In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother.
All Commentaries on 1 John 3:10 Go To 1 John 3
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. The two tests are, the doing righteousness, and loving his brother. Righteousness and charity are of God, unrighteousness and hatred are of the devil. Righteousness is here taken in its widest sense, as including all virtues. But St. John here states that among all kinds of righteousness none shows more that we are the sons of God, than charity and the love of our neighbour, as the contrary vices show us to be the children of the devil. And hence S. John , the beloved disciple, breathes forth love only. Hear S. Augustine (in loc.): "Love alone distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil. Let all sign themselves with the sign of the cross, let all answer Amen, let all sing Alleluia, let all be baptized, let all go to church, let all build churches. Yet the sons of God are distinguished from the children of the devil only by charity. They who have charity are born of God, they who have it not are not born of God. Have what thou wilt; if this alone thou have not, it profiteth thee nothing. If thou hast not anything else, have this: thou hast fulfilled the law." But by charity God is loved for His own sake, and our neighbour for the sake of God. Whence charity is "the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:10. And S. Augustine (de Nat. et. Grat. cap. xlii.). "Charity is the most true, complete, and perfect righteousness." S. Clement Alex. calls it "The highest duty of a Christian man." S. Cyprian (de Bono Patient.) terms it "The foundation of peace, the firm bond of unity, surpassing even the deeds of martyrdom." S.Basil, "The root of the commandments." S. Gregory Nazianzen (Epist. xx.), "The head of all our teaching." S. Jerome (Epist. ad Theophylact), "The parent of all virtues." S. Ephraim (de Humil.), "The support of all virtues." S. Augustine, "The stronghold of all virtues." (Serm. liii. de temp.). Prosper (de Vita Contempl. iii13), "The most powerful of all our affections, the sum of good works, the protector of virtue, the end of heavenly precepts, the death of sins, the life of virtues." "Firmness in every virtue" (S. Cyril). "The mother and guardian of all good" (S. Gregory). "The mother of men and angels, bringing peace, not only to all things in earth, but even in heaven" (S. Bernard, Epist. ii.).
Lastly, S. Basil says, "Where charity fails, hatred comes in its room. But if God (as S. John says) is love, the devil must undoubtedly be hatred. And as he who has love has God, so he who has hatred, fosters a devil within him."
