Whoever Loves His Brother
7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Key Verse 10: Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
V7-11
What is the old commandment that John is writing about? In what way is it a new commandment?(8)
Why might we say that we are in the light but be a liar according to verse 9? Why do you think that hating your brother leads to blindness and walking in darkness? Why does loving your brother demonstrate that you are abiding in the light?
V12-14
Children) Why as God's children, do we need to know that our sins are forgiven for his name’s sake? What does it mean to know the “Father”?
Fathers) As fathers/mothers, why is it important to be reminded that we know Him “who is from the beginning”?
Young Men) Why is John writing to us as God's young maturing men/women to know that his word abides in us, we are strong, and that we have overcome the evil one?
Why might John be mentioning these things at this time? How might these qualities be necessary to love our brothers/sisters and walk in the light?