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Children of God Love One Another

See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, we are [even here and] now children of God, and it is not yet made clear what we will be [after His coming]. We know that when He comes and is revealed, we will [as His children] be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is [in all His glory]. And everyone who has this hope [confidently placed] in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure (holy, undefiled, guiltless).

Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness [ignoring God’s law by action or neglect or by tolerating wrongdoing—being unrestrained by His commands and His will]. You know that He appeared [in visible form as a man] in order to take away sins; and in Him there is [absolutely] no sin [for He has neither the sin nature nor has He committed sin or acts worthy of blame]. No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him. Little children (believers, dear ones), do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently honorable life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous. The one who practices sin [separating himself from God, and offending Him by acts of disobedience, indifference, or rebellion] is of the devil [and takes his inner character and moral values from him, not God]; for the devil has sinned and violated God’s law from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, because [a]God’s seed [His principle of life, the essence of His righteous character] remains [permanently] in him [who is born again—who is reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose]; and he [who is born again] cannot habitually [live a life characterized by] sin, because he is born of God and longs to please Him. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are clearly identified: anyone who does not practice righteousness [who does not seek God’s will in thought, action, and purpose] is not of God, nor is the one who does not [unselfishly] [b]love his [believing] brother.

11 For this is the message which you [believers] have heard from the beginning [of your relationship with Christ], that we should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another; 12 and not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? Because Cain’s deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, believers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into Life, because we love the brothers and sisters. He who does not love remains in [spiritual] death. 15 Everyone who hates (works against) his brother [in Christ] is [at heart] a murderer [by God’s standards]; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.(A) 16 By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers. 17 But whoever has the [c]world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? 18 Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words]. 19 By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him 20 whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands]. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not convict us [of guilt], we have confidence [complete assurance and boldness] before God; 22 and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].

23 This is His commandment, that we believe [with personal faith and confident trust] in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and [that we unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who habitually keeps His commandments [obeying His word and following His precepts, abides and] remains in Him, and He in him. By this we know and have the proof that He [really] abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us [as a gift].

Footnotes

  1. 1 John 3:9 I.e. in human terms, God’s seed is like a divine “genetic code” which is passed on to His children and produces in them the desire to live in a way which pleases Him.
  2. 1 John 3:10 See note 2:10.
  3. 1 John 3:17 Lit livelihood of the world.

稱為神的兒女是蒙父何等慈愛

你看父賜給我們是何等的慈愛,使我們得稱為神的兒女,我們也真是他的兒女!世人所以不認識我們,是因未曾認識他。 親愛的弟兄啊,我們現在是神的兒女,將來如何,還未顯明。但我們知道,主若顯現,我們必要像他,因為必得見他的真體。 凡向他有這指望的,就潔淨自己,像他潔淨一樣。 凡犯罪的,就是違背律法,違背律法就是罪。 你們知道,主曾顯現是要除掉人的罪,在他並沒有罪。 凡住在他裡面的,就不犯罪;凡犯罪的,是未曾看見他,也未曾認識他。

神的兒子要除滅魔鬼所行的事

小子們哪,不要被人誘惑。行義的才是義人,正如主是義的一樣。 犯罪的是屬魔鬼,因為魔鬼從起初就犯罪。神的兒子顯現出來,為要除滅魔鬼的作為。 凡從神生的,就不犯罪,因神的道[a]存在他心裡;他也不能犯罪,因為他是由神生的。 10 從此,就顯出誰是神的兒女,誰是魔鬼的兒女。凡不行義的就不屬神,不愛弟兄的也是如此。 11 我們應當彼此相愛,這就是你們從起初所聽見的命令。 12 不可像該隱,他是屬那惡者,殺了他的兄弟。為什麼殺了他呢?因自己的行為是惡的,兄弟的行為是善的。

沒有愛心的就住在死中

13 弟兄們,世人若恨你們,不要以為稀奇。 14 我們因為愛弟兄,就曉得是已經出死入生了。沒有愛心的,仍住在死中。 15 凡恨他弟兄的,就是殺人的;你們曉得,凡殺人的,沒有永生存在他裡面。 16 主為我們捨命,我們從此就知道何為愛,我們也當為弟兄捨命。 17 凡有世上財物的,看見弟兄窮乏,卻塞住憐恤的心,愛神的心怎能存在他裡面呢? 18 小子們哪,我們相愛,不要只在言語和舌頭上,總要在行為和誠實上。 19 從此,就知道我們是屬真理的,並且我們的心在神面前可以安穩。 20 我們的心若責備我們,神比我們的心大,一切事沒有不知道的。

心若不自責就可以向神坦然無懼

21 親愛的弟兄啊,我們的心若不責備我們,就可以向神坦然無懼了。 22 並且我們一切所求的就從他得著,因為我們遵守他的命令,行他所喜悅的事。 23 神的命令就是叫我們信他兒子耶穌基督的名,且照他所賜給我們的命令彼此相愛。 24 遵守神命令的,就住在神裡面,神也住在他裡面。我們所以知道神住在我們裡面,是因他所賜給我們的聖靈。

Footnotes

  1. 約翰一書 3:9 原文作:種。