1 John 5

1 John 5

Verse by Verse Study

1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ [atoning sacrifice for our sins 2:2] is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His child [He has fathered] as well NIV

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. NKJV

5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by him. NET Bible

The Text

The NKJV is very challenging to understand and even the NIV needs some clarification. The NET Bible is very clear and accurate to the text. It simply means that if one has been born of God, they will love others who also are  born of God. They will love those who believe in Jesus the Christ. This text says more than John has previously written.

Solemnly, see for yourselves that God has fathered you. He has placed Himself inside you (1 John 3:24), by His Spirit. He has given to you love from Himself into your heart. When we meet another with the same “undying love” (Eph 6:24) for the Father as we have, we see that the love of God is in them also. They simultaneously see that we love their Father as they do. We see a family resemblance. We automatically trust and love that person, with a love they have learned from God. This kind of “Love does no harm to a neighbor” (Rom 13:10).

Since God’s love and God’s presence are abiding in us, we will have faith in His Son.  We can’t change this. Often without even saying a word to each other, we can feel it, see it and know it for what it is. God is their father just as much as He is our Father.

To Be Fathered by God, is to be Born of God

What an inestimable privilege to have God as “Our Father” (Matt 6:9). God is not our Father by DNA or through our mothers. Those who love God and others show the sure sign that God has adopted us. More than that. God has sent a part of His being, of His existence, of His nature into our hearts, changing our attitudes toward everything.

So that by God’s “great and precious promises… you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Pet 1:4). This is Peter’s description of being born of God, through belief in God’s word, His promises, new power, a divine power, changes us from the inside. Our evil desires give way to desiring to do the will of God, not the will of our natural fallen desires.

God fathered us by his love, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8,10). It is proactive in our lives reproducing in us a similarity to God Himself. Not in power. Not in perfect righteous behavior. Not in our outward looks. Not in our faces and bodies. Not in the power of our words to create something out of nothing. Not in our robust health that we become ageless as God is. Not in knowledge as He knows all things.

But in one thing. The one thing that moves into our lives, which permeates through everything about us—a budding, flowing love. A flowing love, being in our feet, in our eyes, our hands, our mouths and our words—something that belongs to God, a love that is inbred into our conscious souls. Even though we know that love is there, we also know it is not natural to us. It is the presence of God.

When God meets us, with His power to impart to us something of Himself. It is seen in us,

with respectfulness, kindness, toleration, and helpfulness in the spirit of love to others. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Tim 1:7).

Automatically We Love, Feel a Kinship, for God’s Children

This is an important sign that we are fathered by God. We love others who have God’s love in them, with a special love that is different from the general love we have for all.

This is How the Father’s Love Behaves

• Paul attested to the influence of God’s love saying: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love” (Eph 4:2).

• Peter knows what love does to a person: “be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble” (1 Pet 3:8). They “have sincere love for each other,” and they “love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Pet 1:22).

• Jude, the brother of James and Jesus says, “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life” (Jude 1:20,21).

In other words, if you sense that hard feelings have arisen inside your heart over some issue. Stop and take time to ask God to remove the tangled web of bitterness because you are helpless to stop its advance in your heart. Although hard feelings of bitterness are natural to the unregenerated heart, however they are not allowed any time to grow in the heart where God has fathered His own love.

We know of a small church congregation that every week repeats Paul’s instructions, which are like ten commandments. They choose to meet nearly the whole day, in fellowship. They ask every member to learn this by heart.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with:

1. Compassion,

2. Kindness

3. Humility

4. Gentleness

5. Patience

6. Bear with each other

7. Forgive one another if any of you have a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues

8. Put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

9. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. 

10. Be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15)

Born of God

To be born of God is a figurative expression, which John uses nine times (2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1,4,18), meaning to be regenerated. It is in the passive voice, meaning that God has acted upon us, by his own action. God is ahead of the believer and grants to us “love that comes from God” (1 John 4:7). We can love God only because God “first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

God shares His life with us, He gives to us a part of His life, His love, which comes into the soul. We did not deserve it. We did not love enough to earn it. We have not obeyed the law or commandments to such an extent that God would be obligated to share His life with us. Instead, God obligates Himself to us, not due to our good behavior, but due to His lovingkindness, as David prayed:

• “O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, for they are from of old” (Ps 25:6 NKJV) God’s love is said to be from old…from time immortal. God has always been this way.

