if God loved us like that, we also should love one another.*
If we know how God loves us, then we would love his children because God loves them. How did God love us? "in this is the love of God revealed to us; that God sent his only Son into the world so that we live through him."* It is an amazing thing. "In this exists love, not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an propitiation for sin."* Propitiation means Jesus became an offering, an appeasement for sin. The Mosaic Law judged and condemned man but God's mercy triumphed his judgment and the blood of Jesus appeased God's wrath toward sin. His blood was an acceptable offering for sin. God so loved the world he sent his Son not to condemn the world but that the world would be save through Him.* If God loved us like that, we ought to love one another.
love exists from God and all who love are born of God, the person not loving doesn't know God as God exists love.*
Those born of God should know how much God loves them, as Paul writes the Spirit testifies we are his children, and pours out into our hearts the love of God. So we could become his children and receive this manner of love is why Jesus laid down his life. Not only did he come to appease the wrath of God toward sin he came to give those who believe in Him the power to become children of God. Those who believe in Jesus are born of God, they exist of God, a partaker of his divine nature. John writes God's divine nature is love, therefore those who love are born of God and those who do not love do not know God. And the love that is spoken of here is love for his children, not for a lost world. If we love his brethren, the very ones he loves and the ones that know him, then we are born of God, period. This is how we can tell if we or someone else is born of God, in that we love one another. And in context this is how we test the spirits, as John writes to God's children, do not be deceived by false ministers.
Beloved, test the spirits, to find out whether they are from God, because many false prophets have come into the world.*
How do we test the spirits? John gives us several ways; they confess Jesus, and they believe in Jesus and they love his children. "This is how we know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses Jesus Chris has come in the flesh exists from God."* Seems simple, right? if they say as Paul writes Jesus is Lord, and confess with the mouth, they are of God right? The word confess is a interesting word and deserves more attention. It is usually transliterated as homologeó, homo from two words "the same" and logos "saying, word." But we notice it really is logeó which possibly is a different word meaning a platform, or booth. This would align with the idea of his children being a temple of God, and in context of being born of God. Nevertheless, the truth is that confessing Jesus is not in words only. John writes confessing means nothing without believing.* Confessing in words only means nothing without faith and as Paul writes faith is nothing without love.
They are of the world therefore they speak from the world's perspective and the world listens to them.*
Confessing is more than words only, it requires belief. What counts is being a new creation, born of God, and faith energized in love. In such truth we then understand confessing is walking the talk, or walking like Jesus, being like Him in nature, not just in words only. If we believe such then we are led to believe that John is writing to God's children to help them test the spirits to know which are born of God, and so to discern false ministers. Think about it, would not a false prophet come it the name of Jesus? confessing Jesus with words only, but his very nature is false whether a prophet, teacher, or minister he is not born of God. John writes a sign is confessing but then he writes of more, their actions and words do not align with the words and actions of Jesus, they speak from the worlds perspective, and the world listens to them. Now, this verse tells us that a whole organization, one that calls itself a church could exist of a false prophet and people would listen to him, as the world listens to those of the world.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father exist not in them.*
They do not love God's children, who are not of this world, because they love the things of this world and children like them. And since they are foxes, in words crafty, even children of God would be deceived for a time, tossed to and fro by doctrines of men. They speak as the world and do not love God's children, who they treat as a means to an end, the goal being the things of this world. They love the things of the world, and they seek such personal gain, whether it is fame and fortune or power and control. They will establish control and dominance through doctrines of men, as they are not servants of all, but lords. Though they teach in the name of Jesus, sacrifice and serving is a way to get what they want. They are hireling shepherds who do not love the sheep and will not lay down their lives for them. Always focused on the community, on reaching the lost, forsaking God's sheep in the name of a lost sheep. Little children John writes, do not believe every spirit. And do not be enslaved to any.
