EVIDENCES OF A TRUE BELIEVER

1 BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

LOVE IN DEED AND TRUTH
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we 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 whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1Beholde, what manner of loue the Father hath bestowed vpon vs, that wee should be called the sonnes of God: therfore the world knoweth vs not, because it knewe him not.
2Beloued, now are we the sonnes of God, and it doeth not yet appeare, what wee shall be: but wee know, that when he shall appeare, we shall bee like him: for we shall see him as he is.
3And euery man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himselfe, euen as he is pure.
4Whosoeuer committeth sinne, transgresseth also the lawe: for sinne is the transgression of the law.
5And ye know that hee was manifested to take away our sinnes, and in him is no sinne.
6Whosoeuer abideth in him, sinneth not: whosoeuer sinneth, hath not seene him, neither knowen him.
7Little children, let no man deceiue you: he that doth righteousnes, is righteous, euen as he is righteous.
8He that committeth sinne, is of the deuill, for the deuill sinneth from the beginning: for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the deuill.
9Whosoeuer is borne of God, doth not commit sinne: for his seede remaineth in him, and he cannot sinne, because he is borne of God.
10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the deuill: whosoeuer doeth not righteousnesse, is not of God, neither hee that loueth not his brother.
11For this is the message that yee heard from the beginning, that wee should loue one another.
12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slewe his brother: and wherefore slewe hee him? because his owne workes were euill, and his brothers righteous.
13Marueile not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14Wee know that wee haue passed from death vnto life, because wee loue the brethren: he that loueth not his brother, abideth in death.
15Whosoeuer hateth his brother, is a murtherer, and yee knowe that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him.
16Hereby perceiue wee the loue of God, because he layd downe his life for vs, and wee ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren.
17But who so hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him; how dwelleth the loue of God in him?
18My little children, let vs not loue in word, neither in tongue, but indeede and in trueth.
19And hereby wee know that wee are of the trueth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20For if our heart condemne vs, God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things.
21Beloued, if our heart condemne vs not, then haue wee confidence towards God.
22And whatsoeuer we aske, wee receiue of him, because we keepe his commandement, and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23And this is his commandement, that we should beleeue on the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ, and loue one another, as hee gaue vs commandement.
24And hee that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him, and hee in him: and hereby wee know that hee abideth in vs, by the spirit which hee hath giuen vs

I == John 1:12 ; 15:18-19 ; 16:3 ; 17:25

II == Ps 16:11 ; Isa 56:5 ; Matt 5:8 ; Phil 3:21 ; 1st John 5:1

III == 1st John 4:17

IV == Rom 4:15

V == Isa 53:5-6 , 11 ; John 1:29 ; 1st Peter 2:22 , 24

VI 1st John 2:4 ; 4:8 ; 3rd John 1:11

VIII == Gen 3:15 ; John 8:34

IX == 1st John 5:18 ; 1st Peter 1:23 ; 1st John 5:18

XI == John 13:34 ; 15:12 ; 1st John 1:5

XII == Gen 4:4 , 6

XIII == John 16:18-19 ; 17:14

XIV == John 5:24

XV == Matt 5:21-22 ; John 8:44 ; 1st John 4:20

XVI == John 3:1 , 16 ; 15:13

XVII == Luke 3:11

XVIII == Rom 12:9 ; Eph 4:15 ; James 1:22

XIX == John 18:37 ; 1st John 1:8

XXI == Heb 10:22 ; 1st John 5:14

XXII == Matt 7:8 ; 21:22 ; Mark 11:24 ; John 8:29 ; 9:31 ; 14:13 ; 15:7

XXIII == Matt 22:39 ; John 6:20 , 29; 13:34 ; 15:12 , 17; 17:3

XXIV == John 14:23 ; 15:10 ; 17:21 ; 1st John 4:12-13

1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him. 7 Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 Whoever sins belongs to the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. 10 In this way, the children of God and the children of the devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another, 12 unlike Cain who belonged to the evil one and slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous. 13 Do not be amazed, (then,) brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. 16 The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? 18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 19 (Now) this is how we shall know that webelong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him 20 in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. 21 Beloved, if (our) hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God 22 and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. 24 Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us.

