3We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.
4Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.
5But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:
6Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.
1John 2:3–6 (NIV)
Commentary
We often find ourselves living a spiritual double life—confessing with our lips that we know God while failing to keep His commands in our daily actions. This disconnect can lead to an underlying anxiety about being a "liar" and a hollow feeling that the truth does not truly dwell within us. In the rush of our careers and personal lives, we risk losing the true meaning of what it means to "know" God.
The Apostle John declares, "We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands" (v. 3). He warns that anyone who claims to know Him but does not obey is a liar (v. 4). Obedience to the Word is the most certain evidence that God's love has truly been "made complete" within us (v. 5). It is the visible fruit of an invisible faith.
Today, remember that your obedience is the living proof of your relationship with God. We must show our love for Him through our actions, not just our words. As the scripture says, "Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did" (v. 6). When you model your life after Jesus through practical obedience, you will find spiritual stability and the deep assurance that comes from standing in the truth.
Difficult Words
- We Know That We Have Come to Know Him:The authenticity of one’s confession of knowing God is proven not through knowledge or emotion, but through the act of obedience to His commands in daily life.
- Love for God is Truly Made Complete in Them:Through obedience to the Word, our love for God is most clearly expressed, and our spiritual maturity reaches its fulfillment.
My Meditation Record
1
What is the definitive evidence that we truly know God (v. 3), and what warning does John give to those who claim to know Him but do not obey? (Refer to v. 4)
2
Are you currently claiming to know God while living as a "liar" by ignoring His commands in your private or professional life? What act of obedience would prove that God’s love is being made complete in you today?
3
Meditate on the phrase "must live as Jesus did." Choose one specific trait of Jesus (such as His humility, His integrity, or His kindness) and practice it in one concrete interaction today.