Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
he that doeth righteousness is righteous: The false teachers were promoting the doctrine that one could be righteous before God without fulfilling God’s way of righteousness. The antinomian view of freedom from law in any sense was the doctrine of the Cerinthian Gnostics. John informs his readers that the proof of righteousness before God is found in doing righteousness. What is righteousness? The word is used variously in the scriptures to refer to justification or to a right relationship with God (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 1:17), purity of life (2 Timothy 2:22), and right action (Romans 6:13-22; Acts 10:34-35). It is in the latter sense that John uses it in this verse. "Doeth" is present tense and speaks of the practice of right conduct. John is showing the character of the person who is truly righteous in the sight of God. It is the person who continually practices doing right. This is the simple test of righteousness: Doing is the test of being.