1 John 5 2

1 John 5:2 kjv

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1 John 5:2 nkjv

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.

1 John 5:2 niv

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

1 John 5:2 esv

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

1 John 5:2 nlt

We know we love God's children if we love God and obey his commandments.

1 John 5 verses

1 John 5 2 Meaning

This verse states a crucial test and interconnectedness within the Christian life: true love for other believers (the children of God) is validated by our love for God, which is demonstrated through our obedience to His commandments. It presents a logical consequence, showing that genuine affection for fellow believers flows directly from a heartfelt devotion to God that expresses itself in active obedience.

1 John 5 2 Context

First John chapter 5 is a concluding section of the epistle that draws together many of John’s key themes: assurance of salvation, victory over the world, love for one another, and obedience to God’s commands. Verse 2 immediately follows verse 1, which states that "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of him." Verse 2 then explains how we know this love for fellow believers is genuine. The entire letter of 1 John serves as a "test manual" to differentiate true believers from false ones, especially those influenced by nascent Gnostic ideas or 'antichrists' who denied Christ's true personhood and claimed spiritual superiority without requiring moral living or genuine love. John combats the idea that one can have a spiritual relationship with God (or claim 'knowledge' of God) while disregarding the moral demands of His word, particularly the command to love other believers.

1 John 5 2 Word analysis

• By this (ἐν τούτῳ, en toutō): This phrase acts as a significant connective, pointing to the condition that follows as the means by which the previous statement (love for the children of God) is confirmed or known. It introduces the criteria for authentic love. It indicates not the source, but the visible demonstration or test.
• we know (γινώσκομεν, ginōskomen): This verb denotes a certain, experiential, and verifiable knowledge, not speculative or abstract knowledge (contrast with oida, which is more about intellectual knowledge). John often uses "to know" in the sense of a genuine, living relationship and assured recognition, providing spiritual certainty to the reader. It reassures believers how they can confirm their standing.
• that we love (ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν, hoti agapōmen): Agapao is the divine, unconditional love. Here, it is explicitly tied to human action, demonstrating how divine love in us expresses itself. The use of the present tense indicates an ongoing, habitual practice of love.
• the children of God (τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ta tekna tou Theou): This refers to fellow believers, those who are "born of God" (1 Jn 5:1, 1 Jn 3:1). The term tekna emphasizes spiritual progeny, relationship, and familial connection within the Christian community, highlighting their shared spiritual paternity.
• when (ὅταν, hotan): This conjunction introduces a condition. It can be translated as "whenever," "when," or "in order that." Here, it points to the circumstance or action that demonstrates or fulfills the statement "we love the children of God." It signals a concurrent, active practice.
• we love God (τὸν Θεὸν ἀγαπῶμεν, ton Theon agapōmen): The object of love shifts to God Himself. This phrase emphasizes that love for fellow believers does not exist in a vacuum but is directly linked to one's relationship with God. It signifies a vertical dimension preceding and empowering the horizontal.
• and obey (καὶ τηρῶμεν, kai tērōmen): Tērō means "to keep, guard, observe, watch over." It implies active, mindful adherence, not just passive acceptance. It speaks to a conscious and sustained effort to follow commands, indicating a commitment. It includes preserving, guarding, and maintaining.
• his commandments (τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, tas entolas autou): These are God's divine directives. In the Johannine context, key commandments include belief in Jesus (1 Jn 3:23) and mutual love (1 Jn 3:23, Jn 13:34). They are not merely burdensome rules but expressions of God's will for a flourishing life in Christ. This plural "commandments" encompasses the entirety of God's revealed will.

• "By this we know that we love the children of God": This phrase introduces the internal mechanism of assurance. John provides the means by which believers can be confident that their love for other Christians is genuine. It shifts the focus from an abstract feeling to a demonstrable reality, offering comfort and certainty to those wrestling with assurance.
• "when we love God and obey his commandments": This clause sets the dual condition for authentic love for God's children. It presents a divine logic: our horizontal love for God’s children is verifiable if our vertical love for God is true (as demonstrated by obedience). This shows that loving God’s people is a fruit of loving God and submitting to His will. It signifies the inseparability of piety and morality, a challenge to any notion that one can be godly without being ethical and loving towards others. The phrase underlines that Christian love is not purely sentimental but is rooted in covenant fidelity to God's will.

1 John 5 2 Bonus section

This verse highlights the interconnectedness of God's two greatest commandments (love God and love neighbor, Mt 22:37-40). John consistently weaves these two strands throughout his epistle, affirming that genuine Christianity cannot separate personal devotion from communal love. The sequence presented in 1 John 5:2 (love God and obey commandments leading to knowing we love His children) is significant. It implies that true love for the brethren is not an arbitrary act but a direct outflow of a disciplined, God-centered life. This truth challenges superficial spirituality or mere intellectual assent, insisting on practical, active demonstration as the hallmark of true faith. The Johannine concept of ginōskomen (knowing) implies a deep, relational understanding that produces tangible fruit, distinguishing it from theoretical knowledge. The entire book often presents these 'tests' (e.g., righteousness, love, confession of Christ) as integrated proofs of genuine spiritual life.

1 John 5 2 Commentary

1 John 5:2 serves as a pivotal statement on the practical validation of Christian love. John emphatically links our horizontal love for fellow believers with our vertical love for God, proving that they are inseparable. This verse teaches that we cannot authentically claim to love God's children unless we also love God Himself and, consequently, obey His commandments. Obedience here is not burdensome legalism (as 1 Jn 5:3 clarifies) but the natural, joyous expression of a heart that truly loves God. It is a fundamental test of Christian authenticity: true spiritual life always manifests in both devoted worship and ethical action, particularly loving action toward those within the spiritual family. Therefore, love for the brotherhood flows as a natural consequence from love for the Father, a love which expresses itself in humble submission to His will.

Examples for practical usage:

• If a Christian regularly prays, reads the Bible, and serves in church, yet frequently speaks harshly, judges, or neglects the needs of fellow believers, this verse prompts self-examination about the authenticity of their love for God.
• When a person finds themselves genuinely desiring to help, forgive, and uplift fellow believers, it can be an indicator that their heart is indeed rooted in love for God and His ways, providing assurance of their walk with Christ.