Is Jesus Christ the source?

1 John 3:7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; In 1 John 2:26 John wrote, “These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you.” Obviously there were people who were trying to deceive his readers, and in this verse he puts the responsibility upon them to make sure no one deceives them. How does someone make sure no one deceives them? The answer lies in this: Look for and only listen to people who have the same purpose and practice in life that Jesus had, namely, glorifying God by practicing righteousness. Jesus’ purpose and practice was to glorify God by performing God’s righteousness. This verse echoes 1 John 2:29. “If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.” The implication in both of these verses is that the person who is born of God has the life of God dwelling within them. We know God is righteous, and Jesus is God, so He is righteous. Therefore, it follows that the person who is born of God, having the life of God dwelling within him, will be characterized by practicing righteousness. Let me now relate this to living to love with Jesus. When I use the word living, I mean that the person lives or practices what Jesus is and does. In chapter 4, verse 8, John wrote that God is love. Now let’s apply the transitive property of equality. If A=B and A=C, then B=C. If God is righteous (A=B) and God is love (A=C), then righteousness=love (B=C). Therefore, if you want to make sure no one deceives you, then make sure you look for and listen to people who live to love with Jesus, for that is practicing righteousness just as He is righteous. It’s understood that the children of God live this way. God’s love is distinct from earthly love. God’s love is the sustained direction of the will toward the highest good of another, no matter what the cost, in the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God. If you live—practice— loving like that with Jesus, you won’t be deceived by the false teaching and deceptive philosophies of the world. You will be practicing righteousness just as He is righteous. You’ll also fellowship with and listen to people who live to love with Jesus. Such a person demonstrates to the world that they have been justified by God through Jesus Christ, which means He has declared them to be righteous in His sight. They are righteous before God just as Jesus is righteous. John wasn’t saying the children of God shouldn’t reach out to and build relationships with unbelievers. His point was this: Only listen to and fellowship with those whose source of life is Jesus Christ. This will keep you from being deceived and from deceiving others.