We live in God and He lives in us. This is the way it is for anyone who truly knows the Lord. So how do we know that this is the case? It is by the presence of the Holy Spirit. The active presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life is central. Being a Christian is not just a matter of some theological truth, it is a matter of being in a relationship with the living God.
Having said that, theological truth is also vital, for John immediately goes on to talk about another theological test of authenticity. The "we" so far in this section have applied to all believers, it seems that in verse 14 the "we" is more specifically targeted at John and the apostles. He is doing this to contrast himself with the false teachers. John and the apostles had seen and heard Jesus directly, they had lived with Him for three years. The testimony was that the Father has sent the Son into the world to be the Saviour. Then this is applied generally again. The test of authenticity is whether or not someone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God. If so, God lives in them and they in God. Such a person depends upon the love that God has for us, not on any "special knowledge".
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