1. These verses are addressed to believers in Jesus Christ.
2. 1 John 2:12-14 give us the following things that true believers know:
a. They know their sins are forgiven.
b. They know Christ and have a relationship with Him.
c. They know that through Jesus Christ they have overcome the devil. d. They know they are strong when they are in the Word of God.
3. It is a joy to know they we have been forgiven of our sins.
4. Scholars remind us that in Hebrew understanding, the name equals the character and personality. 1 John 3:23.
5. 1 John 2:13 is a statement of Christ's pre-existence and, thereby, His deity.
6. We are victors through Jesus Christ.
7. As believers we deal with the "already but not tension of the Kingdom of God, therefore, we still struggle with sin, temptation, persecution, and death.
8. We only overcome the evil one through prayer, submission, and a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
9. 1 John 2:14 reminds us that our strength is based on the abiding word of God. The abiding word is the gospel.
10. The last part of 1 John 2:14 reminds us of the importance of perseverance in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
11. 1 John 2:15 strongly reminds us that we cannot sit on the fence, we must love God and not the world.
12. One section of the Gnostic believers were characterized by their love for the world.
13. The world is the human society that is organized and functions apart from God.
14. Corrie Ten Boom once said, "The LORD taught her not to hold on to the things of this world too tightly because when He takes them away it does not hurt as much."
15. This text confronts our propensity toward loving the things of this world much more than we do the LORD.
16. We can worship the following institutions:
a. human governmental systems.
b. human educational systems.
c. economic systems.
d. medical systems.
e. political systems. (Adapted from Dr. Bob Utley)
17. This text reminds us that nothing other than Christ can or should fill the God-shaped vacuum that is in all of us.
18. "What we love is evidence of whose we are... God's or Satan's.
19. The "lust of the flesh" referred to in verse 16 refers to fallen mankind's self-seeking attitude. Please read Gal. 5:16-21.
20. Sin begins in the thought life and works its way out to action.
21. We are blessed to know what love is because of what Jesus did on the Cross for us.
22. Love is a tremendous gift from God.
23. I hope we never get over the magnitude of what Jesus did at Calvary for us.
24. True believers give themselves away so others might know Christ.
25. "Death to self-centeredness reveals the following:
a. a reverse of the Fall.
b. The restoration of the image of God.
c. Living for the corporate good." Dr. Utley
26. God blesses us so that we might be a blessing to others.
27. Every church should be giving herself away so that others can know the Joy of knowing Jesus.
28. We are not to horde what God has blessed us with.
29. These verses quickly get in our grill.
30. These verses expect us to take immediate action in the Name of Jesus Christ.