• Listen to David again: “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings” (Ps 36:7 NKJV).

• Listen to David again: “Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me” (Ps 40:11 NKJV).

• Listen to David again: “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions” (Ps 51:1 NKJV).

• Listen to David again: “Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Ps 63:3 NKJV)

• Listen to David again:  “Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Ps 103:3-5 NKJV)

Those who are born of God, know all about the love of God, because they “know God.” They are able to love like God loves, not in the universal degree of God’s love, but in our blended human and God-given love. Thus, we also come to love all the “children of God” (1 John 3:2,10; 5:2,19). “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

To be Born of God Means:

Is to be altered differently, day by day

• To be born again by the water and the Spirit (John 3)

• To be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Mk 1:8)

• To be washed, renewed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)

• To be renewed day by day (2 Cor 4:16)

• To be renewed into God image (Col 3:5-10)

• To be renewed in the spirit of your mind (Eph 4:23)

• To be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2)

• To be made alive in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 15:22; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; 1 Pet 3:18)

• “We faint not; but though our outward man perishes [dies],  the inward man is renewed day by day.” 2 Cor 4:16

• “Since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him.” Col 3:9-10

• And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove [know] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom 12:2

Lily of the Valley, Jason Crabb
Let Your sweet aroma fill my life --  Rose of Sharon show me
How to grow in beauty in God's sight -- Fairest of Ten Thousand
Make me a reflection of Your light -- Daystar shine down on me
Let Your love shine through me in the night

Being Disrespectful to God Our Father

Believers who are born of God will not mistreat another person whom God has fathered. Because this is a great offense to God. To not love another fathered by God is like hating your brother or sister. It is a potent spirit killer inside us and among a group of worshipers. 

Those Born of God Will Not:

1.     Exploit a child born of God for financial gain because they are a position to do so.

2.     Take advantage of a child born of God, whenever they can.

3.     Sexually, verbally, physically or emotionally hurt a child born of God.

4.     Make a child born of God, feel inferior.

5.     Manage or control a child born of God, to make them do as they wish.

6.     Make themselves the center of authority, excluding the opinion of others.

God is very serious with those that harm one of His children whom He has fathered. Paul says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple” (1 Cor 3:16,17). The Greek word “destroy” is phtheiró: To destroy, to corrupt, to spoil, lead astray and ruin.”

Think of that! For instance, if someone should molest a young woman whom God has father and put His love into, causing her to go astray—to say the least, this makes God very upset, for she is His child. For “it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).   

5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God [born of God], and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by Him. NET Bible

1 John 5:2 This is how we know that we love the children of God [fathered by God]: by loving God and carrying out His commands. NIV

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. NKJV

This is How

Because we “believe that Jesus is the Christ” we have been “born of God.” Now we begin to love others whom God has also fathered (5:1).

We Know

 This expression is a common one for John; he uses it 17 times in this letter. Jesus used a similar expression when referring to the Spirit as our Advocate. He said, “But you know him, for he lives [abides, dwells] with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). We know that the Spirit is living in us, not as guess work, not even as a “maybe.” Yes, we know the Spirit is abiding in us and nothing and nobody could tell us otherwise.

To Reword John 5:2: We know for sure that we love the children whom God has fathered, the children of God.  

First, because we love God.

Second, we want to carry out His commands, as found in the life and teachings of His Son (1 John 3:23).

What John is saying is that the evidence that we love God and keep His commands He has given to us, is seen in our love for the children whom God has fathered—the children of God.

Let’s Make it Plain!

Let’s realize that any behavior that does not express pure love, is not from God. Any action we may do that is not of love does not carry out His commands. “I am writing to you a new command…anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light” (1 John 2:7-10). This is because “Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14). They are dead even while they live, they are the walking dead.

We know that it is against God’s Golden Rule to rob, steal, murder, rape, lie to one another and practice general “lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). These are actions that prove they do not know God at all, since they are completely contrary to love.

The Point John is Making

The commands(ments) of God can only be carried out while loving God. They cannot be separated.

Loving the children of God, loving God and keeping his commands are all the same. They cannot be broken into their separate parts. There is no difference between obeying the commandments of God and loving God. “If anyone obeys his word [Christ], love for God is truly made complete in them” (1 John 2:5).

