They are greatly loved by God
3
📚See what kind of love✭ the Father✭ has lavished on us, that we should be called the sons of God✭. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know him✭.They will be like Christ when He returns
2 📚Dearly loved ones, we are now the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we will be✭, but we know that when he appears✭, we will be like him✭, for we will see him as he is✭.
They purify themselves
3 📚✭And everyone who has this hope in him purifies✭ himself, just as he is pure.
They know that Christ is sinless and that He died for their sins
4 📚✭Whoever commits sin also breaks the Law, for sin is the breaking of the Law. 5 📚And you know that he was revealed to take away our sins✭, and in him is no sin✭.
They are changed people and do not remain in sin
6 📚✭Whoever remains in him does not go on sinning✭. Whoever goes on sinning has not seen him, and has not known him.
7 📚Little children, let no one deceive you✭. He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous✭. 8 📚He who commits sin is of the devil✭. For the devil has been sinning from the beginning✭. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil✭. 9 📚Whoever is born of God does not go on sinning✭, for his seed✭ remains in him✭ and he cannot go on sinning✭, because he is born of God✭. 10 📚✭In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness✭ is not of God, neither is he who does not love his brother✭.
The command to love one another
11 📚For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 📚and not be like Cain✭, who was of that wicked one, and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.
13 📚✭Do not be surprised, my brethren, if the world hates you.
Loving is the evidence of the new birth
14 📚We know that we have passed from death to life✭, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother remains in death✭. 15 📚✭Whoever goes on hating his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer✭ has eternal life dwelling in him.
Love is proved by deeds, not by words
16 📚By this we know✭ the love of God: because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 📚✭But whoever has this world’s good things, and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart toward him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 📚My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Love gives great confidence toward God
19 📚✭And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 📚For if our heart condemns us✭, God is greater than our heart, and knows✭ all things.
21 📚Dearly loved ones, if our heart does not condemn us✭, then we have confidence✭ toward God. 22 📚And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commands, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight✭.