1 John 5:2. This is the converse of chap. 1 John 4:20, and as such stands here alone: we know that we love God by the token that we love the brethren; but we also know that we love God's children by the very fact of our loving Him. The two cannot be separated. Still, remembering that the commandment is now uppermost, we must closely unite when we love God and do his commandments. The last words introduce the customary enlargement upon 1 John 5:1, which is otherwise only repeated. We love all that are begotten of Him because we love Him: the consciousness of loving God is guarantee that we have in us all that brotherly love means; especially as that love feels in itself the energy of all obedience.

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Old Testament