I John 2:3

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments."


Now goodness, where does that ring a bell from? Well, go back with me to Matthew chapter 19 -- and every time I use this verse I have to remember a phone call several years ago where a lady called and said, "Les I'm totally confused." I said, "What's the matter?" She continued, "Well, yesterday morning my priest's subject was Matthew 19," (Matthew 19 verses 16 and 17, and that was his sermon.) And she said, "This morning on your program, you're telling us we're not under the Law and the Commandments; we're under Grace. Now I'm confused."


Well now I didn't bring you back here to confuse you -- I brought you back here to see how this is exactly the same language that John uses in his little epistle as is used in the Four Gospels. All right, Jesus is speaking in Matthew 19.


Matthew 19:16-17

"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17. And he (Jesus) said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: But, if thou wilt enter into life, (that is eternal life) keep the (what?) commandments."


Keep the Commandments. That was His answer. All right, now come back to I John and the Spirit now inspires John to write (since we're dealing with believing Jews, not Gentiles), and he says, "If you really know the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, then you'll 'keep his commandments.'" Now I'll be the first to admit that he's not talking about just the Ten -- he's talking about all the ramifications of the Law. But it's still the Law that he's dealing with. Now verse 4.


I John 2:4-5a

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (well, that's basically what Jesus told the Jews of His own day) 5. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the (what?) the love of God perfected:...."