John marvels at the love that has made the readers children of God already. The Son of God was revealed to take away sins and to destroy the works of the devil. The distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil is revealed in righteousness and love. Love is shown not in word only but in deed and truth.
1 See how great a love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God. It is not yet revealed what we will be; but we know that when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him just as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and no sin is in him. 6 Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him and doesn’t know him.
7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him, and he can’t sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother. 11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another— 12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
16 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, then closes his heart of compassion against him, how does God’s love remain in him?
18 My little children, let’s not love in word only, or with the tongue only, but in deed and truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth and persuade our hearts before him, 20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God; 22 so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. 24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
Source: ebible.org
The Father’s love has already been given; they are called children of God. The world does not know them because it did not know him. Now they are children of God. What they will be has not yet been revealed, but when he is revealed they will be like him. This hope produces present purification.
Sin is lawlessness. He was revealed to take away sins; in him is no sin. The one who remains in him does not continue in sin. The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil. The one born of God does not practice sin because the seed remains. The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed by righteousness and love of the brother. The message from the beginning is that they should love one another, not like Cain.
The world’s hatred is not surprising. They know they have passed from death to life because they love the brothers. Hatred is murderous. Love is known by the laying down of life; practical compassion is required. Love is to be in deed and truth. Confidence before God comes from a non-condemning heart and from keeping his commandments — believing in the name of his Son and loving one another. The Spirit given is the assurance of mutual remaining.
We are already children of God. We have already passed from death to life. The works of the devil have been destroyed. We love in deed and truth, remaining in him by the Spirit he has given, purifying ourselves in the hope of the full likeness to come.
Where does the knowledge that you are already a child of God, already passed from death to life, need to shape the way you love in deed and truth?