little children, you exist of God, and overcome them as the one in you is greater than the one in the world.*
Those born of God have the Spirit of God which brings freedom, so do not fall back again to a spirit of fear and slavery. This applies to such false ministers. The Spirit of God is of adoption, whom testifies that we are his children. If you are in conflict about how some organization is of God or not look at how they are treating God's children and if they do not love then I suggest you leave. Jesus said his disciples would be known by how they love one another. Also a principle exists for this very reason, it is a sign for testing falsehood, if they do not care for their own, God's children, then how could they minister to those outside? How can a true minister outreach to the lost, the community, and neglect God's children? Don't be deceived by those who confess Jesus but forsake taking care of God's children, or love in words only. Do not be deceived by those who reach out, whether in the name of Jesus to evangelize, to spread the gospel, give out bibles, or help orphans, if they do not love His brethren, they do not exist born of God.
They are of the world, speaking from... We are from God, the person who knows God listens to us, but the one existing not of God doesn't listen to us, this is how we know a Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error.*
Of course false teachers not only confess Jesus in word only but they would manipulate you with scriptures using them to fit what they want. They would have you believe one is saved by confessing with the mouth only, without believing in the heart, this is to their advantage. Can someone confess with the mouth and not believe in the heart? This is the very nature of falsehood, of a false prophet who would confess with the mouth only, not believing in the heart. A false prophet would teach that the telling sign is confession with the mouth, because then they are disguised. The telling sign is of faith and love. "in this we know that we love the children of God. Those who love God obey his commands for this exists the love of God that we keep his words and his commands exist not burdensome."*
all who believe Jesus is the Christ are born from God and all those loving the Father, love also his child...*
All those who love the Father, love the child, Jesus. But not just Jesus, he is the first fruit, we are co-heirs, children. So we see more of what Jesus meant when the sheep were separated by the goats by they loved his brethren.* If we are born of God then we love his children, the least of these "in Christ" are born of God, heirs, brethren of Jesus thus those who love God, love his children. The greatest is a servant of all thus ministry begins at a core level with the least of these his brethren, and what you do unto him you do unto Christ. They are not slaves, servants, some means to an end for selfish gain, but children of God. Those who do not love His brethren do not love the Father nor the Son. How can you love whom you have not seen and not love your brother, the child of God, whom you have seen? it is a contradiction of truth, a lie. So test the spirits, John writes. A false prophet would say he loves God and would say so because he confesses with his mouth Jesus and because he follows the commandments. They will do things in the name of Jesus, but they will not truly love his children, as they do not love like God loves his brethren.
All those who believe and all those who love his children are born of God. Such is not based upon what you do but who you are, children of God. Think about it, a false prophet would say they love Jesus and are doing things in the name of Jesus, but their focus will always be outward, not on God's children. Concerned with growth in numbers, always reaching out to the community, in the name of spreading the gospel, and since money is important to this end, tithing and giving is taught as a high form of worship and as a sacrifice for Jesus. They will call such outward focus evangelism, and helping others but they will not help their own, as there is no gain in such. John questions as do I, if they have the world's goods and turn their heart from their brother even if in the name of Jesus, the love of God is not in them. Test the spirits; those who confess, believe in Jesus, and love his children, and follow His words. Believe, confess, and love.
And this exists the victorious principle that conquers the world, that our faith. Who now exists the conqueror of the world, but the one believing that Jesus exist the Son of God?*
An amazing verse that speaks of our perfection being in faith and love. And it speaks to the one struggling with sin though in Christ, you will overcome! What a great promise that we will not continue as of the world, as God is greater in us. It is also a telling sign of false prophets, they are of this world, speak of this world and will continue in the things of this world. They can say such looking like the world is an outreach to the world but we read the scriptures differently. The hypocrisy of reaching out to the world without loving God's own doesn't go unnoticed to the world. And as John writes, it should not by God's children, they are of the world, and thus do as those of the world, but we are born of God and follow the words of Jesus and he gave a new commandment to love one another and said those who follow him will be known by how they follow this commandment to love one another.
