1 John 3: Children of God
The Father's great love makes us his children now; those born of him practice righteousness and lay down their lives for one another in deed and truth.
1 John 3 (WEB)
1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him; for we will see him just as he is.
3 Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure.
4 Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.
5 You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin.
6 Whoever remains in him doesn’t sin. Whoever sins hasn’t seen him, neither knows him.
7 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, because his seed remains in him; and he can’t sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are revealed, and the children of the devil. Whoever doesn’t do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who doesn’t love his brother.
11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;
12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Don’t be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. He who doesn’t love his brother remains in death.
15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
16 By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.
17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart of compassion against him, how does the love of God remain in him?
18 My little children, let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,
20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have boldness toward God;
22 and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.
24 He who keeps his commandments remains in him, and he in him. By this we know that he remains in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
1 John 3 (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1 John 3 (ASV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.
3 And every one that hath this hope set on him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
4 Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.
5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away sins; and in him is no sin.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither knoweth him.
7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:
8 he that doeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. To this end was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is begotten of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another:
12 not as Cain was of the evil one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
13 Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you.
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16 Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17 But whoso hath the world’s goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?
18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue; but in deed and truth.
19 Hereby shall we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before him:
20 because if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God;
22 and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he gave us.
Summary
John marvels at the Father's lavish love: see what kind of love has been given to us, that we should be called children of God—and that is what we are. The world does not recognize us because it did not recognize him. We are God's children now, and though what we will be is not yet revealed, we know that when Christ appears we will be like him, for we will see him as he is, and this hope purifies us. John then contrasts two families. Everyone who practices righteousness has been born of God; everyone who practices sin belongs to the devil, whose works the Son of God came to destroy. He sets Cain, who murdered his righteous brother, against the love that defines God's children, telling them not to be surprised when the world hates them. The decisive evidence of having passed from death to life is love for the brothers; the one who does not love remains in death, and hatred is at heart murder. We know what love is because Christ laid down his life for us, and so we ought to lay down our lives for one another—beginning with practical mercy toward a brother in need. Love must be in deed and truth, not word and tongue only. By this we reassure our hearts before God, who is greater than our hearts, and we receive what we ask because we keep his commandment: to believe in the name of his Son and to love one another.
Key Figures
- The Father — The God whose great love is bestowed on us so that we are called, and truly are, his children.
- The children of God — Those born of God who practice righteousness and love their brothers, set apart from the children of the devil.
- Jesus Christ — The sinless Son revealed to take away our sins and destroy the works of the devil, who defined love by laying down his life for us.
- Cain — The example of the evil one's child, who murdered his righteous brother and pictures the world's hatred of God's people.
Key Verse
1 John 3:1 (WEB)
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him.
Lessons Learned
- The Father's love makes us his children now, with a glorious hope of being made like Christ.
- Those truly born of God are marked by a settled practice of righteousness.
- Love for fellow believers is the proof that we have passed from death to life.
- Real love is costly and practical—shown in deed and truth, not merely in words.
- We are God's children now. “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1, WEB). Our identity is settled by his love, not our performance.
- Hope in Christ purifies the heart. “Everyone who has this hope set on him purifies himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3, WEB). Looking forward to being like Christ reshapes how we live now.
- Love is the mark of new life. “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers” (1 John 3:14, WEB). Where there is no love, there is no life.
- True love acts. “Let’s not love in word only, neither with the tongue only, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18, WEB). Christ's self-giving sets the pattern for our practical care.
- What does John want us to feel and understand when he says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us” (3:1)?
- How does the hope of becoming like Christ shape the way we live now (3:2-3)?
- What does John mean that those born of God do not keep on sinning (3:6-9)?
- Why does John make love for fellow believers the test of having passed from death to life (3:14-15)?
- Where is God prompting you to love “in deed and truth” rather than word only, and toward whom?
- John is overwhelmed by adoption: the Father has not merely tolerated us but called us his children, and we truly are (3:1). This is the bedrock of assurance—identity rooted in God's love. Let the group dwell on being loved and named as God's own, which the world cannot understand.
- Knowing we will one day see Christ and be made like him gives us a future that pulls us toward purity now (3:2-3). Hope is not passive; it motivates holiness. Help members connect their daily choices to who they are becoming in Christ.
- John speaks of a settled pattern, not sinless perfection (compare 1:8; 2:1). The one born of God no longer lives in the practice of sin as a way of life because God's seed remains in him. Distinguish habitual lifestyle from individual failures, for which there is an Advocate.
- Love is the family resemblance of God's children, because God is love. Where genuine love for fellow believers is present, it is evidence of new life; persistent hatred shows death still reigns (3:14-15). Encourage examining the heart honestly, with grace.
- This is a personal-application question. As leader, push gently past warm feelings toward concrete action—time, money, presence, forgiveness—especially toward someone in need (3:17). Point to Christ laying down his life as the measure and the motive of our love.