1st John Chapter 5 Part 12

5:20-21 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

John wraps things up with an incredible declaration that we ought to meditate on. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding. What is this understanding? That we may know Him that is true. Moreover, that we are in Him that is true. We are in Christ.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 11

5:18-19 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Since we just finished reading in verse 16 that Christians can and do still sin after being born again this is not a statement affirming sinless perfection after rebirth. Rather, it is in reference yet again to our spiritual attitude, whether or not we live in a habitual state of sin, or we practice righteousness habitually.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 10

5:16-17 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

John continues to inform his readers in regards to prayer in these verses, this time in reference to praying for fellow Christians who are sinning. There are some key words to take note of in this passage, and also an absence of some key words that should be brought to light. Verse 16 begins with “if any man see his brother…” clearly inferring that this in reference to saints caught in sin. I would like to begin by citing correlating passages that help to shed light on this difficult topic.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 9

5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

John clarifies the confidence of trust that we may have in God concerning the life of a prayerful Christian. The apostle touches on the topic of prayer numerous times in this small epistle, which should give us some concept of the importance of being, like John, a prayerful Christian. It is worship to pray to our Creator, and an intimate communication from the child to our Father in Heaven. We are told a few things about prayer in these two verses. First, if we ask anything according to God’s will He hears us.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 8

5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We come to another cardinal point that John is writing about. He begins verse 13 by addressing believers. These things (referring to the epistle as a whole thus far) I have written to those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ. In other words this letter, like the rest of the Bible, is a letter for saints. Unbelievers can truly extract one thing from Scripture: believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, Acts 2:40; 16:31.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 7

5:11-12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

The nature of this witness is clearly evidenced in this verse. John states matter of fact that the message he presently conveys is the testimony God gave of His Son. God has given us eternal life, but this eternal life is only found in Jesus Christ. This is the essence of the Christian life. Paul writes, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears (at the Second Coming), then you also will appear with Him in glory,” Colossians 3:3-4.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 6

5:9-10 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

The beginning of verse 9 is a lead off from the last several verses we have been examining. The idea here may be that this witness of men John refers to is either one of two things. He may simply be using a static argument that if a man we trust witnesses of some event or truth we have not personally experienced or been exposed to we are prone to believe them based on their character. 

1st John Chapter 5 Part 5

5:6-8 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one, cont.

We also see in Acts chapter 5, when Peter rebukes Ananias for his sin he tells him, “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?…You have not lied to men but to God,” Acts 5:3-4. Later in Acts we find that it was the Holy Spirit who appointed the overseers in the Ephesian church, 20:28. Yet in Ephesians (ironically) Paul writes that it is Christ who appoints pastors (elders) and teachers, 4:11.

1st John Chapter 5 part 4

5:6-8 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one, cont.

There are the theophanies of God throughout the Old Testament. We find such episodes in Genesis chapters 18 and 32, Exodus chapter 34, Judges chapter 13, Isaiah chapter 6; Ezekiel chapters 1 and 2, etc. Yet we are informed in Scripture that no man has seen God the Father, John 1:18; 6:46; 1st John 4:12. Who is this God whom we have never seen, yet has been frequently seen? It is a terrible mystery, unless the truth of the trinity, taught in both the Old and New Testament, is reality.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 3

5:6-8 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

There are numerous views as to how we should understand verse 6. Some say that the water and blood means Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan and His death on the cross. Others believe the water and blood referred to the Roman spear that pierced His side, and water and blood came out, John 19:34.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 2

5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

If I may paraphrase a little, I believe the message is that we know we love God’s children due to the fact that we love God. We don’t love them out of grudging obligation; we don’t love them half-heartedly. God commands us to love our neighbor and our fellow saints, and since we have such a love for God, obeying Him is a response of love; said love simply overflows to our fellow Christians and does not become an obligation of law but the natural reaction of our relationship with God.

1st John Chapter 5 Part 1

5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

John returns to the essence of the gospel message. It bears repeating many times over because the simplicity of the gospel is easily perverted either through ignorance or deliberation, 2nd Corinthians 11:3. The monument of Roman Catholicism is an enduring picture of grace perverted into a religion and system of works. It is a sharp contrast from the simple message John proclaims: whoever, whoever at all, believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.

1st John Chapter 4 Part 14

4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

John presents some bold language about the spiritual attitudes of believers. But his judgment is based on observation, or a lack thereof. If someone says that they love God but acts in a manner that demonstrates hatred toward their Christian brother, John names such a man a liar. We read in 1st John 5:1, “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.”

1st John Chapter 4 Part 13

4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

We learn this profound truth: our love for God stems from His loving character and what He has done to demonstrate that love toward us. It is ironic and providential that the love God has for us originates within Himself, since He is love as we have been reading. Our love for Him likewise originates from the revelation of God’s person and accomplishment; it is founded in Him.

1st John Chapter 4 part 12

4:17-18 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We come now to what I believe is the heart of John’s message regarding the believer’s eternal security in Jesus Christ. Our love is made perfect (Greek teleioo, meaning to complete, accomplish, or consummate) so that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Herein, says John; for this reason our love is made perfect, so that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. The Greek word for “boldness” in this instance is “parrhesia” and means “all out-spokenness, frankness, bluntness, by implication: assurance.”

1st John Chapter 4 Part 11

4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

Two verses prior John writes that he has seen and testified that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Now he states that they have known and believed the love God has for us. This love was demonstrated at the cross when Jesus died on our behalf. John witnessed this firsthand, John 1:14; 19:26. Now he tells us that they have known and believed. Right knowledge is a beginning; but faith must take over where knowledge ends.

1st John Chapter 4 Part 10

4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Confession of the gospel is a sign that the message has been heard, considered, and believed. Paul writes, “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved,” Romans 10:9. Our faith is in a risen, living Savior who has life in Himself, and is capable of giving it to those who believe, John 1:4; 5:26; 17:2. This declaration of faith is the heart of the New Testament. Faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ is what saves; nothing else avails.

1st John Chapter 4 Part 9

4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, cont.

Rome draws its authority from a pretended line of unbroken succession from Peter the apostle to today’s present Pope; but that was not how the office of apostle was received, as we have seen from Peter’s own words in Acts and Paul’s testimony regarding his own reception of it, Galatians 1:11-12.

1st John Chapter 4 Part 8

4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

We would do well to pause and consider who John is referring to when he writes the little word “we.” “We” have seen and “we” testify; who is this we John mentions? He is clearly one among this number. It is the apostles of the Lord, who were with Him during His earthly ministry and to whom He appeared after His resurrection, Acts 1:21-22; 1st Corinthians 9:5; 15:5-8.

1st John Chapter 4 Part 7

4:12-13 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

John is clearly referring to the Father at this point. Jesus said, “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father,” John 6:46. The Son was incarnated and clearly visible to those who walked with Him, and through the Son we see the Father, John 14:9. It is said in the Scriptures that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, Colossians 1:15.