1 John 5
BBC1 John 5:1
B. Sound Doctrine (5:1a) John now concludes the tests of life. Here he resumes the test of doctrine, or we might also call it the test of faith. In the first three verses, we are given the results of faith. These are, first, the divine birth, then love for God, then love for one’s fellow believers, and finally obedience to God’s commandments. First of all, then, we have the divine birth: Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Belief here is not a mere intellectual assent to the fact, but rather a committal of one’s life to Jesus as the Christ. C. Love and the Obedience It Produces (5:1b-3) 5:1b If we have been truly born of God, then we will love Him. And not only so, we will love His children as well. It is good to notice here that we are to love all believers, and not just those of a certain earthly communion or fellowship. 5:2, 3 The fourth result of faith is obedience to God’s commandments. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. Those who are truly saved will be characterized by a desire to do the will of God. Our love for God is expressed in willing obedience to His commands. The Lord Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments.When John says that His commandments are not burdensome, he does not mean that they are not difficult, but rather that they are the very things which born again people love to do. When you tell a mother to take good care of her baby, you are only telling her what she loves to do. The commandments of the Lord are the things which are best for us, and the things in which our new nature takes a wholehearted delight.
1 John 5:4
D. Faith that Overcomes the World (5:4, 5) 5:4 Next we learn the secret of victory over the world. The world system is a monstrous scheme of temptation, always trying to drag us away from God and from what is eternal, and seeking to occupy us with what is temporary and sensual. People of the world are completely taken up with the things of time and sense. They have become the victims of passing things. Only the man who is born of God really overcomes the world, because by faith he is able to rise above the perishing things of this world and to see things in their true, eternal perspective. Thus the one who really overcomes the world is not the great scientist or philosopher or psychologist, but the simple believer who realizes that the things which are seen are temporary and that the things which are not seen are eternal. A sight of the glory of God in the face of Jesus dims the glory of this world. 5:5 As we have seen, the subject of this section is faith as a test of eternal life. John has just mentioned that he who overcomes is he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. He now goes on to expound the truth concerning the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:6
E. Sound Doctrine (5:6-12) 5:6 He says, This is He who came by water and blood. A great deal of discussion has arisen over the meaning of these words. Some feel that the water and blood refer to that which flowed from the Savior’s side (Joh_19:34). Others feel that the water refers to the Spirit of God and that the blood refers to the blood shed on Calvary. Still others believe it is a reference to natural birth, where water and blood are present. We would like to suggest a fourth interpretation that takes particular account of the Gnostic heresy which the apostle is seeking to combat in this Epistle. As mentioned earlier, the Gnostics believed that Christ came upon Jesus at His baptism and left Him before His passion, namely in the Garden of Gethsemane. In other words, they would say, The Christ did not die on the cross, but Jesus the man died. This, of course, robs His work of any atoning value for the sins of others. We suggest that John is using water as an emblem of Jesus’ baptism and blood as a symbol of His atoning death. These were the two terminals of His public ministry. John is saying that Jesus was just as much the Christ when He died on the cross as when He was baptized in the Jordan.
This is He who came by water and by bloodnot only by water (which the Gnostics would concede), but by water and by blood. It seems that the human heart is perpetually trying to rid itself of the doctrine of the atonement. Men would like to have the Lord Jesus as a perfect Man, the ideal Example, who has given us a marvelous code of morals. But John here insists that the Lord Jesus is not only Perfect Man, but Perfect God also, and that the same One who was baptized in the Jordan River gave His life as a sacrifice for sinners. Men say to Christ, Come down from the cross and we will believe on You. If they can just eliminate the cross from their thinking, they will be happy.
