In CH 3 of 1 John we learn about the love that our Father gives to his children. I have to admit it was quite a long time after I was converted that I figured out that this love is not self-directed, but other-directed. God loves all of humanity, including me, but the special love he gives His children is not that love, but the love He gives us for others. This is Love that allows us to love our enemies, and friends of our enemies, and those that would otherwise irritate, disgust, annoy, anger and even harm us. It is this supernatural love that identifies God’s children. It is in that context that this chapter makes sense. Sin is the absence of love. If we don’t have that love, we continue in sin. It will not be perfected until we are finally redeemed – at the end of our time on this earth. But it should be evident in us. I struggle with the conversion/sanctification/purification thing – I like to see things on a timeline, but it is more of an ongoing, lifelong process, I guess. The other night, we read that Christ told Peter to strengthen his brethren WHEN HE IS CONVERTED. This was on the eve of Jesus’ arrest. Peter walked with Christ for three years, and was not yet converted! I started to think about when it was, then, that Peter was converted. I first thought of the miracle at Pentacost, but I think it really took place when he realized Jesus was alive. Conversion is change, and that is when all the disciples were changed – from hiding and fearing they would also be killed to telling everyone they could about Him, whatever the consequences. So if he was converted then (and I would love to hear what anyone else thinks about this), it was 40 days later that he received the Holy Spirit. Jesus told them to wait until that happened before they went out to “turn the world upside down”. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to be successful in our walk. John must have wondered at the love he witnessed in Jesus when he walked with Him. And then he finds that he is given that same love. What a marvelous gift!