Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Living as God’s Children

Text: 1 John 2:28–3:10

Have you noticed how much harder it’s become to feel truly connected?

In her book Adam and Eve After the Pill, Revisited, Mary Eberstadt describes how the breakdown of family life has changed our world. Children today are far less likely to grow up surrounded by siblings, cousins, aunts, or uncles. Nearly 30 percent of all households now consist of just one person, and around 40 percent of children grow up without their biological father in the home. The result, she says, is heartbreaking.

When family ties weaken, people grow isolated. They lose the sense of belonging that once came from being part of a web of relationships. There are fewer role models, fewer people to share life’s joys or griefs with, fewer opportunities to learn love, forgiveness, and commitment. And the consequences ripple outward—loneliness, anger, anxiety, and brokenness.

Eberstadt observes, “A world of fewer and weaker family ties is one in which deprived people are furious about things they do not have or no longer know.” In other words, when we lose connection to family, we lose part of what makes us whole.

That insight echoes what John teaches in 1 John 2:28–3:10. When we abide in Jesus—stay connected to Him—our lives begin to reflect His likeness. But when we drift away, our lives begin to resemble the world instead of the family of God.

The Wonder of God’s Love

John begins with amazement:

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1)

That’s not something we earned—it’s something we’ve been given. The world doesn’t understand this identity because it doesn’t know Him. But we do, and that changes everything. We are no longer defined by our past, our failures, or the labels the world puts on us. We are defined by the love of our Father.

And that love gives us hope. John says that when Christ appears, “we shall be like Him.” That future hope shapes our present life: those who belong to Jesus seek to live like Jesus.

Don’t let the world define who you are. When doubt or temptation whisper, remind yourself: I am a child of God. Then arrange your life to live like it—with hope and holiness.

Rejecting Sin and Reflecting the Father

John moves from identity to behavior:

“No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning.” (1 John 3:6)

He’s not saying we’ll never sin; he’s saying that those who remain in Christ don’t make peace with it. They don’t justify it or ignore it. They confess it, and through Jesus, they find forgiveness and freedom.

The difference isn’t perfection—it’s direction. True children of God are moving toward holiness, not away from it.

John makes this point clear: “The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (3:7) The family resemblance is seen in our conduct. If God’s seed—His Spirit—lives in us, then His righteousness will take root and grow.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t just change our beliefs—He changes our behavior.

The Family Trait of Love

Finally, John gives the clearest mark of identity:

“Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother or sister.” (3:10)

Love is the defining trait of God’s family. It’s how the world knows who we belong to (John 13:35). We can’t claim to be children of the God who is love and live in hatred, apathy, or division.

To live as God’s child is to reflect His love in tangible ways—especially toward His other children. Love isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Living Like Who You Are

So how do we live this out?

1. Remember who you are. When you’re tempted or discouraged, remind yourself: I am a child of God. Your confidence doesn’t come from performance but from your position in Christ.
2. Purify your life through hope. Those who hope in Jesus don’t drift—they draw closer. Let the reality of His return shape your choices today.
3. Let righteousness rule your actions. Right living isn’t legalism—it’s loyalty. Every act of obedience shows your allegiance to your Father.
4. Love your brothers and sisters well. Don’t just attend church—belong to the family. Forgive quickly, serve freely, and love deeply.

Becoming Like the Father

John moves from discernment to identity, from standing against deception to living faithfully as God’s children. We have confidence at Christ’s coming when we abide in Him, reflect His righteousness, reject sin’s power, and reveal His love.

When we remain with Jesus, we don’t just stand firm—we grow strong. We begin to look like our Father, love like our Savior, and live by the Spirit’s power. And one day, when Christ appears, we’ll stand before Him confident, radiant, and finally home in the family of God.

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Living in Light, Love, and Truth: Standing Firm Against Deception

1 John 2:18–29 

A couple of weeks ago at supper, I asked Jenny, “Have you heard about that chihuahua that was integrated into a wolf pack around Ely?”

I went on to tell her what I had read: supposedly, wildlife experts were called in, and when one of them was asked how a chihuahua could survive among wolves, he replied, “I’ve met many wolves and a few chihuahuas—and I was always more scared of the chihuahuas.” The article ended with, “He didn’t just survive. He belonged.”

I thought, That will preach!

Except Jenny looked at me and said, “I don’t think that’s true.”

At first, I wanted to defend myself. I was sure I had read it in an article. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized she was probably right. So I checked. Sure enough, I had been duped. The “expert” wasn’t real, and the “quote” came from an old meme floating around online since about 2010.

The truth is—I wanted it to be true. And because I wanted it to be true, I stopped asking hard questions. My skepticism went down, my desire went up, and deception slipped in unnoticed.

Isn’t that exactly how false teaching spreads? Our desires, fears, and hopes can cloud our discernment. We accept what we want to hear without stopping to test it against the truth. It’s no wonder the New Testament spends so much time warning us about deception.

Why Truth Matters for Christian Community

In his first letter, the Apostle John writes to Christians who were facing spiritual confusion. Some former church members were spreading a different message about Jesus—one that sounded spiritual but denied that Jesus was both fully God and fully man. They claimed deeper knowledge, higher truth, and better revelation.

But John cuts through the noise. He reminds believers that a healthy Christian community is grounded in truth and love. When false teaching seeps in, both truth and love are corrupted. That’s why discernment isn’t optional for followers of Jesus—it’s essential.

John gives five reminders to help us stand firm in a world filled with deception.

1. We Are Living in the Last Hour

John writes, “Dear children, the last hour is here” (1 John 2:18).

By “last hour,” he means we are living in the time between Jesus’s first and second comings—the time when opposition to Jesus will rise. The presence of “many antichrists” isn’t proof that God’s plan is failing; it’s evidence that we are in the middle of the story God told us would unfold. So don’t be surprised when truth is challenged—be anchored instead.

