I John 2:3-6: Tests of knowing Him part 1

3By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected By this we know that we are in Him: 6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

The word of God changes those that hear and believe. Once the Holy Spirit has regenerated your heart, once you have responded to the call of the gospel, once the Holy Spirit indwells you there is a change. You have become a new man no longer enslaved to the desires of the flesh. John knew this first hand being a disciple and follower of Christ. To claim to know Christ yet not keep His commandments was absurd. It was obvious to John that the one who made that sort of claim was lying.


We have established (in an earlier com box) that John wrote this letter in response to the Docetists who were starting to infiltrate the church. The Docetists taught that it was an illusion that Christ came in the flesh. Christ was, they taught, a spiritual being with a spiritual body. Christ could not possess a physical body because flesh was evil. Jesus was a spiritual being; an example of what we would be like after death. Thus it did not matter how you lived your life, you could live how you liked. The only thing that mattered, they taught, was that you possessed knowledge about Christ and who he was.

Today, strip off the whole flesh is evil thing and what you have left is the general attitude of most people today. ‘I believe in a god/Jesus so I must be okay’ type of attitude is prevalent today. But is this what Christ taught? Can one live a carnal life, live in opposition to what Jesus taught and still claim to know him? Some may know who Christ is but do they know Him? Do they know what He taught about sin? What He taught about Himself? Do they know what His purpose was as He walked here among us?

Robert Candlish writes in his commentary on I John:
It is as if you asked me about one of my familiars, whose name I am fond of using, whose opinions I am apt to quote, whose patronage I rather boast of; - “But do you know that you know him? Are you sure that you understand him?” The abrupt question takes me aback. I think I know him. But your doubt startles me. I must inquire and see.

It is here where we need to reexamine our claim. Is it true? Do I really know Christ? How do I know that I know Christ? In I John 2:3-4, the apostle John tells us that the standard by which we know we know him is if we keep his commandments. But why is keeping the commandments of Christ evidence that we know him? (1)Commandment keeping is a product of the Holy Spirit, not of man and (2) Christ taught that to love Him is to keep His commandments.

Knowing Christ and following his commands isn’t something that we do to build “Brownie points” with God. Instead it is the Holy Spirit working in and through his people. The Docetists were liars because they taught contrary to this. These were people who fulfill the desires of the flesh; that show no evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They deceive others and themselves. The difference between one such as this and the Christian is evident. When the Christian sins the Holy Spirit draws that person to repentance and sorrow; they remember and keep the commandments of Christ. Those that are in the flesh practice the deeds of the flesh. They walk contrary to the Spirit.

The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:19-23
19Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
In contrast:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Those that claim to know Christ are in possession of the Holy Spirit of God who is sanctifying them, perfecting them and making them into the image of Christ. Their knowledge of Christ and his teachings are made evident by the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

2. We know that we know Him when we keep His commandments. What are the commandments of Christ? Verse 6 gives us clarification. “The one who says he abides in him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” It was Christ’s aim to submit Himself to the Father when he walked amongst us. Those that would claim to follow Christ should seek to do the same.

I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. – John 5:30b

24"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25"He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. 26"If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. – John 12: 24-26

15"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. – John 14:15


19"After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. 20"In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." – John 14:19-21

This list is by no means exhaustive but you get the picture. Christ’s desire was to honor the Father. How can we claim to know him and not do the same?