But John says, No. You cannot have the Lord Jesus Christ apart from His perfect redemptive work at Calvary.It is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. This means that the Holy Spirit of God always testifies to the truth concerning the Lord Jesus which John has been unfolding. He bears witness that Christ came not with water only, but with water and with blood, because this is the truth of God. 5:7, 8 It always disturbs some devout Christians to learn that parts of verses 7, 8, as found in the KJV and NKJV, are actually found in only a handful of Greek manuscripts of the NT. But this does not at all affect the truth of the inspiration of the Scriptures. Some people think it is important to retain the words because they mention the three Persons of the Trinity. However, the truth of the Trinity does not depend on this passage alone, but is found in many other portions of the Scriptures. Having stated in the previous verses the Person and work of Christ, John now goes on to state the trustworthiness of our belief in Him. He says that there are three that bear witness (the words in earth should not be included), the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. Although the word of God should be sufficient for us, as a basis of faith, He condescends to give us a threefold witness concerning the truth. First of all, the Spirit of God bears witness to the truth that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the only Savior of the world. The witness of the Spirit is found in the written word of God. Then there is the witness of the water. We believe that this refers to what happened at the baptism of the Lord Jesus. At that event, God opened the heavens and publicly proclaimed, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Thus God the Father added His own witness to God the Spirit concerning the Person of Christ. Finally, there is the witness of the blood. On the cross, the Lord Jesus bore witness concerning Himself that He was the Son of God. No one took His life from Him; He laid it down by Himself. If He were a mere man, He could not have done this. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ witnesses that the sin question has been settled once and for all to the satisfaction of God. All these three witnesses agree as one. That is, they are united in the testimony concerning the perfection of the Person and work of Christ. 5:9 Now John comes in with a telling argument: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. In everyday life, we constantly accept the word of our fellow men. If we did not, business would be at a standstill and social life would be impossible. We accept the testimony of men who may be mistaken and who may be deceivers. Now if we do this in everyday life, how much more should we trust the word of God, who cannot fail and cannot lie. It is most unreasonable not to believe God. His witness is absolutely credible. 5:10 When a man does accept His testimony concerning His Son, God seals the truth by giving the man the witness of the Spirit in himself. On the other hand, if a man disbelieves God, he makes Him a liar; because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. People think they can accept or reject God’s testimony concerning Christ, but John would have them know that to reject it is to accuse God of dishonesty. 5:11 John now summarizes the Christian message: This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. What tremendous truths these are, namely, that God has given eternal life to men, and that the source of this life is in His Son. 5:12 From this, the conclusion is inevitable. He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. The teaching is unmistakable. Eternal life is not found in education or philosophy or science or good works or religion or the church. To have life, one must have the Son of God. On the other hand, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life, that is, true life. Eternal life is inseparable from Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:13
F. Assurance Through the Word (5:13) We have now come to the concluding portion of the Epistle. First of all, John states in the clearest terms why he has written the preceding passages. The purpose is that those who believe in the name of the Son of God may know that they have eternal life. If you have the marks of those who are children of God, then you can know that you have been born into the family of God. This verse also teaches another precious truth, namely, that assurance of salvation comes through the word of God. John wrote these things so that people may know that they have eternal life.
In other words, the Scriptures were written that those who believe on the Lord Jesus may have assurance that they are saved. There is no need of hoping or guessing or feeling or groping in the dark. It is not presumption for one to say that he is saved. John states in the clearest possible manner that those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus may know that they have eternal life.
1 John 5:14
G. Confidence in Prayer (5:14-17) 5:14, 15 When we know that we have eternal life, needless to say, we can go before the Lord with confidence. John describes this confidence in verses 14, 15. We know that if we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears those prayers and will answer them. Indeed we should fear to pray for anything that is not in accordance with His will. Perhaps someone will say, But how can I know the will of God? In a general way, the answer is that God’s will is revealed to us in the Sacred Scriptures, and so we should study the word in order that we might know better what God’s will is and how we can pray more intelligently. 5:16 John gives an instance in which the believer can have confidence in prayer, but he also cites an example in which confidence is not possible. 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. This apparently is a case where a Christian sees a fellow believer engaging in some sinful activity. It is not a sin of a nature as to bring death on the person committing it. In such an instance, the believer can ask for the recovery of the erring person, and God will give the petitioner life for those who do not sin unto death. On the other hand, there is sin leading to death, and the apostle says, I do not say that he should pray about that.
