In verse 8 John says that the fact of the old commandment of brotherly love being new in the believers’ Christian walk is true both in the Lord and in us. This is true in the Lord because He gave the commandment and because He renews and refreshes this commandment. This is true also in us because we not only have received the old commandment, but also have a new and fresh enlightening of this commandment. Under this enlightenment, we have the consciousness that this word is new and refreshing to us. This word even makes us new. Therefore, this is true in us because the darkness is vanishing and the true light is already shining.
What is this true light? This light is the light in the word of the Lord that is shining upon us. This shining can be compared to the dawning of a new day.
In verse 9 John continues, “He who says he is in the light and is hating his brother, is in the darkness until now.” Light is the expression of God’s essence and the source of truth. The divine love is related to the divine light. The divine love is versus the satanic hatred, which is related to the satanic darkness. Hating a brother in the Lord is a sign of being in darkness (v. 11). Likewise, loving a brother is a sign of abiding in the light (v. 10).
In chapter 1 of this Epistle John speaks about light and darkness with respect to the first condition of the divine fellowship. When in chapter two he speaks regarding the second condition, he also mentions light and darkness. Hatred is a sign that we are in darkness, whereas love is a sign that we are in the light.
In verse 10 John goes on to say, “He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him.” Abiding in the light depends upon abiding in the Lord (v. 6), from which issues love toward the brothers. Stumbling comes from blindness, and blindness comes from darkness.
Both conditions of the divine fellowship depend on the divine light. If we are not in the divine light, we are automatically through with the fellowship of the divine life. Whenever we are without light, we are automatically in darkness. Whenever light vanishes, darkness is present. Likewise, as long as we abide in the divine light, darkness vanishes.
The absence of the divine light is a strong sign that we are not in the divine fellowship. In chapter one, concerning the first condition of the divine fellowship, whether we are in light or darkness is determined by whether or not we deal with sin. If we sin, we are in darkness. But if we deal with sin by confessing it and experiencing God’s forgiveness and cleansing, we shall be in the light. In chapter two, concerning the second condition of the divine fellowship, whether we are in darkness or light is determined by whether or not we love the brothers. If we hate, we are in darkness. But if we love, we are in the light. When we are in the light, we are then in the divine fellowship. But when we are in darkness, we have nothing to do with this fellowship.
In verse 11 John says, “But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” In John 12:35 and 40, darkness is the issue of blinding; here it is the cause of blinding. Darkness brings in blindness, and blindness is the cause of stumbling. How is it possible for a Christian to be stumbled? A Christian may be stumbled by the blindness that comes from darkness. Darkness is the result of an interruption in our fellowship. Whenever our fellowship in the divine life is broken, immediately we are in darkness. This darkness causes blindness. Then it is easy for us to stumble.