Jesus made the same point when He said: “If you love me, keep my commands(ments)” (John 14:15). Keeping Jesus’ commands and loving His children are bonded together and are inseparable.

Later Jesus repeated this same concept, so we cannot  misunderstand: “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them” (John 14:21).

God’s Two Commandments

• God’s First Commandment: “And this is His command: to believe [have faith] in the name of His [God’s] Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 3:23). This is repeated on 1 John 2:23-24; 4:14-15; 3:23; 5:1,5,10,11,13, 20.

• God’s Second Commandment: “And to love one another as He commanded us [He gave this commandment to us].” (1 John 3:23). The need to love others was from the heart of God. For love comes straight from the heart of God. “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7). An unloving Christian misrepresents the heart of God and saddest of all, they have not been born of God. “Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

People That Satan is at War With

John in his book of Revelation says, “the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (Rev 12:17). The testimony about Jesus is His teaching during His life and ministry. This is the command of God who said, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him” (Lk 9:35). It is those fathered by God and born of God whom Satan is at war with.

Thankfully, “the one fathered by God, He protects him, and the evil one does not touch him” (1 John 5:18 Lexham English Bible 2010). That is the devil can not get his hands on us, when we are protected by God who has fathered us into love and commitment to Jesus His Son.

1 John 5:3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands [love His commands]. And his commands are not burdensome,

5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. NKJV

5:3 For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down. NET

5:3 This is the love of God: we keep God’s commandments. God’s commandments are not difficult. Common English Bible

5:3 We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow. Contemporary English Version

In Fact

 John is drawing a conclusion from what he has just taught. He wants to emphasize this central truth so as to keep it primary.  

Keep in Mind the Larger Picture

John is starting to end his letter. Although John did not divide his letter into chapters, which was done about a century later, the division does fit the letter. John wishes us to pay very close attention to the commands of God our Father, not from the Old Testament, but arising from the life of Jesus. God speaks to us in connection to the mission: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim 1:15). For God Himself, “predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will” (Eph 1:5).

God sent his Son to save and redeem sinners, not by just by a judicial decreed of forgiveness, but so that we can be “born of God”—born into love, “born again”—influencing our lives in profound ways. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). God sent He Son to be the “Savior of the world” (1 John 4:42).

The Commandments of God

 Any command from God, given in love, based on love and expressed by love cannot be burdensome, but delightful as love is the best part of life. Why? Because ‘the one who keeps God’s commands “lives in him, and he in them” (1 John 3:24). Since a God of love, who is love, and who gives us love, lives in us—obeying God’s instructions for our lives is a pleasure.

Keeping the commands of God, is not just following the teachings of His Son, or the Ten Commandments. They include the daily instructions that God gives to us—the things God directs us to do, to say, to teach, to repeat to others or to go on a mission, near or far.

God gives Instructions for mothers who have the care of her children on her mind and praying to God for guidance, to teach her to be a wiser mother.

God gives instructions to fathers for wisdom and strength to carry out the tasks required to support his wife and children.

None of the personal directions of God in answer to our prayers are in the slightest way impossible or doomed to failure. When God gives us commands, he prepares the way for us to do them and directs the outcomes.  

         “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him [Loves Him]” (Ps 37:23).

• 1st Command: God is speaking out loud: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matt 17:5).

• 2nd Command: God wants us to love others: “Let us love one another, for love comes from God” (1 John 4:7). The expression “let us” is a command John is telling us comes from God.

• 3rd Command: “God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). We live in the true light when we love our brothers and sisters. We are in darkness when we hate a brother or sister (1 John 2:7-11).

• 4th Command: “Whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17). What is the will of God? It is to know that “everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, comes not from the Father…If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in them” (1 John 2:15-17).

Whatever is not the way of love, is not commanded by God. God never would give permission for a spouse to leave their spouse for greener pastures. God is not directing anyone to have bitter feelings toward another friend at church. Even if we may feel justified. This is not love, it is a failure of love.

God’s Commands are Not Burdensome

 God never commands us to physically deny ourselves of food, sleep or exercise, claiming such is God’s will. For example, in the fifth century, an ascetic Christian monk called Simeon Stylites, gained fame for living on top of a tall pillar for nearly 40 years. This is burdensome and unhealthy, to say the least.

