"The Lord knows those who are his,"It is God who chose us, not us who chose Him. He knows those who are His. If anyone loves God, they are known by God (1 Corinthians 8:3). Those who love God keep His commandments (John 14:15). If we keep His commandments, we will abide in His love, just as our Lord Jesus kept His Father's commandments and abode in His love (John 15:10).
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him (Nahum 1:7). Whoever abides in Christ and Christ in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Christ we can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in the Lord Jesus, he is thrown away like a branch and withers, and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned (John 15:5-6).
Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. He knows His own and His own know Him, just as the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father, and Jesus has laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:14-15). This is Jesus’ commandment: that we love one another as He has loved us. Greater love has no one than this—that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are the Lord Jesus’ friends if you do what He commands you (John 15:12-14).
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:6-9).
and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."
Let no one deceive you; no one who is born of God makes a practice of sinning. God has commanded all to repent and forsake their former sins. By this, it is evident who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother (1 John 3:10 ESV).
This is the message that you have heard from the beginning: that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil, and his brothers were righteous (1 John 3:11-12).
We must strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many will seek to enter but will not be able to (Luke 13:24). The gate is wide, and the way is easy, which leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many (Matthew 7:13). On that day, many will say to Jesus, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” And then Jesus will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these, the wrath of God is coming. In these, you too once walked when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth (Colossians 3:5-8).
Satan is furious with the church of God and is making war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17). Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them (Revelation 14:12-13)!
