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‘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. 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. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 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.’ (1 John 2:7-11)

Wow, now this is the tiniest bit confusing – what is John on about? There’s an old commandment which is old, there’s a new commandment which is the old commandment so it’s old, but it’s also new, we’re in the darkness and the light…let’s break this down.

The old commandment

A quick read through 1John 1:1-1 John 2:6 will show us that John pretty much has a one-track mind. His key message is one of reconciliation – (1) between God and mankind through us turning toward the light, and (2) within mankind through fellowship with one another. This gives us a good clue as to the ‘new commandment’ he’s talking about, and it doesn’t take too long to spot where he’s going. John quotes Jesus in his gospel as saying: ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another’ (John 13:34). This isn’t so much a new commandment because one of the greatest of the old commandments is ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself’ (see Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39, Galatians 5:14). So the underlying commandment is the same: love one another.

The new commandment

However, the manner in which we obey is different, and that’s what makes it new. John tells us that it’s new ‘because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining’. In other words, the new commandment is enabled through Jesus’ (the light’s) finished work in his death and resurrection. Jesus defeated death by coming to new life, and in our union with him in our new life, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey the old commandment to love one another. Isn’t this a wonderful truth?

The curse of blindness

But a question must be asked. This idea of empowerment to obey the old commandment seems just a little bit too easy, doesn’t it? I mean, relationships aren’t perfect within the body of Christ, whether that’s thinking about strained relationships between rival denominations in the global church, or between Stacey and Gemma who sit on opposite sides of the congregation ever since that party. John says that ‘[w]hoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.’ Do you see what he’s saying? If Stacey says she’s a Christian but still bickers with Gemma, she’s actually still an unbeliever. The problem is that her unbelief (the darkness) is so dark that she can’t see what the light actually looks like!

I want us to look at our relationships within the church today, and I think there’s a challenge to three distinct groups of people:

1. If you regularly attend a local church, look around the congregation this Sunday and see if there’s anyone you’ve fallen out with. If you’re a genuine Christian, you need to be reconciled to this brother or sister! Forgive them, ask for their forgiveness, and simply love them.
2. If you don’t regularly attend a local church, why not? There can be genuine reasons, but if you’re just not going because you don’t get on with the people, then John would suggest that you’re not a Christian at all. You must be reconciled to the people of God.
3. If you lead a local church, have a review of the relationships you hold with churches of other denominations. Are you united in Christ? Churches will always have their differences but we must ensure that we are united as a wider body, to the glory of God.

"Bible verse and quote" from Jan Couns

Bible and Quote - March 11-15