[1] You are my little children, so I am writing these things to help you avoid sin. If, however, any believer does sin, we have a high-powered defense lawyer-Jesus the Anointed, the righteous-arguing on our behalf before the Father. [2] It was through His sacrificial death that our sins were atoned. But He did not stop there-He died for the sins of the whole world. [3] We know we have joined Him in an intimate relationship because we live out His commands. [4] If someone claims, "I am in an intimate relationship with Him," but this big talker doesn't live out His commands, then this individual is a liar and a stranger to the truth. [5] But if someone responds to and obeys His word, then God's love has truly taken root and filled him. This is how we know we are in an intimate relationship with Him: [6] anyone who says, "I live in intimacy with Him," should walk the path Jesus walked.
