1 John 2:6 - Exposition

Profession involves an obligation to act up to the profession. "He who says that he abides in God is by his words morally bound to walk even as his Son, the incarnate Revelation of his will, walked."

The change from ἐν αὐτῷ to ἐκεῖνος confirms the view that αὐτόν and αὐτοῦ mean the Father; but St. John's use of ἐκεῖνος to recall with emphasis a previous subject ( John 1:8 , John 1:18 , John 1:33 ; John 5:11 ; John 9:37 ; John 10:1 ; John 12:48 ) makes this argument inconclusive. To be or abide in God or in Christ implies an habitual condition, not isolated apprehensions of his presence. Obedience, not feeling, is the test of union; and the Christian who is really such has least to tell of "experiences" of special visitations. He who is ever in the light has few sensible illuminations to record. Note the strong καθώς , even as (not merely ὡς , as); nothing less than "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" ( Ephesians 4:13 ) is to be aimed at. "Ye therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" ( Matthew 5:48 ).