Keep yourselves in the love of God; i.e. in love to God, or that love whereby ye love God; this implies love to each other, as the cause doth the effect.
Looking for; viz. by hope: and so in these two verses we have the three cardinal graces, faith, hope, and charity.
The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life; the merciful or gracious sentence of Christ the Judge, whereby he puts believers in possession of eternal life, Mat_25:34. This reward of eternal life is promised, but being promised freely, and out of mercy, it is called mercy, 2Ti_1:18, the effect being put for the cause.