New Testament Contextual Commentary: THE APOSTLE JOHN'S FIRST EPISTLE TO HIS CONGREGATION Volume I - Paperback

The Apostle John tells his readers, he has an important message to tell them. It is about a person who was already there before the beginning of the world. We heard him speak. We've seen Him with our own eyes. We watched Him and we touched Him. He is the Word that gives us life with God. This is the message: God is completely good and pure. He is like light. There is nothing dark about Him.
Amazingly, John tells us that one of the things Jesus wanted us to understand is that by loving others we love God. Yes, we do make mistakes and so do other believers but we are not to hold that against them because just as we were given forgiveness by God's mercy and grace since we are in union with His Son, so can they. What we are not to do is claim access to this privilege but then live like those in the world. Our goal is not just life, but eternal life. After all, we are God's children and no child of God keeps on sinning after they are born again through Jesus the Anointed One.