No Burdensome Commands

God never asks us to dress in odd ways, or to deny electricity, cell phones or internet as the will of God for all His followers. There is no pattern for clothing that all are to wear, except modesty and propriety.

God never asks us not to marry or have no children. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons Such teachings come through hypocritical liars… They forbid people to marry… (1 Tim 4:1-3).

God never directs us to become vegetarians or vegans. We may choose to do this ourselves, even after prayerful thought. However, no one has the authority to declare it is the will of God for all. God has not laid out a specific diet for all to follow to please Him. For “food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Cor 8:8). The food we eat does not make us holy, loving or give us God’s Spirit.  

God never asks us to separate ourselves from the world and live in communes or in small groups isolated from others. Instead, God wants to share the message of love within the larger communities we live in. Jesus taught us in the Sermon of the Mount: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16).

1 John 5:4 For everyone born of God overcomes the world [its temptations]. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes [has faith] that Jesus is the Son of God. NIV

5:4 For whatever [all, entire] is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NKJV

Victory & Overcoming

The Greek word for victory is niké a Feminine Noun: Meaning victory and the experience of successful endeavor against a foe. Those who are born again and have faith in Jesus the Son of God, will overcome temptations. They will lose the desire to answer the call to do wrong to others or to do evil by their words or actions.

The Greek word for overcoming is nikaó: Meaning to conquer, or to prevail, to gain victory in a battle. John praised the young men of his fellowship, “because you are strong and the word of God lives [abides] in you and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:14). These young men were strong to resist the Devil’s temptations because they were strong in the Scriptures.

Born of God a Path of Victory—For Everyone

 The first path is our need to be born of God: This is an expression that John uses seven times and once as “born of Him. “You know that everyone who does what is right has been born of Him” (1 John 2:29). There is a change in the behavior of the one born of God. They become very sensitive to any injustice and any failure to love and honor God. They easily grieve when they make mistakes, when their conscience tells them they are guilty in their words or misdeeds. They immediately confess and seek forgiveness, knowing that they have been forgiven and loved by God.

Jesus in the midst of His long discussion about the ministry of the Spirit, He said, “he [the advocate] lives [abides] with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). When our attention is directed to loving and keeping the teachings of Jesus. He said, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). This is only made possible by the ministry of God’s Spirit, that lives in us.

When God makes His home in us living with us, we are born of God. Everything changes inside our hearts. As John said, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin…” (1 John 3:9). That is to carry on a sinful practice being indifferent to God’s call to repent. This is impossible for one born of God. Not that they do sin, yes, they do make mistakes, often and frequently again. However, they pray in confession of their sins often with deep regret and tears. They know their weaknesses, their failures, their misjudgments in doing the right thing. Yet, they are led by the Spirit to change their words, attitudes, and habits that they know are not spoken or done from love.

Faith in Jesus as God’s Son Brings Victory—For Everyone

The second path of victory is faith in Jesus as the Son of God. We must never underestimate the power of simple faith in Christ. Overcoming is not by strong self-will.

• Not by self-denial.

• Not by doing good works.

• Not by loving our neighbor.

• Not by keeping the Ten Commandments.

Instead, victory is due solely to our faith alone, in the message of the gospel. As Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” (John 6:29). As we believe in Jesus, God’s hands begin a work in us. We “are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus [by faith] to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). Through faith in Christ, God’s Son, God places His hands on us, to create His own handiwork—His creation and masterpiece. This transformation by the hands of God, is the reason why evil cannot rule over us and is defeated in our lives.

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We receive this precious peace that invades our souls. Thus, “we set our hearts at rest” feeling at ease and quiet “in His presence” (1 John 3:19). We know from inside us the peace of God.

This is the path of the overcomer. God does a work inside us, on the basis of our faith in Him. Faith that we have all received.

 “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given” (John 1:16). God starts with grace, then gives us more grace, heaping up powerful currents that counter and defeat the strongest influences and bents to do evil—to love evil and promote it as a pleasure in our lives.

Imagine All This is Given to the Victorious

We can never ever see the entire results on our lives when we place our faith in Jesus the Son of God. John writes, “the one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white.  I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels” (Rev 3:5). Imagine this: angels know all about your faith that has given you victories over everything that our sinful nature or the Devil can bring against us. They share it with others. It is posted in the very presence of God and all the other heavenly “watchers” (Dan 4:17). The people who have met temptation by faith in the power of God and His Son—and have not yielded—are celebrated in heaven.

