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365 Graça & Adoração Da Criação ao Apocalipse
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1 John — Chapter 3

Children of God and Brotherly Love

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God."

— 1 John 3:1

1 John 3 develops the identity of the children of God and brotherly love as evidence of eternal life.

👑 Children of God (3:1-3)

1 John 3:1-3
"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."
The present and future identity: we are children of God now (tekna theou esmen). The future: we shall be like Christ (homoioi auto esometha) when we see him as he is. The vision of Christ will transform us into his image — glorification as contemplation.

💙 Love as Evidence (3:14-18)

1 John 3:14-16
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death... By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."
Brotherly love as evidence of eternal life: whoever loves has passed from death to life. The standard of love: Christ laid down his life (psuchen autou etheken) — love that gives itself up to death. Christian love is not feeling — it is sacrificial action.