Study Desk

But, according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.

speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.

What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.

Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments.

The one who says "I have come to know God" and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.

But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

The one who says he is in the light but still hates his fellow Christian is still in the darkness.

The one who loves his fellow Christian resides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

But the one who hates his fellow Christian is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name.

Now as for you, the anointing that you received from him resides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside in him.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice righteousness—the one who does not love his fellow Christian—is not of God.

not like Cain who was of the evil one and brutally murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, but his brother's were righteous.

Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.

But whoever has the world's possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?

And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence,