writing these things to warn you. I am warning you about people trying to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit from God. He continues to live in you. So you don’t need anyone to teach you. God’s Spirit teaches you about everything. What he says is true. He doesn’t lie. Remain joined to Christ, just as you have been taught by the Spirit.
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