EXCURSUS ON THE SIN LEADING TO DEATH It is impossible to say with finality just what sin leading to death is, and so perhaps the safest course to follow is to list various accepted interpretations and then tell which one we feel is most correct.
- Some feel that the sin leading to death refers to sin persisted in by a believer and unconfessed by him. In 1Co_11:30, we read that some had died because they partook of the Lord’s Supper without judging themselves.
- Others feel that the sin of murder is referred to. If a Christian should, in a moment of passion, murder another person, then we should not feel at liberty to pray for his release from the death penalty, because God has already stated that it is His will that whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed.3. Still others feel that the sin referred to here is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus said that those who attributed His miracles which were done in the power of the Holy Spirit to Beelzebub, the prince of demons, had committed the unpardonable sin, and that there was no forgiveness for this sin either in that age or in the age to come.
- Others believe that it is some special form of sin such as that committed by Moses or Aaron, Ananias and Sapphira, and which God visits with summary judgment.
- A final explanation is that the sin of apostasy is in view, and we believe that this is the explanation which fits in best with the context. An apostate is one who has heard the great truths of the Christian Faith, has become intellectually convinced that Jesus is the Christ, has even made a profession of Christianity, although he has never been truly saved. After having tasted the good things of Christianity, he completely renounces them and repudiates the Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 6 we learn that this is sin leading to death. Those committing this sin have no way of escape, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
In this entire Epistle, John has been speaking with the Gnostics in view. These false teachers had once been in the Christian fellowship. They had professed to be believers. They had known the facts of the faith, but then they had turned their backs on the Lord Jesus and accepted a teaching which completely denied His deity and the sufficiency of His atoning work. A Christian cannot have liberty in praying for the restoration of such because God has already indicated in His word that they have sinned unto death.
5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. There are distinct differences in the degrees of sin, and there are sins which are not of such a serious nature as to result in death.
1 John 5:18
H. Knowledge of Spiritual Realities (5:18-20) 5:18 Beginning with verse 18, John brings his Epistle to a majestic close by reiterating the great certainties of the Christian Faith. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin. Of this we can be sure, that one who has the divine nature does not go on practicing sin. The reason follows: He who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. As in 1Jo_3:9, this refers to the true believer who perseveres or keeps himself through his divine nature. It is only such a person who remains unscathed by the wicked one. 5:19 The Christian answer to those who profess to have superior knowledge is this: We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. With John, there is no mincing of words. He sees only two spheresin Him or under the sway of the wicked one. All people are either saved or lost, and their position depends on their relationship to Jesus Christ. Hear this, you Gnostics! 5:20 The third great truth is that of the Incarnation. We know that the Son of God has come. This is the theme with which John opened his Epistle and with which he is now about to close it. The coming of the Lord Jesus revealed to us Him who is true, that is, the true God. God the Father can only be known through the Lord Jesus Christ. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. Then John adds: and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. Again the emphasis is that it is only as we are in Jesus Christ that we can be in God. No one comes to the Father except through Me. This is the true God and eternal life. In other words, John is teaching what the Gnostics denied, namely, that Jesus Christ is God, and that eternal life is found only in Him.
1 John 5:21
IX. CLOSING APPEAL (5:21) Lastly, we have John’s final exhortation: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. The apostle is saying in effect, Beware of any teachings which are opposed to these realities. He wants believers to guard themselves from any ideas concerning God, other than those which have been handed down to us by the apostles. Jesus Christ is God. Any other thought is idolatry. Here John is not speaking primarily of idols carved out of wood. An idol is a substitute or false god taking the place of the true. Here an idol is not so much a material thing as a false teaching. Archbishop Alexander spoke of this appeal as an eloquent shudder. We can think of no language that could improve on such a description, and so we close this commentary with John’s eloquent shudder: Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.