# 1 John 03 đź“–: Children of God
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
[[#Verse 01.]] (See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children—and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure).
[[#Verse 04.]] Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesusis righteous.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] Everyone who has been fatheredby God does not practice sin, because God’s seed resides in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God.Â
[[#Verse 10.]] 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.
## God Is Love, So We Must Love One Another
**Principle**: Love in action.
[[#Verse 11.]] For this is the gospel message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another,Â
[[#Verse 12.]] 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.
[[#Verse 13.]] Therefore do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
[[#Verse 14.]] We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] 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.
[[#Verse 16.]] 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.Â
[[#Verse 17.]] 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?
[[#Verse 18.]]Â Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence,Â
[[#Verse 20.]] that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things.Â
[[#Verse 21.]]Â Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God,Â
[[#Verse 22.]] and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.Â
[[#Verse 23.]] Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The word translated "what great" in 3:1 (*potapēn*) originally meant "from what country" and came to express amazement at something extraordinary.
2. Cain (3:12) is the only Old Testament person named in 1 John.
3. John defines sin as lawlessness (3:4), a refusal to live under God's rule.
4. The present tense verbs in 3:6-9 describe an ongoing pattern of sin, not a single failure.
5. The word for God's seed (*sperma*, 3:9) pictures God's life planted in the believer.
6. John's teaching that hatred is like murder (3:15) echoes Jesus in Matthew 5:21-22.
7. Both 1 John 3:16 and John 3:16 describe God's love shown through giving, one through the Father sending the Son and the other through the Son laying down His life.
8. "God is greater than our hearts" (3:20) offers comfort to believers troubled by an accusing conscience.
9. The command in 3:23 joins two things: believing in the name of Jesus and loving one another.
10. 3:24 is the first mention of the Holy Spirit in 1 John.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the Son of God, revealed to take away sins and to destroy the works of the devil (3:5, 3:8). He laid down His life for us, showing us what love is (3:16; John 15:13).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. John marvels at the love that calls us children of God (3:1). How does knowing you are God's child shape your identity?
2. John says when Jesus appears we will be like Him (3:2-3). How does that future hope motivate purity today?
3. John says love is shown in action and truth, not just words (3:16-18). Who needs to see that kind of love from you this week?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 1: See what great love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God.
- đź“– verse 2: When He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.
- đź“– verse 8: The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil.
- đź“– verse 16: We know love by this: Jesus laid down His life for us.
- đź“– verse 18: Let us love not only with words, but in action and in truth.
## đź”— Related Passages
- 🔗 3:1 → John 1:12 – To all who received Him, He gave the right to become children of God.
- 🔗 3:1 → Romans 8:15-16 – The Spirit testifies that we are God's children.
- 🔗 3:2 → 1 Corinthians 13:12 – Now we see dimly, but then face to face.
- 🔗 3:2 → Philippians 3:20-21 – Christ will transform our bodies to be like His glorious body.
- 🔗 3:3 → 2 Corinthians 7:1 – Let us cleanse ourselves and perfect holiness.
- 🔗 3:5 → 2 Corinthians 5:21 and Hebrews 4:15 – Christ was without sin.
- 🔗 3:8 → Genesis 3:15 – The promised offspring will crush the serpent's head.
- 🔗 3:8 → Hebrews 2:14 – Through death He destroyed the one who has the power of death.
- 🔗 3:9 → John 3:3-6 – You must be born again.
- 🔗 3:12 → Genesis 4:3-8 – Cain murders his brother Abel.
- 🔗 3:14 → John 5:24 – Whoever believes has passed from death to life.
- 🔗 3:15 → Matthew 5:21-22 – Anger and hatred in the heart as murder.
- 🔗 3:16 → John 15:13 – No greater love than to lay down one's life for friends.
- 🔗 3:17-18 → James 2:15-16 – Faith that ignores a brother in need.
- 🔗 3:22 → John 15:7 – If you remain in Me, ask what you wish and it will be done.
- 🔗 3:23 → John 6:29 – The work of God is to believe in the One He sent.
- đź”— [[John 01#Verse 12.|John 1:12]] - To all who received Him He gave the right to become children of God.
- đź”— [[Romans 08#Verse 15.|Romans 8:15-17]] - We cry "Abba, Father."
- đź”— [[1 Corinthians 13#Verse 12.|1 Corinthians 13:12]] - Then we will see face to face.
- đź”— [[Genesis 04#Verse 08.|Genesis 4:8]] - Cain kills Abel.
- đź”— [[John 15#Verse 13.|John 15:13]] - No greater love than to lay down one's life for friends.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[1 John 03 - SOAP|Our Heavenly Father Loves Us]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes