1Jo 3 | 20C | STEP | Think what love the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called ‘Children of God’; as indeed we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him.

‏ 1 John 3

The Privileges and Duties of God’s Children

1 Think what love the Father has shown us in allowing us to be called ‘Children of God’; as indeed we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it has not learned to know him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s Children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is that, when it is revealed, we shall be like Christ; because we shall see him as he is. 3 And every one who has this hope with regard to Christ tries to make himself pure — as Christ is pure.

4 Every one who lives sinfully is living in violation of Law. Sin is violation of Law. 5 And you know that Christ appeared to take away our sins; and in him Sin has no place. 6 No one who maintains union with him lives in sin; no one who lives in sin has ever really seen him or learned to know him. 7 My Children, do not let any one mislead you. He who lives righteously is righteous — as Christ is righteous. 8 He who lives sinfully belongs to the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the first. It was for this that the Son of God appeared, that he might undo the Devil’s work.

9 No one who has received the new Life from God lives sinfully, because the very nature of God dwells within him; and he cannot live in sin, because he has received the new Life from God. 10 By this the Children of God are distinguished from the Children of the Devil — No one who lives unrighteously comes from God, and especially the man who does not love his Brother. 11 For these are the Tidings that we heard from the first — that we are to love one another. 12 We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? It was because his life was bad while his brother’s was good.

13 Do not wonder, Brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of Death into Life, because we love our Brothers. The man who does not love remains in a state of Death. 15 Every one who hates his Brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has Immortal Life within him.

16 We have learned to know what love is from this — that Christ laid down his life on our behalf. Therefore we also ought to lay down our lives on behalf of our Brothers. 17 But, if any one has worldly possessions, and yet looks on while his Brother is in want, and steels his heart against him, how can it be said that the love of God is within him? 18 My children, do not let our love be mere words, or end in talk; let it be true and show itself in acts.

19 By that we shall know that we are on the side of the Truth; and we shall satisfy ourselves in God’s sight, 20 that if our conscience condemns us, yet God is greater than our conscience and knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, then we approach God with confidence, 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we are laying his commands to heart, and are doing what is pleasing in his sight. 23 His Command is this — that we should put our trust in the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, in accordance with the Command that he gave us. 24 And he who lays his commands to heart maintains union with Christ, and Christ with him. And by this we know that Christ maintains union with us — by our possession of the Spirit which he gave us.