We know that the Son of God came and has given us discernment so that we know the one who is true and exist in the one true, in his Son Jesus Christ, the one existing the true God and eternal life. Little children keep yourselves from idols.*
The word for idol speaks of a phantom, a ghost, or an image but also of an idealized person or thing. If we put a person on a pedestal where God belongs, even a minster then we have idols. In context John is writing to God's children to test the spirits, to discern in regards to false teachers, prophets, and ministers thus the warning is to not idolize a person. A false minister would confess in words only, Jesus, thus John gives us other ways to test spirits. We know that we have Life and the truth and the testimony of God, not of man is within us. But also the outward signs help us discern as Jesus said there will be many false prophets who come in his name. Another test is the one born of God, loves God and loves His children. Falsehood would sacrifice loving his children in the name of Jesus, outreach to children of the world. The one born of God confesses and believes in Jesus which speaks of being a new creation transformed into the image of Christ, being the same booth., house. There is a promise made to God's children they will not continue in sin as God's seed abides in them. But the one not loving his brother is not born of God. The one born of God has eternal life in him and God has given him discernment in "the one who is true and exist in the one true, in his Son Jesus Christ."
For this exists the love of God in order that we keep his commandment and his commandments are not burdensome, in that all the ones born of God conquer the world.*
What does the love of God exist for? in order that we obey his commandments. Or said another way we are being perfected in love. As we know the One who is true and abide in Him thus we know truth and we know that if he loves his children so much we would also would love them. It is truth in love, as truth perfects us and Love is the bond that leads to perfection. Little children test the spirits, those who confess and believe in their hearts, who love the children of God are born of God and are obedient to the words of Jesus. Especially John writes of obedience to the new commandment, to love one another. If those born of God are the brethren of Jesus and what I do unto the least of these his brethren I do unto Him then a true test of the spirits is whether they love his children. It is a principle John gives us and one I have learned to use in discerning. It is amazing truth, if I know God then I know how much he loves me and if God loved me like that then I ought to love his children like that.
How He Loves
If we know how God loves us, then we would love his children because God loves them. How did God love us? "in this is the love of God revealed to us; that God sent his only Son into the world so that we live through him."* It is an amazing thing. "In this exists love, not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his Son as an propitiation for sin."* Propitiation means Jesus became an offering, an appeasement for sin. The Mosaic Law judged and condemned man but God's mercy triumphed his judgment and the blood of Jesus appeased God's wrath toward sin. His blood was an acceptable offering for sin. God so loved the world he sent his Son not to condemn the world but that the world would be save through Him.* If God loved us like that, we ought to love one another.
love exists from God and all who love are born of God, the person not loving doesn't know God as God exists love.*
Those born of God should know how much God loves them, as Paul writes the Spirit testifies we are his children, and pours out into our hearts the love of God. So we could become his children and receive this manner of love is why Jesus laid down his life. Not only did he come to appease the wrath of God toward sin he came to give those who believe in Him the power to become children of God. Those who believe in Jesus are born of God, they exist of God, a partaker of his divine nature. John writes God's divine nature is love, therefore those who love are born of God and those who do not love do not know God. And the love that is spoken of here is love for his children, not for a lost world. If we love his brethren, the very ones he loves and the ones that know him, then we are born of God, period. This is how we can tell if we or someone else is born of God, in that we love one another. And in context this is how we test the spirits, as John writes to God's children, do not be deceived by false ministers.
Beloved, test the spirits, to find out whether they are from God, because many false prophets have come into the world.*
How do we test the spirits? John gives us several ways; they confess Jesus, and they believe in Jesus and they love his children. "This is how we know the Spirit of God; every spirit that confesses Jesus Chris has come in the flesh exists from God."* Seems simple, right? if they say as Paul writes Jesus is Lord, and confess with the mouth, they are of God right? The word confess is a interesting word and deserves more attention. It is usually transliterated as homologeó, homo from two words "the same" and logos "saying, word." But we notice it really is logeó which possibly is a different word meaning a platform, or booth. This would align with the idea of his children being a temple of God, and in context of being born of God. Nevertheless, the truth is that confessing Jesus is not in words only. John writes confessing means nothing without believing.* Confessing in words only means nothing without faith and as Paul writes faith is nothing without love.
