Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:9

He who says that he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. (1 John 2:9 EMTV)




A1 Outline

B1 Statement

B2 Action

B3 Predicament

A2 Notes

B1 Light has been studied before. It points to God, His character, and truth.

B2 What we say is important, but what we do is revealing of our true character. As the old, tired cliché, states "walk the talk" or "practice what you preach." There is something wrong when a person says they believe something but don't live it.

C1 Hypocrites

D1 Types

E1 Words and actions are different, not consistent. Mark 7:6

E2 Take bribes (or receive something for changing their position). Proverbs 21:14

E3 Outward appearance and actions are different then their inward thoughts. Matthew 23:27

D2 Problem with hypocrisy is that there is a lack of truth. God requires us to be consistent and true. This is His character and a law of His kingdom.

C2 Liars

D1 Types

E1 What one says.

E2 What one does.

E3 Body language inconsistencies.

E4 What they write.

E5 Giving false facts (say a false amount of money earned on an income tax form).

E6 False witness as in court or even in gossip

E7 Moving property line markers

E8 False credentials

E9 And many other ways

D2 Problem--

E1 If we claim that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:10, EMTV)

E2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time itself, (Titus 1:2, EMTV)

B3 Hates

C1 The Greek word for hate is μισέω miseo

C2 It means hate, detest. Had deeply this hate is depends on the text. Here it appears to be a very strong dislike. How can this be? It is because the work of the Holy Spirit is nonexistent in his life. Hate is an evidence of darkness.

C3 The solution to this is to repent (a total change of mind, attitude, and actions), confess the sin to God, believe God, and ask for His help.

C4 Cross references--Matthew 5:21-26, John 3:20, Titus 3:3, Hebrews 1:9 (sin is a good thing to hate).

B4 Darkness

C1 An evidence of not being a Christian.

C2 The Greek word is σκοτία skotia.

C3 It means darkness literally and figuratively.

C4 Cross references John 12:35, Isaiah 59:9-10, John 3:19-20

C5 There is hope for human though--I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. (John 12:46, GNB92)

A3 Questions

B1 Why is lying so serious?

B2 How do people hate each other?

B3 How do church members show hate to each other?

B4 What does this tell about ourselves?

B5 Do others watch us?

B6 What is the cure for this kind of darkness?