1 John 2:1-6, How Can I Know that I Know Christ?

The blood of Jesus Christ continues to cleans us from all sin, day after day, even if and as we continue to sin.  He is our Advocate.  He is the propitiation for our sins.  He took the wrath of God for us.  Thus, neither sin nor the devil nor anyone else can take away what Christ has done.  He was able to pay the price for our sin because He is “Jesus Christ the righteous.”  He had no sins of His own.

Why does John address these words to his “little children?”  A brand new believer might be confused.  A person comes to Christ because they are tired of sin.  But then, as a believer, he sins.  Does he have to get saved again?  No!  The blood of Christ continues to cleanse him.  But then he might ask, “what’s the big deal with sin?  Why not keep sinning if Christ is always there to forgive and cleanse me (Rom. 3:8; 6:1)?  That is why John is writing this letter: these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate… (2:1).

In 2:3-6 John affirms that we should not sin.  Look at v3: Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.  What does this mean?  It obviously doesn’t mean that we only have an assurance that we know Christ if we are sinless, always keeping His commands.  He just told us that we are liars if we say we have no sin.  But just as obvious, sin will keep us from “knowing that we know Him.”  How should we understand this?

Remember the two possibilities in Ch. 1: either we are walk in darkness or walk in the light.  The issue is fellowship with the Father and Son.  John is building on this here.  He wants us to choose the option “that you may not sin” (v1).  This is the walk where we “keep His commandments” (v3-4), “keep His word” (v5) and “walk just as He walked” (v6).  He is talking about the normal course of our life.  This is what our heart is set on and we are growing in this obedience day by day.

This is, in fact, supported by the words John chose.  He is describing a life where keeping the commands and God’s word and walking as Jesus walked is the normal thing that people see.  And look at the result of this lifestyle?  We have assurance in our relationship with God (v3), we become comfortable with the truth that God loves us (v5), and we will experience an “abiding” relationship with God (v6).  Again, this is a description of joyful fellowship with God.

The blood of Christ never “runs out.”  We never sin so much that He has no blood to cover them.  But the issue here is fellowship.  How can I know that I know Him?  I want to know Christ in depth, to know Him by experience, not just in theory or because the Bible says so.  It’s hard for a husband and wife to enjoy their relationship if they are always fighting, always on a different page.  So it is with Christ.  We will not enjoy our relationship with Him when we are walking where He isn’t going.  We must walk in the light as He is in the light!