They are of the world therefore they speak from the world's perspective and the world listens to them.*
Confessing is more than words only, it requires belief. What counts is being a new creation, born of God, and faith energized in love. In such truth we then understand confessing is walking the talk, or walking like Jesus, being like Him in nature, not just in words only. If we believe such then we are led to believe that John is writing to God's children to help them test the spirits to know which are born of God, and so to discern false ministers. Think about it, would not a false prophet come it the name of Jesus? confessing Jesus with words only, but his very nature is false whether a prophet, teacher, or minister he is not born of God. John writes a sign is confessing but then he writes of more, their actions and words do not align with the words and actions of Jesus, they speak from the worlds perspective, and the world listens to them. Now, this verse tells us that a whole organization, one that calls itself a church could exist of a false prophet and people would listen to him, as the world listens to those of the world.
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father exist not in them.*
They do not love God's children, who are not of this world, because they love the things of this world and children like them. And since they are foxes, in words crafty, even children of God would be deceived for a time, tossed to and fro by doctrines of men. They speak as the world and do not love God's children, who they treat as a means to an end, the goal being the things of this world. They love the things of the world, and they seek such personal gain, whether it is fame and fortune or power and control. They will establish control and dominance through doctrines of men, as they are not servants of all, but lords. Though they teach in the name of Jesus, sacrifice and serving is a way to get what they want. They are hireling shepherds who do not love the sheep and will not lay down their lives for them. Always focused on the community, on reaching the lost, forsaking God's sheep in the name of a lost sheep. Little children John writes, do not believe every spirit. And do not be enslaved to any.
little children, you exist of God, and overcome them as the one in you is greater than the one in the world.*
Those born of God have the Spirit of God which brings freedom, so do not fall back again to a spirit of fear and slavery. This applies to such false ministers. The Spirit of God is of adoption, whom testifies that we are his children. If you are in conflict about how some organization is of God or not look at how they are treating God's children and if they do not love then I suggest you leave. Jesus said his disciples would be known by how they love one another. Also a principle exists for this very reason, it is a sign for testing falsehood, if they do not care for their own, God's children, then how could they minister to those outside? How can a true minister outreach to the lost, the community, and neglect God's children? Don't be deceived by those who confess Jesus but forsake taking care of God's children, or love in words only. Do not be deceived by those who reach out, whether in the name of Jesus to evangelize, to spread the gospel, give out bibles, or help orphans, if they do not love His brethren, they do not exist born of God.
They are of the world, speaking from... We are from God, the person who knows God listens to us, but the one existing not of God doesn't listen to us, this is how we know a Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error.*
Of course false teachers not only confess Jesus in word only but they would manipulate you with scriptures using them to fit what they want. They would have you believe one is saved by confessing with the mouth only, without believing in the heart, this is to their advantage. Can someone confess with the mouth and not believe in the heart? This is the very nature of falsehood, of a false prophet who would confess with the mouth only, not believing in the heart. A false prophet would teach that the telling sign is confession with the mouth, because then they are disguised. The telling sign is of faith and love. "in this we know that we love the children of God. Those who love God obey his commands for this exists the love of God that we keep his words and his commands exist not burdensome."*
all who believe Jesus is the Christ are born from God and all those loving the Father, love also his child...*
All those who love the Father, love the child, Jesus. But not just Jesus, he is the first fruit, we are co-heirs, children. So we see more of what Jesus meant when the sheep were separated by the goats by they loved his brethren.* If we are born of God then we love his children, the least of these "in Christ" are born of God, heirs, brethren of Jesus thus those who love God, love his children. The greatest is a servant of all thus ministry begins at a core level with the least of these his brethren, and what you do unto him you do unto Christ. They are not slaves, servants, some means to an end for selfish gain, but children of God. Those who do not love His brethren do not love the Father nor the Son. How can you love whom you have not seen and not love your brother, the child of God, whom you have seen? it is a contradiction of truth, a lie. So test the spirits, John writes. A false prophet would say he loves God and would say so because he confesses with his mouth Jesus and because he follows the commandments. They will do things in the name of Jesus, but they will not truly love his children, as they do not love like God loves his brethren.
