1 See what singular love the Father has for us: we are called children of God, and we really are. This is why the world does not know us, because it did not know him.
2 Beloved, we are God’s children and what we shall be has not yet been shown. Yet when he appears in his glory, we know that we shall be like him, for then we shall see him as he is.
3 All who have such a hope try to be pure as he is pure.
4 Anyone who commits a sin acts as an enemy of the law of God; any sin acts wickedly, because all sin is wickedness.
5 You know that he came to take away our sins, and that there is no sin in him.
6 Who ever remains in him has no sin, whoever sins has not seen or known him.
7 My little children, do not be led as tray; those who do what is right are upright, just as Jesus Christ is upright.
8 But those who sin belong to the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning.
This is why the Son of God was shown to us, he was to undo the works of the devil.
9 Those born of God do not sin, for the seed of God remains in them; they cannot sin because they are born of God.
10 What is the way to recognize the children of God and those of the de vil? The one who does not do what is right is not of God; so, too, the one who does not love his brother or sister.
11 For this is the message taught to you from the beginning: we must love one another.
12 Do not imitate Cain who killed his bro ther, for he belonged to the Evil One. Why did he kill him? Because he himself did evil and his brother did good.
13 So, be not surprised, brothers if the world hates us;
14 we love our brothers and sisters, and with this we know that we have passed from death to life. The one who does not love remains in death.
15 The one who hates his brother is a murderer, and, as you know, eternal life does not remain in the murderer.
16 This is how we have known what love is: he gave his life for us. We, too, ought to give our life for our bro thers and sisters.
17 If anyone enjoys the riches of this world, but closes his heart when he sees his brother or sister in need, how will the love of God remain in him?
18 My dear children, let us love not only with words and with our lips, but in truth and in deed.
19 Then we shall know that we are of the truth and we may calm our conscience in his presence.
20 Every time it reproaches us, let us say: God is greater than our conscience, and he knows everything.
21 When our conscience does not condemn us, dear friends, we may have complete confidence in God.
22 Then whatever we ask we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
23 His command is that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another, as he has commanded us.
24 Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us that we know he lives in us.
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Comments Letter of Jude, Chapter 3
• 3.1 Here begins the second part of the letter: we are God’s children and we must live as such. How do we prove that we are God’s children? According to the same criteria that we have already seen: breaking away from sin, keeping the commandment of love, proclaiming our faith. There are many ways of saying we are God’s children. One person might simply think: “God loves people” means that human beings have great dignity. Here John calls our attention to two points:
– you are sons and daughters, but in order to become like God, do not seek anything else but to be perfect as God is perfect;
– you are children who will return to the Father. Do you really think about the unique and transcendent end for which God has chosen you? Being aware of this, let us understand that God purifies us in a thousand ways, because only in this way can we attain our goal.
We shall be like him: sharing all that God is and somehow becoming God with God (see 1Cor 13:13). Those who now bear their lives of suffering with Christ will be transfigured like him (Mk 9; Col 3:4). Then the universe will reach its goal, having the children of God as its center (Rom 8:19) or better, the New Creature.
Those born of God do not sin (v. 9). This appears exaggerated, but being children of God is not a fantasy: we have really begun a life in truth and in love. To the person who has been reborn, it becomes impossible to commit real sin: to deliberately refuse to love, or to forgive or to continue to struggle. But we pray to the Father: “Lead us not…”
• 7. Keeping the commandment of love is what distinguishes God’s children.
Most people are accustomed to thinking that the world is divided into two opposed factions. Some see an exploiter or exploited in every person. Others see only liberals and conservatives. Others see black and white. John tells us what is the dividing line between people: those who love and those who do not love. Because believers are in the camp of those who love, they will be persecuted. Their companions and compatriots will not forgive believers for not sharing their own hatred and sectarianism.
He who hates his brother is a murderer. All murders and massacres spring from hatred and grudges. When war suddenly devastates a country, it is due to the fact that many people were resentful toward others, and others, in even greater numbers, refused to make sacrifices to settle their difficulties and tensions.
The practice of love never weakens us as can happen with other forms of sacrifice done with out love. Rather, it transforms us into God’s likeness and we are no longer fearful or distrustful of him.
Every time it (conscience) reproaches us. Doubtless John wishes to say that God knows and judges us better than we can ourselves. He does it with a love that is lacking in us. We should beware of the guilt feelings for faults which we have regretted and doubtless re paired: this form of anguish encloses us within ourselves instead of turning to God who knows what to do with ruined lives and make them new again.
To believe in the Name (3:23), that is to say, in the divinity of Christ.