2. The Test Is What People Say About Jesus

John tells us that false teachers are known by their message. They don’t deny God—they distort Jesus.

Some in John’s day claimed that Jesus was just a man who temporarily received the “Spirit of Christ,” but that this Spirit left before the crucifixion. In other words, they wanted Jesus’s teachings without His sacrifice.

John says that’s the heart of deception. The question is always the same: What do they say about Jesus? Correct belief about Him leads to correct living.

3. We Are Anointed by the Holy Spirit

John uses a wordplay: Christ means “Anointed One.” The antichrists are those opposed to the Anointed One—but believers, John says, are also anointed (v. 20).

When we hear the Gospel and pledge our allegiance to King Jesus, the Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to Him. The Spirit convicts, empowers, and guides us in truth. This anointing sets us apart to live for God’s Kingdom in the middle of a deceptive world.

4. We Must Remain Faithful

John urges, “Remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning” (v. 24).

Faithfulness is not just believing the right things—it’s staying loyal to Jesus and the Gospel we first received. We don’t need new revelations or “secret” truths; the Gospel we’ve already heard is enough. The Holy Spirit continues to confirm that truth in us and keeps us rooted in Jesus so that when He returns, we can stand with confidence rather than shame.

5. We Are God’s Children

Finally, John reminds us that righteousness isn’t just what God sees in us—it’s what we live out.

When we do what is right, love others, forgive, and serve—we reveal the family resemblance. As God’s children, our lives reflect our Father’s character to the world.

Two Ways to Stand Firm

So how do we live this out in a world swirling with deception?

1. Keep the Gospel Central.

Use it as your litmus test. When you encounter a new teaching, idea, or post, ask: Does this align with the good news that Jesus is Lord and that His Kingdom is breaking into the world?

2. Do the Next Right Thing.

Righteous living isn’t perfection—it’s persistence. Confess sin quickly. Offer forgiveness freely. Help your neighbor. Sit with someone who is grieving. Every small act of obedience is a way of standing firm in the truth.

Nothing to Fear

When we remain with Jesus—when our allegiance is to Him alone—we don’t have to fear the lies that swirl around us. The wolves may circle, false teachers may shout, but those who belong to the Anointed One—those anointed by His Spirit—stand secure.

As John wrote, “Now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame” (1 John 2:28).

Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.

Walking in Light, Love, and Truth: Love and Obedience

1 John 2:3–17

On a stormy February night in 1954, a young Navy pilot set out on a training mission from an aircraft carrier off the coast of Japan. Everything quickly went wrong. His navigational equipment failed, and his cockpit lights short-circuited, leaving him in complete darkness. Later he said, “The blackness outside the plane had suddenly come inside.”

He was flying blind—no horizon, no stars, no instruments—just pitch-black darkness. Despair set in, until suddenly he noticed a faint glow below him in the water. It was bioluminescent plankton, stirred up by the wake of his ship. That faint trail of light was his only hope. He turned toward it and followed it back to safety.

That pilot was Jim Lovell, who years later would become one of the Apollo 13 astronauts. That night, his life was saved because of light.

That story gives us a picture of what John is teaching in 1 John 2:3–17. Life is dark—sin, confusion, and the pull of the world surround us like a black ocean. But God has not left us blind. He has given us light to follow: Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. When we walk in Him, we don’t stumble in the dark—we find the way home.

Obedience: Walking as Jesus Walked (1 John 2:3–6)

John doesn’t mince words: “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.”

Faith isn’t just about claiming to know God. It’s about obedience—living in the way God calls us to live. If someone says, “I know Him,” but ignores His commands, John says the truth isn’t in them. Genuine faith shows up in action.

Jesus is our model. To walk in Him is to walk as He walked—not by copying first-century culture, but by imitating His obedience to the Father and His sacrificial love for others.

Love: Living in the Light (1 John 2:7–14)

John calls his readers “friends” and reminds them of an old command that is also new: the command to love.

It’s old because it’s rooted in the law of Moses: love God and love your neighbor. But it’s new because Jesus redefined love through His own example—laying down His life for us. True love is costly.

Hate blinds us. It keeps us in darkness. But love brings us into the light and keeps us from stumbling. When we love each other, we demonstrate that the true light—Jesus—is shining in us.

Loyalty: Choosing God Over the World (1 John 2:15–17)

Finally, John warns us not to love the world. He’s not talking about people or creation, but about the values and desires opposed to God: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

These temptations echo the garden of Eden, when Eve saw the fruit, desired it, and took it. The world offers short-lived pleasures, but they never last. John reminds us that “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

What This Means for Us

• Examine your faith. Don’t just talk the talk—walk the walk. Are you obeying God’s Word, or just saying the right things? 
• Choose love. Love is the defining mark of discipleship. Forgive someone. Serve someone. Pray for someone. That’s how God’s light shines through us.
• Check your loyalties. Where do your affections lie? With temporary things that fade away, or with God’s eternal kingdom?

Walking in the Light Today

John gives us three markers of genuine faith: obedience, love, and loyalty to God. They aren’t just religious ideals—they are how we follow Jesus day by day.

The evangelist D.L. Moody once said, “Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian.” The world is reading our lives. If they see obedience, love, and devotion to God, they’ll see the light of Christ shining through us.

The good news is that God has not left us in the dark. Through Jesus, the Light of the World, we have forgiveness, guidance, and hope. So let’s walk in His light—humbly, obediently, and lovingly—and let His light shine through us into a dark world.

•  Personal Challenge: Ask God what affections or desires you need to let go of so you can more fully live for Him.
• Relational Challenge: Show love to someone this week in a tangible way—write a note, offer forgiveness, or spend time with them.