Our victory over the world and its temptations, gives us privileges that do not end. Listen to this promise: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Rev 2:7). Imagine this privilege of eating from the Edenic Tree of Life! Just because of our faith, which brings power and recreation from God, we have experienced victory over temptations.

Victory Over the World—Gives Endless Privileges

Our victory over the world and its temptations, gives us privileges that do not end. Listen to this promise: “To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Rev 3:21). What does it mean to have a seat on the throne next to Christ, just because our faith in Christ has given us some victories? We will have to wait to see what it means not be a guest, but to have a right to be there. Like a Supreme Court judge has a right to take his or her seat. No questions asked.

Our victory over the world and its temptations, gives us privileges that do not end. Listen to this promise: “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God, and they will be my children” (Rev 21:7). Imagine, God as your real Father, because here on earth you have been “born of Him” Thus, all the cosmos of limitless space—that God has created, you can share in as His sons and daughters?

Our victory over the world and its temptations, gives us privileges that do not end. Listen to this promise: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin” one at a time “the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them” (1 John 5:18). What a promise that God has given to us! Satan cannot harm us! There is no controversy between Christ and Satan because Satan is defeated—has been defeated, and will be defeated—again and again. Satan may be strong, but in the presence of those born of God, Satan is weakened and put on the run.

Everyone, That Includes You

Everyone, every single one. None excluded. Every person that God has Fathered, who has become “His child” (1 John 5:1) is not left to be defeated by the “evil one” in this world.  They are overcomers. They are victorious over “the beast and its image” (Rev 14:9). Why?

  Because they have the “Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev 14:1), meaning that God claims them as belonging to Him.

         Because they are born of God, given “His Spirit” (1 John 4:13) as evidence in their birth. They are born to love God and others (1 John 4:7,12).

         Because they have faith in God and His Son: absolute faith, unwavering faith, determined faith, unswerving faith, God-given faith, growing faith, upright faith, trusting faith and “patient endurance” with “faithfulness” (Rev 13:10). Will God desert His child that He has fathered, whom He has as begotten? Never ever, forever, not ever. In your lifetime, in this world and in the world to come. “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Heb 13:5). “For the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deut 31:6).

         Because God has promised to “keep them safe and the evil one cannot harm them” (1 John 5:18).

         Because “God has given” as He has promised “eternal life and this life is in the Son” of God (1 John 5:11). God does not give and then take away.

How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?

 Heb 2:3

Those Born of God

We are born to love because we are fathered by God (1 John 5:1). To love God first and foremost and then love one another (1 John 3:11,23; 4:7,11,12). With these tools, the tools of love, they will overcome the world. They will not fall to “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Believers will have power arise from within themselves, by means of God’s Spirit bringing His presence—the presence of love inside us.

In the seventeenth-century Christian allegory called, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, there is account of when Christian and his companion Faithful are in the marketplace called Vanity Fair. The merchants were selling all kinds of worldly goods. When they were asked what they wanted to buy, they responded, “We buy truth.” They did not have to think about their response. They did not have consider for a while, they knew right from wrong. Thus, they were able to overcome the temptations of the world.

Those fathered by God, are not taken in by the world of politics, music, sports or entertainment, or the call to accumulate wealth and more and more real estate.

Overcomes the World

To overcome is to gain victory over the temptations and allurements that lead to sin and to the denial of your faith in daily practice. From adopting the world’s values that dominate on social media. 

John is repeating for emphasis when he said earlier that a person who “does what is right is righteous as He is” (1 John 3:7). Doing the right thing, when it cuts across the path of the world’s values, is overcoming the world. For instance, the world values the accumulation of material things, while believers place value on all things that love would do to others; if they could do it, they would do it, without question.

They don’t look upon material things as the most important. They are more than satisfied with simple accommodations with fewer possessions. This is the exact opposite of what the world values. When Jesus, after a night of prayer, chose not merely disciples, for He had many, but His apostles.  To His apostles, Jesus gave them special instruction, commanding them not to accumulate material things, but to value simple living without expensive homes and travel accommodations. “Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’ (Mark 10:32).

Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort.

