1 John 5
October Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)
1 John 5
Chapter 5 opens with a statement stating “everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” To believe means more than head knowledge or mental assent about Jesus. Believe means placing my trust in the truth that Jesus was God’s son and was the Christ who takes away the penalty of my sin. A simple illustration of trust is that it's like sitting down in a chair. I commit to sit down without understanding every detail of the chair, but I trust and believe it will hold my weight based on what I know about a chair. However, if I can’t commit to sit in the chair, I don’t really believe it will hold me, no matter how much I might say that it makes sense that it would. Likewise, when I believe in Jesus, it’s more than head knowledge. It is committing my life and eternity to him by placing my faith in Him that He can hold me. This is how I am born of God.
In verses 2-3 in 1 John, John emphasizes that a key mark of a true believer is love. Both love of God and love of other believers. Throughout John’s letters, he emphasizes that loving God means obedience to His commands, and obedience to His commands requires loving others. Loving God and loving people are inseparable – they go together.
In verses 4-12 John shares that if we are believers, that we overcome the world. The Greek word for “overcomes” means “to conquer”, “to win victory over” (νικάω, pronounced nik-ah'-o). God gives us the power to hold fast to our faith, and to overcome the pitfalls, temptations, and deceptions of the world. He also gives us His testimony that if we know Jesus, we have eternal life -- that is good news!
”11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
In verses 13-21, John says he writes “these things” so “that you may know that you have eternal life”. What things let us know we have eternal life? The things John has written in this letter:
*Believers walk in the light of God’s truth, in fellowship with other believers (1 Jn 1:5-10)
*Believers keep Jesus commands (1 Jn: 2-6; 3:1-10; 5:1-5)
*Believers live out love for other believers (1 Jn 2:7-14, 3:11-24; 4:7-21)
*Believers do not love the things of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17)
*Believers are not deceived by those who deny Christ (1 Jn 2:18-27, 4:1-6)
*Believers live as children of God whom He loves (1 Jn 2:28-3:10)
*Believers know the Son (1 Jn 5:6-12)
When we trust Jesus, He changes us, and we can know we have eternal life when we see that change. This is the feedback loop that brings assurance we are part of God’s kingdom. Here’s the walk away question: “Do these characteristics describe me?” If not, what needs to change?
By: Mike Wilson
1 John 5
Chapter 5 opens with a statement stating “everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” To believe means more than head knowledge or mental assent about Jesus. Believe means placing my trust in the truth that Jesus was God’s son and was the Christ who takes away the penalty of my sin. A simple illustration of trust is that it's like sitting down in a chair. I commit to sit down without understanding every detail of the chair, but I trust and believe it will hold my weight based on what I know about a chair. However, if I can’t commit to sit in the chair, I don’t really believe it will hold me, no matter how much I might say that it makes sense that it would. Likewise, when I believe in Jesus, it’s more than head knowledge. It is committing my life and eternity to him by placing my faith in Him that He can hold me. This is how I am born of God.
In verses 2-3 in 1 John, John emphasizes that a key mark of a true believer is love. Both love of God and love of other believers. Throughout John’s letters, he emphasizes that loving God means obedience to His commands, and obedience to His commands requires loving others. Loving God and loving people are inseparable – they go together.
In verses 4-12 John shares that if we are believers, that we overcome the world. The Greek word for “overcomes” means “to conquer”, “to win victory over” (νικάω, pronounced nik-ah'-o). God gives us the power to hold fast to our faith, and to overcome the pitfalls, temptations, and deceptions of the world. He also gives us His testimony that if we know Jesus, we have eternal life -- that is good news!
”11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
In verses 13-21, John says he writes “these things” so “that you may know that you have eternal life”. What things let us know we have eternal life? The things John has written in this letter:
*Believers walk in the light of God’s truth, in fellowship with other believers (1 Jn 1:5-10)
*Believers keep Jesus commands (1 Jn: 2-6; 3:1-10; 5:1-5)
*Believers live out love for other believers (1 Jn 2:7-14, 3:11-24; 4:7-21)
*Believers do not love the things of the world (1 Jn 2:15-17)
*Believers are not deceived by those who deny Christ (1 Jn 2:18-27, 4:1-6)
*Believers live as children of God whom He loves (1 Jn 2:28-3:10)
*Believers know the Son (1 Jn 5:6-12)
When we trust Jesus, He changes us, and we can know we have eternal life when we see that change. This is the feedback loop that brings assurance we are part of God’s kingdom. Here’s the walk away question: “Do these characteristics describe me?” If not, what needs to change?
By: Mike Wilson
4 Comments
Well said Mike! As we teach and as we are taught the A B C's of true salvation and accept them in Christ Jesus, God's promised Spirit enters in. When they Holy Spirit lives inside us, as we "truly" confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, according to verse 18, we sin no more. How can that be since we know that we still sin? Verse 18 as well as 1John 3:9 shows us that God's Spirit is in us and the Spirit cannot sin. Jesus's death and shaedding of blood covers Allison when we accept Him a our Savior. Yes, our flesh may fail but God sees the Sacrifice of His Son, the Covering that seals the deal because This seed will always abide in the true believers. The charge forward, as the Apostle said, is to crucify our flesh through obedience. Two of my favorite verses are Romans 12:1-2; we are too become "living" sacrifices and let them Spirit lead.
Good word Ron! I am glad when God looks at me, he sees Jesus' sacrifice. I'm also glad he changes and improves us through obedience.
Good stuff Mike!! Very well said.
Thanks brother. I hope you all and the new baby Steelman are doing well!