Children of God

2:28 And now, little children, remain64 in him,65 so that when66 he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.67 2:29 If you know that he is righteous, you also know68 that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered69 by him.

3:1 (See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that1 we should be called God’s children—and indeed2 we are!3 For this reason4 the world does not know us: because it did not know him.5 3:2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be6 has not yet been revealed. We7 know that8 whenever9 it10 is revealed11 we will be like him, because12 we will see him just as he is.13 3:3 And everyone who has this hope focused14 on him purifies15 himself, just as Jesus16 is pure).17

3:4 Everyone who practices sin18 also practices lawlessness;19 indeed,20 sin is lawlessness. 3:5 And you know that Jesus21 was revealed to take away22 sins, and in him there is no sin. 3:6 Everyone who resides23 in him does not sin;24 everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness25 is righteous, just as Jesus26 is righteous. 3:8 The one who practices sin is of the devil,27 because the devil has been sinning28 from the beginning. For this purpose29 the Son of God was revealed: to destroy30 the works of the devil. 3:9 Everyone who has been fathered31 by God does not practice sin,32 because33 God’s34 seed35 resides in him, and thus36 he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered by God. 3:10 By this37 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 Christian38—is not of God.