There are common things in our world which help us stick with a group—family, ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, occupation, even political persuasions. But the church is defined by wholly different commonalities. John ends his letter with a call to build community through loving, obeying and overcoming.
Here are the responses from the congregation on what makes a genuine Christian community.
1 John 5:1-5; 11-12
1 John 5:1-5; 11-12 / New International Version (NIV)
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
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11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
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