Children Learning to Love | 1 John 2:1-15
Pastor Steve Witt
May 18, 2025
I. We Have an
1 John 2:1-6
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
v1 I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Romans 6:12
v1 If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…
1 Timothy 2:5
v2 He is the propitiation for our sins
Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:17
v3 We know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
John 14:15
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
v4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Titus 1:16
v5 Whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
John 14:23
v5 By this we may know that we are in him
…for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17
v6 Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
1 Peter 2:21
II. Commandments are
1 John 2:7-11
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.
v7b-8a 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..
And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37-40
v9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
Titus 3:3
v10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
v11 The darkness has blinded his eyes.
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.
Ephesians 4:18
III. Children – Fathers – Young Men
1 John 2:12-14
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.
v12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…
Ephesians 1:7
v13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:1-2
v13 I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10-11
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
v13 I write to you, children, because you know the Father
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…
Romans 8:15-16
v14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
John 8:58
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:16-17
v14 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.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10