Articles and Notes
1 John 5
Obedience by faith
[1Jo 5:1-21 NASB95] 1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the [child] born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe 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 the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The certainty of God's witness
6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
Confidence and compassion in prayer
14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us [in] whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not [leading] to death, he shall ask and [God] will for him give life to those who commit sin not [leading] to death. There is a sin [leading] to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not [leading] to death.
Knowing the true - rejecting the false
18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in [the power of] the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so 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, guard yourselves from idols.
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Chapter Five
John writes of faith in Christ, loving God, and overcoming the world
(1-5). He then reviews God’s witness that gives us certainty regarding
eternal life in Christ (6-13), and concludes with teaching on prayer
(14-17) and the sure knowledge found in the Son of God (18-21).
POINTS TO PONDER
* The importance of faith, love, and obedience
* The nature of eternal life as a present possession
* Sin which does not lead to death versus sin which does lead to
death
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- Faith, love and obedience as children of God - 1Jn 5:1-5
- The sureness of God’s testimony - 1Jn 5:6-13
- Confidence and compassion in prayer - 1Jn 5:14-17
- Concluding remarks - 1Jn 5:18-21
2) To be born of God, what is absolutely necessary? (1)
- Believing that Jesus is the Christ
3) How can be sure that they love the children of God? (2)
- When they love God and keep His commandments
4) How can one overcome the world? (4-5)
- Being born of God and believing that Jesus is the Son of God
5) What three things bore witness concerning Jesus Christ? (6-8)
- Water (Jesus’ baptism?), blood (Jesus’ death?), the Holy Spirit
6) What does one receive as they believe in the Son of God? (10)
- The witness in himself (cf. Jn 7:17)
7) What has God give us? Who has this? (11-12)
- Eternal life; he who has the Son
8) Why did John write these things in his epistle? (13)
- That we might know that we have eternal life, and continue to
believe
9) What confidence do we have in prayer? (14-15)
- That if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us
10) What is described as the true God and eternal life? (20)
- To know Him who is true, and that we are in Him who is true, in His
Son Jesus Christ