This is how we can be sure that we have come to know him: if we continually keep his commandments.

But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

Children, it is the last hour. You have heard that Antichrist is coming, and many Antichrists have indeed appeared. So we may be sure that it is the last hour.

If you know that He is absolutely righteous, you know [for certain] that everyone who practices righteousness [doing what is right and conforming to God’s will] has been born of Him.

Thus it is that we may be sure we belong to the truth and reassure ourselves

The person who keeps his commandments abides in God, and God abides in him. This is how we can be sure that he remains in us: he has given us his Spirit.

This is how we may be sure we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us a share in his own Spirit;

This is how we can be sure that we love the children of God: it is by loving God and obeying his commands.

I have written in this way to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may be sure you have life eternal.

And if we know that he listens to our requests, we can be sure that we have what we ask him for.