3
All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own.
4
All who indulge in a sinful life are dangerously lawless, for sin is a major disruption of God's order.
5
Surely you know that Christ showed up in order to get rid of sin. There is no sin in him, and sin is not part of his program.
6
No one who lives deeply in Christ makes a practice of sin. None of those who do practice sin have taken a good look at Christ. They've got him all backwards.
7
So, my dear children, don't let anyone divert you from the truth. It's the person who acts right who is right, just as we see it lived out in our righteous Messiah.
8
Those who make a practice of sin are straight from the Devil, the pioneer in the practice of sin. The Son of God entered the scene to abolish the Devil's ways.
9
People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin.
10
Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test.