Book of 1 John Chapter 2 Vs. 4

Christ Our Advocate 

1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

He that saith... If any man professing to be saved does not keep the commandments, he is a liar (1Jhn. 2:4-5). This is a death blow to the claim of those who live in sin and say the blood of Christ covers their ungodliness.

A liar

Compare we lie, 1Jhn. 1:6.

There are many who profess to be a Christian who are not living their day to day lives for Christ. This is what this Scripture is about. There will be some who will stand before Jesus on judgment day who will say:

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

In him (ἐν τούτῳ)

Emphatic. Lit., in this one the truth is not. See on 1Jhn. 1:8.

God looks on the heart of man. The face we show the world is not always what we really are.

It follows, therefore, that the man who says, I know Him, but does not do what He commands is a liar. As in 1Jhn. 1:6, someone may profess a fellowship with God which his life shows he does not possess. John was not afraid to call this kind of claim what it really is: a lie. Furthermore, it may be said of the same person that the truth is not in him. The idea is similar to the statements made earlier about false claims (1Jhn. 1:6, 1:8, 1:10). In such a person the truth is not a dynamic, controlling influence. He is seriously out of touch with spiritual reality.