THESE verses continue the teaching of the previous verses, In the previous verses John showed what doing righteousness means, and that it is evidenced in the love of God in Christ made expressed in the life of the true child of God. This is indicated in the statement of John in the verse that opens these verses before us. This says 'This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another'.

This declares the substance of the teaching from John which follows, and is in accord with the words of Jesus in John 13: 34, 35. The words of Jesus in these two verses are these - A new commandment I give you: Love on another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.' In the early church Christians were accuse of incest because of this brotherly love, which the world did not understand and judged by their own standards. This love must and ought to be the expression of the fellowship of every Christian congregation/family. It is a sad fact that such love is not always so evident, and perhaps this is why the world is not impressed or drawn to the church.

John then brings in an illustration from the Old Testament in the two first sons of Adam and Eve - Cain and Abel. John tells us that Cain belonged to Satan, and that was seen in the fact that when his offering found no favour from God, and his brother Abel's found favour with God, he so resented this that he murdered his brother. John tells us the reason for this. He tells us that Cain's actions were evil and his brothers righteous. Cain's offering to God came with pride in his own merit. He did not appreciate how he fell short of God's righteousness. Abel came with the death of the best of his lamb's recognising his sin and his need of mercy, and this was counted by God as righteousness by faith in the Gospel he had been taught by his parents.

John goes on to tell us that Cain had the spirit of the world, whereas Abel had the Spirit of righteousness. This is why he had hatred of his brother, and why true Christians are hated by the world, because the world lies in the dominion of the evil one.

How do we know that we have passed from death to life, from the world under Satan's dominion into the dominion of God? John tells us it is seen in the love we have specially for other believers, but also for those in need. John tells us that those who do not have this love, their hearts are still dead spiritually, and have murder lurking in their hearts. Jesus tells us how this is true in Matthew 5: 21-26.

In verse 16 John tells us what true love is. It is shown and revealed in Jesus who gave his life to suffer our hell so that we might be delivered from the eternal punishment we deserve. John gives us the understanding of this love in John 3: 16.

How is such love expressed in practise? It is expressed in a heart that when we are able to help others in need and pain, we love them in Christ-like action to relieve their suffering and their need. This is exemplified in the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-37.

Christ-like love is seen in action like Christ's love for us. If this love is in our hearts and expressed outwardly in our living then we know we belong to the truth (v.19), and this gives us rest within when some failure in such love causes unrest in our hearts. We know that God is greater than our hearts. This means he knows the truth within our hearts of his love, and still shows his favour towards us.

John goes on to say that if the love in our hearts is the pattern of Jesus' love for us, then our hearts will not condemn us and we will have confidence before God. Confidence that we are truly born again and are beloved child of God. (v.21)

In this confidence (v.22) we know that we dwell in the love of God and so when we come in prayer to him as a loving Father he will answer our prayer, because we obey his commands, that is love others as he has loved us. In this humble relationship to God what we ask will be governed by the will of God expressed in our hearts. The more closely we live in God and his love the more will our requests by motivated by God's loving will for us. What does it mean to obey the command of God? Here is the heart of the Christian life. (v.23). It is found in our faith. We believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to die for us and saves us from our sins, and in this faith his love floods our hearts as we are bowed down with the knowledge of how little we deserve his love. Then secondly that this love is expressed in our relationship of love to one another within his family, which spills over into the world.

Verse 24 tells us that by obeying Christ's commands expressed above we live in him, that is his life of love is expressed in our hearts and lives through our being made alive in him. That is he lives in us and we in him.