1 John 5:2, carrying out God's commands.

[Christian2]

1 John 5:2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

Someone is trying to tell me that this verse means that we are to follow Mosaic Law -- Acts 15 be damned -- I think the commandment being spoken of here is the commandment to love one another.

John 15:12 (New International Version, ©2011)

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Considering that the author of 1 John is the same author of the Gospel of John, his comment "by loving God and carrying out his commands" means the Messiah.

Comments would be welcome.

Thanks.

[neo-x]

It is an implicit argument, I would not take it seriously. But even in that way, it would not ask you to follow Mosaic law exclusively or entirely. Jesus said the the two commandments that represented all law and the prophets were, Love your God and Love your neighbor as your self. One could say that in the same spirit - that was the intention of the OT law, is now being carried into the NT. And that is true, but that is all there is to it. We are no longer under law and surely not under ceremonial law.

[PaulSacramento]

Within the context of the letter:


7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19 We loveb because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters,c are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sisterd whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisterse also.


5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christa has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?


Of course one can take that John also means the original 10 commandments also, I would probably be hard press to think that John means the over 600 laws that were added to them, LOL !

[jlay]

Actually, for the proper context of commands we need to go back even further.

"And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." 1 John 3:23

It is pretty obvious from this statement that the commands are not the mosaic law. Otherwise John should have never included this verse in his letter. So, the commands are, believe on Christ, and love one another. He goes on to explain the importance of that love. Because it is essential for an abiding relationship with Christ. These commands are not a burden. As we know the burden is when we do not obey. There is true liberty in following these two commands. Faith and love. Imagine if everyone obeyed these two. What would happen? End of famine and war. End of law breaking.

1 John truly is a guide to true Christian fellowship. A letter that is not taught enough. And when taught is poorly handled.