How does 1 John 2:3 define knowing God? Text and Key Terms “By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.” (1 John 2:3) Greek key words • ἐγνώκαμεν (egnōkamen, “we have come to know”) – perfect tense of γινώσκω, indicating an established, continuing relationship rather than a passing acquaintance. • τηρῶμεν (tērōmen, “we keep”) – present subjunctive of τηρέω, describing an ongoing pattern of attentive, watchful obedience. Knowing God, therefore, is presented as a settled covenant reality whose authenticity is verified by a present, habitual obedience. Immediate Literary Context (1 John 2:1-6) John has just declared Christ the atoning sacrifice (2:2) and reassured believers that sin is forgiven through Him (2:1). Against any antinomian or proto-Gnostic claim that behavior is irrelevant, he now issues the first “test of assurance”: genuine knowledge of God manifests in commandment-keeping (2:3), love for fellow believers (2:10), and confession of the Son (4:15). Verse 6 climaxes: “Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked” . Thus 2:3 supplies a practical litmus test that guards the flock from fraudulent claims of spirituality. Canonical Harmony John echoes Jesus’ own definition: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15); “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Paul concurs: saving faith “works through love” (Galatians 5:6). The Old Testament anticipated this nexus of knowledge and obedience: “I will put My law within them and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33), fulfilled through the indwelling Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27; Romans 8:4). Scripture is internally consistent: relational knowledge produces moral conformity. Definition Synthesized Knowing God = entering a redeemed, experiential, covenant relationship with the triune Lord, authenticated by a life pattern of guarding, obeying, and treasuring His revealed will. It is cognitive (right doctrine), volitional (obedience), and relational (love). Three Interlocking Tests in 1 John 1. Moral test – obedience (2:3-6; 3:6-10). 2. Social test – love for brethren (3:14-18; 4:7-12). 3. Doctrinal test – confession of the incarnate Son (4:2-3; 5:1). Verse 3 inaugurates the series: without the moral component, profession is hollow (2:4). Obedience as Evidence, Not Cause, of Salvation Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Obedience is the created outcome (Ephesians 2:10), not a meritorious prerequisite. 1 John 2:3 addresses epistemology (How can we “know that we know”?) rather than soteriology (How are we saved?). Assurance flows from observable, Spirit-enabled transformation. Continuity with Old Covenant Paradigms Deuteronomy links love, fear, and obedience (Deuteronomy 10:12-13). Micah sums up covenant faithfulness (Micah 6:8). Psalm 119 celebrates delight in God’s commands. John situates believers within this redemptive stream, now empowered by Christ’s finished work and the Spirit’s indwelling. Philosophical Clarification Knowledge in biblical terms surpasses mere propositional awareness; it entails personal encounter and covenant fidelity. This counters any reduction to intellectual assent alone, a critical distinction when dialoguing with skeptics who may equate “knowing” with data accumulation. Christological Foundation Knowledge of God is mediated exclusively through the resurrected Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The historical resurrection, attested by multiple early, independent witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28; John 20), validates Jesus’ authority to command and to save. Therefore, obedience to His word is inseparable from acknowledging His risen Lordship. Gnostic Contrast Late first-century proto-Gnostics claimed esoteric knowledge while downplaying bodily obedience. John’s test exposes their error: true gnosis is inseparable from ethics. Apostolic fathers (e.g., Ignatius, Polycarp) continue this theme, evidencing a unified early-church stance. Practical Application • Self-examination: Compare life patterns with Scripture (2 Corinthians 13:5). • Spiritual disciplines: Word intake, prayer, fellowship foster obedience (Acts 2:42). • Confession and grace: Ongoing repentance maintains fellowship (1 John 1:9). • Missional witness: Observable holiness corroborates gospel proclamation (Matthew 5:16). Summary 1 John 2:3 defines knowing God as an ongoing, covenantal relationship with Him that unfailingly expresses itself in habitual obedience to His commandments. This obedience is Spirit-enabled evidence of salvation, not its cause; it integrates love, doctrine, and praxis; it refutes antinomian claims and offers believers concrete assurance that they truly belong to the risen Christ. |
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