​This is the heart and conclusion of John’s teaching in 1 John 2:28 – 3:10. He has warned these troubled believers not to be deceived about the nature of true salvation and a personal relationship with God (1 John 3:7). This means that true believers must reject any belief or teaching that claims that we can be out of  fellowship with God (1 John 1:3), continue to sin, do the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), love the world (1 John 2:15), do harm to others (1 John 3:14-18) and yet be children of God who are spiritually saved and destined for heaven.
Contrary to this false teaching, John clearly states that anyone who continues to defy God and His standards (1 John 3:9) “is of the devil” (1 John 3:8) and “is not a child of God.” They are liars (1 John 2:4). True children of God are characterized by a love for God that is shown by following His commands (1 John 5:2) and showing true concern for the spiritual and physical needs of others (1 John 3:16-17).

​John was contending against those who were abusing the foundational teaching of God’s grace (His unearned, undeserved favor and love) as it relates to spiritual salvation. They claimed that since salvation came by God’s grace and not our efforts (which is true; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5) that Christians were in no way obligated to any fixed set of rules, including the commands of God’s moral law (which is not true; see Romans 2:13; 3:31; 8:4). John opposed these antinomian (against the law) teachers, who taught that abandoning a sinful life and following the moral principles of God’s law was a choice that believers could make for themselves.

1. These misguided individuals believed that it did not matter what they did, particularly with their physical bodies, as long as they had the right spiritual knowledge.
2. They claimed that people could “know” God and be in a saving relationship with Him and at the same time ignore God’s standards and disobey His commands (John 17:3).
3. John stated boldly that those who make such a claim are liars and do not have God’s truth in them. Attempting to be justified (made right with God) through faith in Christ without a commitment to actively follow Him in doomed to failure. 

​This does not necessarily mean a physical sacrifice of one’s life (although that may be required at times to save another person; John 15:13). Rather, it means that we should be willing to put aside our own rights, interests and concerns for the sake and benefit of others, particularly to show God’s love to them and bring them closer to Christ (Romans 12:10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:3-5; 2:17). 

​True love for God is expressed in our actions and is done for His sake. It is more than kind words and loving feelings; true love is shown through active compassion that meet real needs in tangible ways (1 John 3:17). Such actions show others what God’s love is like and will often open their hearts spiritually to consider accepting Christ as their personal Savior. Christians who truly want to reach others for Christ must realize that they may need to meet people’s physical needs before some will be open to receive help for their spiritual needs.

John uses the noun “sin” (Greek hamartian) – wrong-doing, offense against God and being out of bounds by His standards – rather than the verb. This means that he is emphasizing sin not just as a matter of God-defying actions but as a basic principle or trait in human nature.

1. John is probably arguing against those who claim that sin does not exist as a principle or power in human nature, or those who say that their evil actions are not really sin. This deceptive belief is still with us today in those who deny the fact of sin or have a deterministic view of evil. Those who follow this view believe that sin is determined by outside causes or things we cannot control such as biological, psychological, or social factors. Therefore, each person has little or no real choice in relation to who they are and what they do. This leads to the conclusion that no one is responsible for his or her own sinful actions (Romans 6:1-2; 7:9-11).
2. Believers must be aware that the sinful nature is a very real and continuous threat in their lives. Through the power of the Holy Spirit within them, Christ’s followers must constantly put to death the God-defying tendencies and actions of the sinful nature (Romans 6:11; 8:13; Galatians 5:16-25).

John refers to a type of prayer that is definitely in line with God’s desires and purposes, so we can be sure that He will answer (1 John 5:14-15). It is prayer for spiritually weak believers who need God’s grace (His undeserved favor, love, help and spiritual ability) and encouragement in a prayer are as follows:

1. The person needing prayer must be a brother or sister (a believer who is still in a personal relationship with Christ) who has not deliberately defied God, rejected His truth or abandoned his or her relationship with God. That is to say, the person has not sinned in a way that has brought spiritual death and separation from God (Romans 8:13), like the false teachers of John’s day who totally rejected the truth that Jesus came and died for sin (1 John 4:2). Since the believer has not committed such sin, he or she still has spiritual life but is weak and struggling. The person is willing to admit those struggles, turn from his or her own way and submit to God, yet still needs help in conquering the power of Satan and sin.
2. For struggling believers in this situation, the church must pray that God will give them “life,” which means a renewal of spiritual strength and God’s grace which is being threatened by sin (Romans 8:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Peter 3:7). God promises to answer that prayer and give His grace, though the person must still personally respond to God and accept His help.
3. For a former believer who has committed a sin “that leads to death” (spiritual death and separation from God), the church cannot pray with absolute assurance that God will give more grace. This type of sin involves deliberately defying God and His truth and refusing to obey Him. Such a person is dead spiritually and can only be restored to life spiritually if he or she sincerely repents (Matthew 3:2) and turns back to God (Romans 8:13). We must pray that God will direct the circumstances of person’s life in such a way that he or she comes to the end of their will to resist God, turns back to Him, and is restored once more to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. 

1. NIV Bible
2. KJV Reference Bible
3. Bible Gateway 
4. Bible Hub 
5. Blue Letter Bible

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​Many people in the world, even some in the church, refuse to accept the fact of a real devil who wars against God and seeks to destroy people spiritually and in every other way (1 Peter 5:8). But John, one of Jesus’ closest followers, has much to say about “the devil.” He calls him “the evil one” (1 John 3:13; 2:13-14; 5:18-19), who “has been sinning from the beginning” (from the time he first rebelled against God, before the temptation of Adam and Eve, John 8:44). He is the instigator of sin, and those who continue to live in sin are “of the devil” (1 John 3:8), are his children (1 John 3:12). He is behind “the spirit of antichrist” that is in the world (1 John 4:3), and he has “the whole world” – those who do not follow God -under his control (1 John 5:19). But the devil cannot permanently harm God’s children (1 John 5:18). In fact, the follower of Christ will “overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:13-14; 4:4), and Christ will “destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).