COMMATARY

v 1. It is incredible love that God allows we vile humans to be called His children! Any prominent family wants the children to uphold the family name, and we should uphold the name of our heavenly Father. However the world does not understand God, so they are going to misunderstand us also.
v 2. We try to be like Christ, but we cannot comprehend all about Him. When He comes for us, what is in part will be made complete and we shall see Him and be like Him. We will be conformed to His image, Rom. 8:29.
v 3. The prospect of being with Christ should motivate us to purify ourselves. Then we won’t be ashamed when he comes, 2:28.
v 4. NOTE Concerning verses 4-10. Some believe that the Greek for Committeth, “poieo”, is usually a word of action and does not allow the thought of continuing in or habitual practice of sin. They take the approach that as a child of God it is impossible to sin, yet they do not believe in sinless perfection either. They explain from Rom. 7:14-25, “With the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
Others point out Committeth does have the Greek sense of continuing, as it is a synonym of Greek “prasso”, which Strong’s Concordance calls “intended, earnest, habitual performance”. Poieo is only translated commit 9 out of 579 times while prasso is translated commit 5 out of 38 times. I lean to the latter in these verses, considering commission to be habitual sin, lawlessness by commission or omission. Either way 1 Jn. 1:10 proves we sin, and 1 Jn. 1:9 gives the antidote, confess our sin.
v 5. The sinless Christ came to do what the law could not do, take away our sins.
v 6. This is not a second work of grace or other aspect of sinless perfection. It is like verse 4, the continual practice of sin. True believers don’t keep on deliberately and continually practicing sin.
v 7. This is not sinless perfection. A Christian does righteously because he has been made righteous in Christ, Rom. 3:22. This is relative to James 3:18, “I will show thee my faith by my works.”
v 8. One in habitual sin shows to others that his father is the devil and is copying after his father’s lusts, Jn. 8:44.
v 9. Believers are God’s seed or offspring, and since God is sinless, it is not our new nature to sin and we will not habitually practice sin.
v 10. Children mimic their fathers, and people either mimic their father the devil and sin, or mimic God their father and live righteously, and love fellow believers.
v 11. They have been taught all along they are to love, but may not have obeyed.
v 12,13. John contrasts righteous Able with Cain, who hated his righteousness and killed him. So don’t be surprised if the world hates us as believers.
v 14,15. As love is an indication that we have eternal life, hatred, described by Christ as murder, is an indicator of a lack of eternal life abiding in one. Sometimes we see hatred in a believer, but that one should hasten to confess it to the Lord.
v 16. Christ showed His love by His sacrifice for us. Many missionaries have died in love to reach the heathen. Many believers have endured hardship in love for others.
v 17. This is where the rubber meets the road. We are not all going to be heroes and martyrs, even unsaved may be heroes. We may help (and pray for) those in need.
v 18. This compares to James 2:16, help, not just say, “Be warmed and filled.”
v 19. Displays of love in hypocrisy may deceive men, but if we have true love, when exposed to the eyes of the Lord, we can have assurance in our hearts from Him.
v 20. Our consciences are not reliable, but the Lord searches the heart and knows what is in us.
v 21. If we have been properly taught and our conscience is not seared from lack of obedience, we will be at ease in how the Lord will consider us.
v 22. The idea is not for us to try to be good enough that God will answer our prayers, but that God honors loving obedience. Some of the conditions in which the Lord will not answer prayer: Selfishness, James 4:3; Improper home life, 1 Pet. 3:7; Doubting or lack of faith, 1 Tim. 2:8; Unconfessed sin, Ps. 66:18.
v 23. Two commands: Believe on the name of Christ and love one another.
v 24. If we are keeping His commandments we are dwelling in Him and through the Holy Spirit He is dwelling in us.