A New Commandment I Write to You
“7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister[b] is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister[c] lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.
12 I am writing to you, dear children,
because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13 I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young men,
because you have overcome the evil one.
14 I write to you, dear children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God lives in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[d] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
The commandment God has given us is deeply connected to a life lived in the light. John speaks of a new commandment, yet it is, in truth, an old one—one that has existed from the beginning. However, because we have often forgotten or failed to practice it, Jesus renews it for us. At the heart of this commandment is love for our brothers and sisters. Those who abide in the light love their brothers, while those who hate remain in darkness.
John repeatedly says, "I write to you," emphasizing that through Jesus Christ, we have experienced God’s love and power. God's love is what created us, saved us, and sanctifies us. Salvation is not merely an escape from punishment but the restoration of our relationship with God—a healing work of love upon our souls. In Christ, we learn true love, and His love compels us to love one another.
However, love for the world can distance us from God. While we may enjoy the things of the world, they must never become our ultimate pursuit. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life do not come from God. When we love God above all, we gain the discernment to resist these temptations. Jesus overcame His trials in the wilderness because He stood firm in the Father’s love and His divine mission. As Christians, we are not called to reject the world entirely but to steward it rightly, keeping God at the center.
May we live today practicing this love—a commandment both new and old—abiding in God’s love.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for guarding our hearts from the emptiness of this world and drawing our eyes to You, the true source of life. We lay our weaknesses before You—grant us wisdom to discern false idols and to use honor, power, and possessions rightly without becoming enslaved to them. Holy Spirit, renew our inner being, guide our vision and judgment, and lead us to live a life that reflects Christ.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)