1st John 5 is a powerful chapter in the New Testament that delves into the core tenets of Christian faith, particularly focusing on the relationship between belief in Jesus Christ, love for God and fellow believers, and the assurance of eternal life. This passage offers profound insights into what it means to be born of God and how faith overcomes the world.
The Foundation of Faith: Jesus is the Christ
The chapter opens with a clear declaration: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1). This verse establishes belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, as the foundational element of being born of God, or becoming a child of God. This belief is not merely intellectual assent, but a deep, transformative faith that changes one’s very nature and relationship with God. To believe that Jesus is the Christ is to acknowledge His divine identity and His role as the promised savior.
Furthermore, the verse connects love for God with love for His children: “…and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.” This highlights the interconnectedness of faith and love within the Christian community. Love for God naturally extends to love for those who are also children of God, demonstrating a tangible expression of faith in action.
Love, Obedience, and Overcoming the World
1st John 5 continues by defining how we can recognize genuine love for God’s children: “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands” (1 John 5:2). Love is not just a feeling, but it is demonstrated through obedience to God’s commandments. This obedience is not presented as a burden, but as a natural outflow of love for God.
Verse 3 clarifies, “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” This emphasizes that true love for God is expressed through obedience, and that God’s commands are not meant to be oppressive, but rather liberating and life-giving. They guide believers into a life that is pleasing to God and beneficial for themselves and others.
The passage then introduces the concept of overcoming the world: “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Being “born of God” empowers believers to overcome the challenges and temptations of the world. This victory is not achieved through worldly means, but through faith – faith in Jesus Christ and the power of God. It’s a spiritual victory that transcends earthly circumstances.
Verse 5 further clarifies who achieves this victory: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This reinforces that belief in Jesus as the Son of God is the key to overcoming the world. This belief provides the strength, perspective, and spiritual resources needed to navigate life’s difficulties and remain steadfast in faith.
The Testimony of God: Water, Blood, and Spirit
1st John 5 then shifts to the testimony of Jesus Christ: “This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood” (1 John 5:6). The “water and blood” are often interpreted as referring to Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion, signifying the beginning and end of His earthly ministry, and highlighting both His humanity and His sacrificial death. It emphasizes the completeness of His mission and the reality of His incarnation.
The role of the Holy Spirit is also highlighted: “And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6). The Holy Spirit serves as a witness to the truth of Jesus Christ. This divine testimony is crucial for believers, providing assurance and guidance.
Verses 7 and 8 further elaborate on this testimony: “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” These three witnesses – the Spirit, the water, and the blood – all point to the same truth: Jesus is the Son of God, and salvation is found in Him. Their unified testimony provides a strong foundation for faith.
The passage contrasts human and divine testimony: “We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son” (1 John 5:9). While human testimony is valuable, God’s testimony is infinitely more significant and reliable. It is upon this divine testimony that believers place their trust.
Verse 10 explains the believer’s response to God’s testimony: “Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.” Belief in Jesus is accepting God’s own witness about His Son. Rejecting this testimony is, in essence, rejecting God Himself and His truth.
Eternal Life Assured in the Son
1st John 5 culminates in the assurance of eternal life: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11). Eternal life is not merely living forever, but it is a quality of life – life in union with God, made possible through Jesus Christ. This eternal life is a present possession for believers, beginning now and continuing into eternity.
Verse 12 powerfully summarizes this truth: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Having the Son, meaning having a relationship with Jesus Christ through faith, is synonymous with having life – eternal life. This verse underscores the centrality of Jesus in God’s plan of salvation and the exclusive nature of salvation through Him.
Knowing Eternal Life and Confidence in Prayer
The concluding affirmations of 1st John 5 bring further encouragement and assurance to believers. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). John explicitly states his purpose in writing: to provide believers with the certainty of their eternal life. This knowledge is not based on feelings or works, but on faith in the name of the Son of God.
Verses 14 and 15 discuss the confidence believers have in prayer: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” Believers can approach God with confidence in prayer, knowing that He hears them. Prayers offered according to God’s will are assured of being answered. This confidence stems from their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The chapter then addresses the topic of sin within the Christian community, differentiating between sins that lead to death and those that do not (1 John 5:16-17). It encourages prayer for believers who commit sins that do not lead to death, while acknowledging the existence of sin that has more severe consequences. This section highlights the importance of intercessory prayer and the reality of sin even within the community of faith.
The chapter reaffirms the security of those born of God: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them” (1 John 5:18). While believers may still sin, they do not continue in sin as a lifestyle. God protects those who are His from the ultimate harm of the evil one.
1st John 5 concludes with powerful affirmations of identity and truth: “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also 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 by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20). This passage contrasts the believers’ identity as children of God with the world’s condition under the evil one. It emphasizes that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come to bring understanding of the true God, and that believers are united with the true God through Him. The chapter culminates in the powerful declaration that Jesus Christ “is the true God and eternal life.”
The final verse serves as a warning: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). This concluding exhortation calls believers to remain focused on the true God and to guard themselves against idolatry in all its forms. It is a fitting end to a chapter that so powerfully affirms the truth of Jesus Christ as the source of eternal life and the foundation of true faith.
In summary, 1st John 5 provides a rich tapestry of Christian truth, emphasizing the importance of belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the outworking of faith in love and obedience, the victory over the world through faith, the assurance of eternal life, and the confidence believers have in their relationship with God. It is a chapter that strengthens faith and encourages believers to live in the fullness of their identity as children of God.
