Theocast
Do You Keep His Commandments? - 1 John 2:4
May 20, 2026
Summary
Has 1 John 2:4 brought you comfort or quietly crushed your assurance? In this conversation, Jon Moffitt examines one of the most misunderstood verses in 1 John and explains what it really means to keep Christ’s commandments. Many believers read this passage as a measure of performance and walk away discouraged or fearful. You will see how John’s words were meant to bring clarity, comfort, and confidence to struggling Christians. The discussion also explains who should actually feel warned by this passage and why context matters. At the center of it all is the assurance found in Christ rather than in personal performance.
Topics
- What 1 John 2:4 really means by keeping Christ’s commandments
- Reading the verse as performance vs. as comfort for struggling Christians
- Clarity, comfort, and confidence rather than crushed assurance
- Who should feel warned by John’s words—and who should be encouraged
Links
- The Bible According to Jesus — how Jesus teaches us to read the Scriptures
- Rest — free ebook on faith vs. faithfulness
- Theocast Community
- Partner with Theocast
Transcript
Edited machine transcript. May contain errors. Select a timestamp to watch that moment.
1 John 2:4 says that if you want to know you're a true Christian, you can know that by one way.
Do you keep his commandments?
Now, this verse has crushed many, many Christians, and by the end of this podcast, I promise you, you will look at that verse and find great joy and comfort.
Not because you've performed well, but because you learned what John really meant by keeping his commandments.
It's supposed to bring you joy and comfort and clarity, and it's not supposed to crush you unless, well, you're a false teacher.
Stay tuned.
Ever read the Bible and walk away feeling like you're failing, no matter how hard you try, you're never measuring up.
That's not a motivation problem, that's a reading problem.
Most people have never been taught how to read the Bible the way Jesus taught it.
So when they hear things like, be perfect, deny yourself, take up your cross, they assume it's all about trying harder.
But what if that's not what Jesus was doing at all?
What if the law isn't meant to fix you, but to reveal your need for a savior.
And what if the gospel is an advice, but an announcement of what Christ has already done for you?
That's the difference between law and gospel.
And once you see it, everything changes: clarity, rest, and confidence.
In the Bible according to Jesus, I show you how to read scripture the way Jesus intended.
So you stop feeling crushed and confused and start living with confidence and rest in Christ.
You can get your copy of the book at theocast.org.
Hey, thanks for joining us here at Theocast, where we are reclaiming clarity and comfort in Christ.
If you're new and you want to learn more about what we do, you can go to theocast.org.
