Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:4

He who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:4, EMTV)




A1 Outline

B1 The talk

B2 The walk

B3 The truth

A2 Notes

B1 The talk: "I have come to know Him."

C1 The Greek word is in the present perfect.

C2 In this case it is hard to translate.

D1 Present perfect with the word see is "I have seen him."

D2 Present perfect with the word know is "I have known him."

D3 But in the second example it sounds like a past tense, that is, "I used to know him.'

D4 Perhaps we could translate this as "I know him now" using an added adverb "now" to convey the present sense.

D5 The various translations have both "I have come to know him" and "I know him."

D6 The idea is that a person claims to know God in the past and still now in the present.

C3 The bottom line of this phrase is, "I know God," that is, "I am a Christian."

B2 Well then, let us test this and see if you are.

B3 Do you obey His commandments? They are written in the New Testament. Jesus has spoken them. His Apostles have taught them.

B4 God does not lie, nor does He like liars.

C1 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time itself, (Titus 1:2, EMTV)

C2 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:16-17, NKJV)

C3 But there shall by no means enter into it anything unclean, nor shall the abominable or liars enter, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Revelation 21:27, EMTV)

B5 God is a God of truth

C1 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6, EMTV)

C2 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight. (Proverbs 12:22, NKJV)

A3 Questions

B1 Can we separate salvation from godly living?

B2 Can we separate doctrine from godly living?

B3 What is the purpose for godly living?

B4 Will living godly save us?

B5 How can obeying Jesus's commandments show we are true Christians?

B6 Does God approve of liars? How can He then approve of those living a lie?

B7 Are we living a lie?