All those who believe and all those who love his children are born of God. Such is not based upon what you do but who you are, children of God. Think about it, a false prophet would say they love Jesus and are doing things in the name of Jesus, but their focus will always be outward, not on God's children. Concerned with growth in numbers, always reaching out to the community, in the name of spreading the gospel, and since money is important to this end, tithing and giving is taught as a high form of worship and as a sacrifice for Jesus. They will call such outward focus evangelism, and helping others but they will not help their own, as there is no gain in such. John questions as do I, if they have the world's goods and turn their heart from their brother even if in the name of Jesus, the love of God is not in them. Test the spirits; those who confess, believe in Jesus, and love his children, and follow His words. Believe, confess, and love.
And this exists the victorious principle that conquers the world, that our faith. Who now exists the conqueror of the world, but the one believing that Jesus exist the Son of God?*
An amazing verse that speaks of our perfection being in faith and love. And it speaks to the one struggling with sin though in Christ, you will overcome! What a great promise that we will not continue as of the world, as God is greater in us. It is also a telling sign of false prophets, they are of this world, speak of this world and will continue in the things of this world. They can say such looking like the world is an outreach to the world but we read the scriptures differently. The hypocrisy of reaching out to the world without loving God's own doesn't go unnoticed to the world. And as John writes, it should not by God's children, they are of the world, and thus do as those of the world, but we are born of God and follow the words of Jesus and he gave a new commandment to love one another and said those who follow him will be known by how they follow this commandment to love one another.
We know that the Son of God came and has given us discernment so that we know the one who is true and exist in the one true, in his Son Jesus Christ, the one existing the true God and eternal life. Little children keep yourselves from idols.*
The word for idol speaks of a phantom, a ghost, or an image but also of an idealized person or thing. If we put a person on a pedestal where God belongs, even a minster then we have idols. In context John is writing to God's children to test the spirits, to discern in regards to false teachers, prophets, and ministers thus the warning is to not idolize a person. A false minister would confess in words only, Jesus, thus John gives us other ways to test spirits. We know that we have Life and the truth and the testimony of God, not of man is within us. But also the outward signs help us discern as Jesus said there will be many false prophets who come in his name. Another test is the one born of God, loves God and loves His children. Falsehood would sacrifice loving his children in the name of Jesus, outreach to children of the world. The one born of God confesses and believes in Jesus which speaks of being a new creation transformed into the image of Christ, being the same booth., house. There is a promise made to God's children they will not continue in sin as God's seed abides in them. But the one not loving his brother is not born of God. The one born of God has eternal life in him and God has given him discernment in "the one who is true and exist in the one true, in his Son Jesus Christ."
For this exists the love of God in order that we keep his commandment and his commandments are not burdensome, in that all the ones born of God conquer the world.*
What does the love of God exist for? in order that we obey his commandments. Or said another way we are being perfected in love. As we know the One who is true and abide in Him thus we know truth and we know that if he loves his children so much we would also would love them. It is truth in love, as truth perfects us and Love is the bond that leads to perfection. Little children test the spirits, those who confess and believe in their hearts, who love the children of God are born of God and are obedient to the words of Jesus. Especially John writes of obedience to the new commandment, to love one another. If those born of God are the brethren of Jesus and what I do unto the least of these his brethren I do unto Him then a true test of the spirits is whether they love his children. It is a principle John gives us and one I have learned to use in discerning. It is amazing truth, if I know God then I know how much he loves me and if God loved me like that then I ought to love his children like that.
How He Loves