1 BEHOLD, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, [ We need to take our other foot out of Babylon and move it into Zion. ] because it knew him not.

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; [ How and why like Him? Because, through the instrumentality of the atonement and the adoption, it is made possible for us to become of the family of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; and that as He, the potential instrument, through the oneness that existed between Him and His Father, by reason of obedience to divine law, overcame death, hell and the grave, and sat down upon His Father's throne, so shall we be able to sit down with Him, even upon His throne. Thus,-as~it-is~taught_in_;the Book of Mormon,. -it must needs be- that there be an- infinite atonement; and -hence of— Him,- and- by. Him, and through Him, are all things; and- through -Him do we obtain every blessing, power, right, immunity, salvation and exaltation. He is our God, -our Redeemer, our Savior, to whom, with the Father and -the Holy Spirit, be eternal - and everlasting— praises— worlds— with.ou.t_end- Again, Jesus testifies of Himself: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coing, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." — John, v, 25—29. It would seem from the above that the son hath life inherent in Himself, even as the Father hath life in Himself, He having received this power from the Father. Also, that He had power in Himself, as elsewhere stated, to lay down this body, and also to take it up- again; and in this respect He differed from others. While man dies and lays down his body, he has not power under any circumstance to raise it again, only through the power of Jesus and His intercession and atonement; for the Redeemer has proclaimed Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life; and it is by this resurrective power which. He possesses, as the gift of God through obedience to the will of the Father, that the dead shall hear the voice of God and shall live. Hence He not only becomes the first fruits of those that slept, having conquered death Himself and triumphed over it, but He also becomes the means of the resurrection of all men from the dead. Hence He says: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."— John, x, 17, 18. Thus, when He says He has power to lay down His life and power to take it up again, He speaks of a power never before exhibited among men upon this earth ; and which power, indeed, does not belong to man in and of himself. President John Taylor - Mediation and Atonement page 144. ] for we shall see him as he is.

3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the son of God [He is not the son of Joseph. He is not the son of a man. This title the son Of God means that his Father is literally God our Father in Heaven ] was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9  Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; [ JST: "Doth not continue in sin for the spirit of God remaineth within him, and he cannot continue to sin because he is born of God, having received that Holy Spirit, a promise." ] for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

16 Hereby perceive we the love ^bof God, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.