1 See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of
God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because
it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God¡¯s children and what we shall be has not yet been
shown. Yet when he appears in his glory, we know that we shall be like
him, for then we shall see him as he is.
3 All who have such a hope try to be pure as he is pure.
4 Anyone who commits a sin acts as an enemy of the law of God; any sin
acts wickedly, because all sin is wickedness.
5 You know that he came to take away our sins, and that there is no sin
in him.
6 Who ever remains in him has no sin, whoever sins has not seen or known
him.
7 My little children, do not be led as tray; those who do what is right
are upright, just as Jesus Christ is upright.
8 But those who sin belong to the devil, for the devil sins from the
beginning.
This is why the Son of God was shown to us, he was to undo the works of
the devil.
9 Those born of God do not sin, for the seed of God remains in them;
they cannot sin because they are born of God.
10 What is the way to recognize the children of God and those of the de
vil? The one who does not do what is right is not of God; so, too, the
one who does not love his brother or sister.
11 For this is the message taught to you from the beginning: we must
love one another.
12 Do not imitate Cain who killed his bro ther, for he belonged to the
Evil One. Why did he kill him? Because he himself did evil and his
brother did good.
13 So, be not surprised, brothers if the world hates us;
14 we love our brothers and sisters, and with this we know that we have
passed from death to life. The one who does not love remains in death.
15 The one who hates his brother is a murderer, and, as you know,
eternal life does not remain in the murderer.
16 This is how we have known what love is: he gave his life for us. We,
too, ought to give our life for our bro thers and sisters.
17 If anyone enjoys the riches of this world, but closes his heart when
he sees his brother or sister in need, how will the love of God remain
in him?
18 My dear children, let us love not only with words and with our lips,
but in truth and in deed.
19 Then we shall know that we are of the truth and we may calm our
conscience in his presence.
20 Every time it reproaches us, let us say: God is greater than our
conscience, and he knows everything.
21 When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have
complete confidence in God.
22 Then whatever we ask we shall receive, since we keep his commands and
do what pleases him.
23 His command is that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another, as he has commanded us.
24 Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by
the Spirit God has given us that we know he lives in us.
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Comments Letter of 1 John, Chapter 3
• 3.1 Here begins the second part of the letter: we are God¡¯s children
and we must live as such. How do we prove that we are God¡¯s children?
According to the same criteria that we have already seen: breaking away
from sin, keeping the commandment of love, proclaiming our faith. There
are many ways of saying we are God¡¯s children. One person might simply
think: ¡°God loves people¡± means that human beings have great dignity.
Here John calls our attention to two points:
¨C you are sons and daughters, but in order to become like God, do not
seek anything else but to be perfect as God is perfect;
¨C you are children who will return to the Father. Do you really think
about the unique and transcendent end for which God has chosen you?
Being aware of this, let us understand that God purifies us in a
thousand ways, because only in this way can we attain our goal.
We shall be like him: sharing all that God is and somehow becoming God
with God (see 1Cor 13:13). Those who now bear their lives of suffering
with Christ will be transfigured like him (Mk 9; Col 3:4). Then the
universe will reach its goal, having the children of God as its center
(Rom 8:19) or better, the New Creature.
Those born of God do not sin (v. 9). This appears exaggerated, but being
children of God is not a fantasy: we have really begun a life in truth
and in love. To the person who has been reborn, it becomes impossible to
commit real sin: to deliberately refuse to love, or to forgive or to
continue to struggle. But we pray to the Father: ¡°Lead us not¡¡±
• 7. Keeping the commandment of love is what distinguishes God¡¯s
children.
Most people are accustomed to thinking that the world is divided into
two opposed factions. Some see an exploiter or exploited in every
person. Others see only liberals and conservatives. Others see black and
white. John tells us what is the dividing line between people: those who
love and those who do not love. Because believers are in the camp of
those who love, they will be persecuted. Their companions and
compatriots will not forgive believers for not sharing their own hatred
and sectarianism.
He who hates his brother is a murderer. All murders and massacres spring
from hatred and grudges. When war suddenly devastates a country, it is
due to the fact that many people were resentful toward others, and
others, in even greater numbers, refused to make sacrifices to settle
their difficulties and tensions.
The practice of love never weakens us as can happen with other forms of
sacrifice done with out love. Rather, it transforms us into God¡¯s
likeness and we are no longer fearful or distrustful of him.
Every time it (conscience) reproaches us. Doubtless John wishes to say
that God knows and judges us better than we can ourselves. He does it
with a love that is lacking in us. We should beware of the guilt
feelings for faults which we have regretted and doubtless re paired:
this form of anguish encloses us within ourselves instead of turning to
God who knows what to do with ruined lives and make them new again.
To believe in the Name (3:23), that is to say, in the divinity of
Christ.