BG: The First Epistle of John is an intensely practical letter addressed to Christian readers. It warns against the dangers of false teaching and exhorts believers to lives of obedience to God and love for their brothers and sisters. Its controlling theme is fellowship with God the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1:3).
1:3 我們將所看見、所聽見的傳給你們，使你們與我們相交。我們乃是與父並他兒子耶穌基督相交的
1: 7 我們若在光明中行，如同神在光明中，就彼此相交
In ancient thought, the concept of “light” readily suggested the idea of “vision,” “perception,” or “knowledge.” It seems obvious that a life of fellowship with God in the light ought to lead to knowing Him
2:
I. v.3-6
v.3-6 repeated
v.3-4 repeated x2
我們若遵守他的誡命，就曉得是認識他
obey His commandments,
Know Him
v. 人若說...真理
v.5, 6
凡遵守主道的, 照主所行的去行
愛神的心=The Greek expression “the love of God” (rendered “God’s love”) could mean either His love for a Christian or a Christian’s love for God
Since a Christian is already the object of God’s saving love, this additional, experiential realization of the divine affection may be properly said to make God’s love complete in him (cf. 1 John 4:12, 17). That is to say, an obedient believer has a deep, full-orbed acquaintance with “God’s love.”
呂振中 v.6 那說住在他裡面的、那麼基督（希臘文作︰『那一位』）怎樣行，他也應該怎樣行︰在這一點、我們就知道我們在他裡面。
我們是在主裡面
v.6 人若說...就該自己
Interpretation:
False teaching
The author will now discuss how a Christian may have assurance that he or she has come to know the God who is light, again by contrast with the opponents who make the same profession of knowing God, but lack the reality of such knowledge, as their behavior makes clear.
Application:
know God= not mystical, not personal philosophy, etc.
know God=obey His word
How? 1. Read, know the meaning, 2. obey. What can help us if we did 1 but not 2 yet? Fellowship
II. v.7-11
What was the lie or "人若說?" v.9
13:34 34 我賜給你們一條新命令，乃是叫你們彼此相愛；我怎樣愛你們，你們也要怎樣相愛。35 你們若有彼此相愛的心，眾人因此就認出你們是我的門徒了。”
Jesus told the disciples this commandment before He died, so it is an old commandment which they had heard before v.7. But noted, in John 13:34, Jesus called it a new commandment. Therefore, it is also called a new commandment in v.8.
In other ways, what some false teacher taught the audience of 1 John was not true-one can believe in Jesus but walk in darkness or hate their fellow Christians. Jesus' commandment way back then has already told them that is not true.
10 愛弟兄的，就是住在光明中，在他並沒有絆跌的緣由。11 惟獨恨弟兄的是在黑暗裡，且在黑暗裡行，也不知道往哪裡去，因為黑暗叫他眼睛瞎了。
恨弟兄 hate=(BDAG) depending on the context, this verb ranges in meaning from ‘disfavor’ to ‘detest’. The English term ‘hate’ generally suggests affective connotations that do not always do justice esp. to some Semitic shame-honor oriented use of [hebrew term of hate=שָׂנֵא] (e.g. Dt 21:15, 16) in the sense ‘hold in disfavor, be disinclined to, have relatively little regard for’.
Application: That means, do we disfavor our brothers and sisters? Do we not hold them in honor? That means we are still in the darkness v.9. Remaining in darkness has serious consequences, i.e. stumbling v.10b, blinded his eyes and does not know where one is going v.11.
III. v.12-14
Reflection: John wrote this letter to let his readers know that they have the precious status in Christ. Their sins have been forgiven because of Jesus' name. They have known Jesus Who is the Creator. They have conquered Satan because God resides in them.
When we know for sure that we are saved by God should not we love Him more? Therefore, in v.15, John challenged us: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,
v.7-11
Repeated words and reflection
Jesus told the disciples this commandment before He died, so it is an old commandment which they had heard before v.7. But noted, in John 13:34, Jesus called it a new commandment. Therefore, it is also called a new commandment in v.8.
Reflection: Will you think that you do not hate fellow Christians so you are not violating Jesus' commandment and you are not living in darkness? But, the flip side or the mirror image of v.9 is in v.10. Not to hate means we need to love. Do we love our fellow Christians?
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