What does the phrase ‘Doing what is right’ mean? (1 John 2:29)

Doing what is right means

seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness,

who is Jesus Christ, the righteous King of that kingdom (Mt. 6:33).

In other words, doing what is right means

to live as Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, does (1 Jn. 2:1),

just as He Himself instructs us to (v. 6).

As believers living in Christ,

we are called to live according to the way Jesus lived (v. 6),

which entails obeying His commandments (vv. 7-11).

Jesus's twofold commandment:

"Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments"

(Mt. 22:37-40).

First, doing what is right means l

oving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind,

as commanded in the first part of Jesus's twofold commandment.

In the context of 1 John, this means obeying the instruction found in 1 John 2:15-17:

"Do not love the world or anything in the world.

If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—

comes not from the Father but from the world.

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."

Doing what is right, therefore, means not living according to the fleeting desires

and standards of this world but rather living in accordance with the will of God.

In other words, doing what is right means

living not according to the passing desires of this world

or the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life that are present in this world,

but instead living according to the will of God (1 Jn. 2:15-17)

["For this is the will of God, your sanctification..." (1 Thessalonians 4:3)].

Furthermore, doing what is right entails loving our neighbor as ourselves,

as commanded in the second part of Jesus's twofold commandment.

To obey this commandment from the perspective of 1 John means

obeying the instruction found in 1 John 2:3-11,

summarized as loving one's brother and not hating him.

By obeying Jesus's commandment and loving our brother,

"God's love is truly perfected in us" (v. 5).

And by dwelling in the light,

there is nothing in us that could cause stumbling (v. 10).