
1 John 5
1 John 5 deals with the essence of faith in Christ, emphasizing the love and obedience that should characterize the lives of believers. It delves into the nature of God as the source of love and life, affirming the reality of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. This chapter connects the believers’ faith to their victorious living, underscoring the assurance they can have in eternal life and the confidence in approaching God with their prayers.
1 John 5:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Believers are identified as those born of God through faith in Jesus as the Messiah. This spiritual rebirth creates a familial bond not only with God but also with other believers. John emphasizes that true love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His commandments, which are framed not as heavy burdens but as facilitators of victorious living. The victory over worldly influences and challenges is attributed to this faith, highlighting a recurring theme of overcoming through divine strength and assurance.
1 John 5:6-10 (NKJV)
6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.
7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
John elaborates on the testimony of Jesus Christ’s divine nature and mission, emphasizing His coming through both water (baptism) and blood (crucifixion), signifying the completeness of His work. The Spirit’s role as a witness to the truth of Jesus’ divinity reinforces the testimony. Verses 7 and 8, often discussed for their textual complexity in various manuscripts, highlight a heavenly and earthly triad of witnesses confirming Jesus' divine authority and mission. The believer’s faith in this testimony is integral to their spiritual identity, contrasting with disbelief, which is equated to calling God a liar for denying His testimony about His Son.
1 John 5:11-13 (NKJV)
11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
The central message of the gospel is crystallized here: eternal life is a gift from God, inherently found in His Son, Jesus Christ. Possessing Christ equates to possessing eternal life, a foundational truth meant to assure believers of their salvation and encourage persistent faith. John's purpose is clear—to reinforce the confidence of believers in the assurance and permanence of their salvation as they continue in faith.
1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
Prayer is presented as an expression of the believer’s confidence in God. The assurance that God hears and responds to prayers that align with His will is emphasized, reinforcing the relational dynamics between God and believers. This confidence is not just in the act of being heard, but in the effective outcome of the prayers—knowing that requests in line with God’s will are granted.
1 John 5:16-17 (NKJV)
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death; I do not say that he should pray about that.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
John differentiates between sins leading to spiritual death and those that do not. The community is encouraged to pray for those whose sins are not unto death, promising that such intercession can lead to life. However, there is an acknowledgment of a category of sin so severe that it leads to spiritual death, for which John hesitates to recommend prayer. This distinction underscores the gravity of certain sins while affirming the power of prayer for redemption and forgiveness in less severe cases.
1 John 5:18-21 (NKJV)
18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
In concluding, John affirms the transformative effect of being born of God—such individuals do not persist in sin because they are protected from the devil's influence. The distinction between those belonging to God and the world under satanic influence is stark. The recognition that Jesus provides a way to know God intimately is celebrated as the essence of true life. The final exhortation to avoid idols serves as a warning against anything that might detract from this profound relationship with the true God, encapsulating the epistle's call to faithful, obedient, and undivided devotion to God.