3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. 4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. 10 Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.REFLECTIONSWritten by Glenn Wilmo WilmingtonAn older friend of mine used to be a manager at a bank. Part of the training involved being taught how to recognise counterfeit money. People can be very creative and always come up with new ways to make fake money, so the bank taught that the best way to tell what was real was to know the real thing.The same is true for Christians. The best way to know if somebody is a Christian or not is to look at Jesus. V5b-6 “This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”The writer says this is not a new command, it is the message they have heard from the beginning (v7)... when they heard the good news about Jesus. But (although it might not be immediately obvious) v8 tells us there is a new command that comes with the gospel: Jesus said “Love one another,” and “by this all people will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35).So here we have one of the best tests for if someone means it when they say they are a Christian: do they love others? If not, they may well still be in darkness (v9) and if yes, there is a pretty good chance they are following Jesus (v10). If they do not love others, then they are not someone it is wise for us to follow (v11).Do you see evidence of people around you living as Jesus did? Encourage them to keep it up! Do other people see evidence of you living as Jesus did? What is the best way to know how to love AND how to live as Jesus did? Get to know Jesus!ABOUT THE AUTHORGlenn is part of our Fairfield Morning Congregation.