Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. 

I John 5:1 – 3

How do we show that we love the children of God?  By loving God, John insists.  He reminds us that we are talking about God’s children, every one of them is adopted.  God has no natural children, so to speak.  The love of God embraces all those who love him, no matter their background.  Each one is indebted to God for his adopting love.  All who come to God through Christ are equal in this regard.

Therefore, God does not have children who are at odds with his other children.  That simply does not work. That would be at odds with God’s embracing love.  No one is there by his or her merit, but by the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.   Should they not love one another with the love that incorporated them into this new family of faith?

The love that binds those in the new family of the born again is not human love, but agape, the very love of God.  Our relationships with one another in Christ should reflect that love.

This is not sentimental love.  It is the love of God, real love!  It will show itself in the desire to do what pleases God, the adopting father.  “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands.”  And I might add, one of these commands is to love one another in the family of God.  That makes sense.  It would be strange if we say that we love our father but not his children.

Human love chooses whom to love.  Divine love enables us to choose to love those God loves!  This sets apart the followers of Jesus as people who love one another from those who know only human love.

So, as believers, we have victory over Satan by faith in God.  And what is the basis of that faith? The Spirit says, Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. So we are brought back to the common basis of our love, that is that Jesus is the Son of God.  It could not be simpler, nor more demanding.