Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments.  Whoever says, "I have come to know him," but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection.  By this we may be sure that we are in him: 6 whoever says, "I abide in him," ought to walk just as he walked.

Love seeks to be known.  This truth is so elemental it is the very first of the Ten Commandments of God: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20.2-3)  We are commanded to not seek other gods because, among other reasons, God wants to be known by his children.  Further, the entire revelation of salvation history, the complete mystery of the Word of God sent by the Father is evidence that God dearly wants us to know him.

We are made in the image and likeness of God.  Therefore this quality of God is deep in our hearts.  In the very center of our soul, permeating its most secret recesses, is a deep and abiding desire to be known - mostly by our creator.  So at some level we want our outward behavior to be in conformance to the inner man and there is anxiety when we do not accurately represent ourselves.

We tend to think of the Word of God as a mix of history and morals, ancient laws and rules, punishments and promises.  But here we have a passage uniquely addressing God's acknowledgement of our concern to be known by him, to have a truthful relationship with him.  "By this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments...whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection.  By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, "I abide in him," ought to walk just as he walked." (1 John 2.3-6)

So a person may believe they have a deep, interior relationship with God but if their behavior is bad they are delusional.  No true person would be satisfied with this discrepancy so God in his mercy reveals to us how we may be certain that we know him: if we obey his commandments.  And his commandment is love.

Though man, like his creator, desires to be known, there are parts of a man which rebels at the thought that the inner secret recesses of their soul are known by everyone.  One recoils at the words "I know you" from one who in fact does not know us.  There is much of us meant to be known by God alone.  We are his creation, meant for him.  The mystics describe the soul as a garden in which He walks.  Others may see and enjoy the outer portions but only God goes deep inside.