1 John 2:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

NIV: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

NASB: the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.

CSB: The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

NLT: Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

KJV: He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

NKJV: He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

This verse completes John's thought which was begun in verse 5. Anyone claiming to "abide" in Christ should "walk," or live, as Jesus lived.

This is frequently mentioned as John's ultimate proof for how a person knows he or she is a believer: A believer in Jesus lives like Jesus. True Christians grow to act more and more like Christ. Those who don't demonstrate a Christ-like lifestyle are—at minimum—failing to provide evidence of their salvation. Still, absence of evidence is not always evidence of absence. In other words, failure to grow or change in one's life is not an infallible sign of being lost, nor is a continued struggle with sin. However, anyone who claims to be "in Christ" but fails to live like Him certainly does not have a fellowship relationship with Him.

In chapter 1, John stated that even believers can and do sin. When a Christian sins, they are to confess to God, who will forgive (1 John 1:9). If a person does not live like Christ, and does not confess sin, it gives evidence that the person may not be a true believer. In this letter, John is primarily dealing with believers, and those who falsely claim to be following Christ's commands. Those who fail to follow Christ's will, but say they have "fellowship" with Him, are liars. While it's technically possible for such people to have saving faith, there is no way for them to produce spiritual fruit. The consequences of sin remain, even if we are free from the eternal penalty.

First John 2:1–6 both encourages and warns Christians about sin. John reassures his readers that when a saved believer sins, Christ will plead our case with God. Jesus is our substitute, taking the punishment for our sins. At the same time, John warns that those who claim to know Christ, yet disobey Him, are lying to themselves and others. Anyone who claims to have fellowship with Christ should live as if that is true.

Chapter 2 explains the fellowship Christians have with God. Christ is our advocate, even when we sin. Christians are not to love things of the world, or to love the world. Instead, we are to live, love, and act like Christ. False teachers, and those who deny Jesus are called ''liars.'' Those who demonstrate a Christ-like behavior are ''born of'' God.

Chapter 1 introduced the primary themes of John’s letter. Chapters 2 and 3 lay out a detailed description of how Christian conduct is meant to be marked by obedience to the truth. Christians are called to live like Christ. Therefore, those who do not (live that way) do not have ''the truth'' in them. Later chapters of this letter will fill in how Christian love and conduct give us confidence in our daily lives.

First John seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the gospel. Rather than re-state these facts, John is concerned with building confidence in Christian believers. At the same time, his words encourage believers to examine their own lives for signs of their relationship with Christ. This letter also challenges false teachers and their incorrect claims about Jesus. Many themes are shared with the Gospel of John.