(1 John) First Letter from He Shows Goodwill 3

CHILDREN OF THE GREAT SPIRIT

1Behold the greatness of the love shown to us by our Father the Great Spirit that he would call us his children! And so we are! The ones who belong to the ways of this world do not know the Giver of Life, so they do not see us in this way.

2Much-loved friends, we are now Creator’s children. It is not yet clear what we will be. But we know that when the Chosen One appears, we will be like him, for we will see him as he truly is.

3All who through him have this hope will keep themselves pure, in the same way that he is pure.

A WARNING ABOUT BROKEN WAYS

4All who walk in broken ways are trampling over the law of the Chosen One , for all broken ways go against his law.

5You know that he came to do away with bad hearts and broken ways and that in him there are no broken ways.

6The ones who remain in harmony with him do not walk in broken ways. Those who walk in broken ways have not truly seen or known him.

7My much-loved children, do not let anyone take you down the wrong path. The Chosen One always did what was right. So the ones who keep walking his right ways show that they are in good standing with him.

8The ones who stay with walking in broken ways are following the evil trickster, for he has been walking in broken ways from the beginning. The reason Creator’s Son appeared was to bring an end to the ways of the evil trickster.

9Those who have been born from the Great Spirit do not keep walking in broken ways. They are not able to, for Creator is their Father and he has planted his message deep within them to stay.[#3:9 Lit. seed . See Matthew 13:18-23.]

LOVING EACH OTHER

10There is a clear difference between Creator’s children and the children of the evil trickster. The ones who do not walk in a good way do not belong to Creator, nor do those who do not love the sacred family.

11The message you heard from the beginning was that we should love each other.

12Do not be like Spear Maker (Cain) , who gave himself to the ways of the evil trickster and killed his own brother. Why did he kill him? Because what he was doing was wrong, and what his brother was doing was right.

13So then, my much-loved family members, do not be surprised if the world hates you.

14We know that we have crossed over from death to life, because we love each other. The ones who do not love remain under the power of death.

15All who hate others have murder in their hearts, and you know that murderers do not have the life of the world to come that never fades away, remaining in them.

16The Chosen One laid down his life for us. This is how we know what love is. In the same way, we should lay our lives down for each other.

17If someone who has many possessions sees another in need and shows no pity, how can Creator’s love remain in that person?

18My much-loved children, our love must not be empty words on our tongues but deeds done in truth.

19-20This is how we can be sure we belong to the way of truth. Whenever our hearts make us feel guilty, we can still have peace when we stand before him. For Creator is greater than our hearts and knows all things.

21My much-loved friends, if our hearts are free from guilt, this gives us the courage to stand boldly before Creator.

22He will give us whatever we ask of him because we keep his instructions and do the things that make his heart glad.

23This is his instruction to us, that we trust in the name of his Son, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, and love each other as he taught us to do.

24The ones who follow these instructions remain in him, and he remains in them. We know that he remains in us by the Spirit he has gifted to us.

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Published by: Intervarsity Press