Luke 6:20,24

What Are We to Overcome—The World

John wrote to young men of the church fellowship that since God and His Son from the beginning of the Gospel story “have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:13). Again, to the young men John said, they were “strong” in the “word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (1 John 2:14). Notice that overcoming is directly related to our dependence on the Scriptures.

Second, they have defeated the “evil one,” on account of their faith.

Another reason why we overcome the world is that we are God’s children and “because the one who is in you is greater than the one [the evil one] who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Never let us underestimate the extreme importance of being fathered by God, which is being born of God (1 John 5:1). The world loses its attractions that demand our hearts, our minds and our energies. We work and live in the world, while still serving God in our hearts. The world and all its glamor are seen as having no comparison to the wonderful presence of God’s Spirit that lives in us while we are grounded in Scriptures and “rooted and established in love” (Eph 3:17)  

(Repeat) 1 John 5:5 Who is it [who are they] that overcomes the world [its temptations]? Only the one who believes [faith] that Jesus is the Son of God [only way to God]. NIV

5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but [only] he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NKJV

5:5 No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Contemporary English Version

Who are they?

In the book of Revelation, do we hear the same question? “Who are they”?

• “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands…Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb [victory with faith]” (Rev 7:9, 13-14).

Who are those who stand “before the throne” of God and “before the Lamb,” and have “come out of the great tribulation?” The word for tribulation in Greek is thlipsis: Which means affliction, distress, persecution, trouble and hardship. John called it “the great tribulation” that is altogether, the redeemed have come from a troubled life on earth. Earth itself is the “great tribulation,” where they once “followed the ways of this world and the ruler [prince] of the kingdom of the air” (Eph 2:2).

They have overcome the world, because of their faith in the Son of God, and the cleansing and renewing “blood of the Lamb”. Because “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 4:7) enabling us, by His grace and His Spirit, to overcome temptations to yield to do evil.

The World’s Temptations

The world’s temptations come to us because we live in this world that is controlled by the evil one. For “the whole world is under the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Although good is found in abundance in our world, in the beauty of nature, the love of spouse and family. In craftsmanship and creation from the work of hands and minds.

Yet, only from this world does evil arise from our fallen condition which dominates in society, around the world. We see this in hatred of peoples against others of different tribes, religion or race. We see the poverty of nations where the leadership becomes wealthy through corruption and cares little for improvement of their nation. This evil is a dominant force everywhere, in education, science, in religion and business.

Thankfully, evil is not dominate in those who believe in Jesus and are “led by the Spirit” (Rom 8:14). They live in the world; they are part of business and the culture of the world. Yet their hearts are pure, as Paul describes them: “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:11).

The Lord’s Prayer: Save us from the Evil One

Jesus has taught us to pray that God will “deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13). Paul called the evil one, the “ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Eph 2:2). Scriptures also call this the “present evil age” (Gal 1:4), made up of lustful passions, that we live in, a “land full of adulterers” (Jer 23:10). It is word that sponsors and broadcasts lustful appealing images to our inherited fallen nature. It encourages the “pride of life” (1 John 2:16), which is self-centered, self-focused, often at the disadvantage of others.

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). It’s desire to control others, to be in control and to be the center of attention. To be judgmental on others, often from a position of authority. To control the outcome of events through the rules they impose on others.

Romans and Galatians and the Evil One

• The word “devil” is not mentioned in either Romans or Galatians.

• The word “Satan” is only used once in Romans and not at all in Galatians (Rom 16:20).

• The word “evil one” is not mentioned in either Romans or Galatians.

Who is our enemy in Romans and Galatians: it is in our fallen nature, called the flesh, since all are born with a body. Nearly all of Romans 8 describes the conflict with our fallen flesh natures and the Spirit. In Galatians 5 we read:

• “So I say, walk by [with] the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh [yield to temptation]. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want [what the flesh wants]. But if you are led by the Spirit [into victory], you are not under the law [bringing condemnation]” (Gal 5:16-18).

When we believe and have faith in Jesus as God’s Son, the promise of the Spirit is given to us to fight our flesh: temptations that appeal to our fallen nature. It is our advice that all who wish to overcome the worlds temptations, that appeal to our fallen desires, to study the ministry of the Spirit as Jesus taught in the Gospels. John in his letters has many times referred to the ministry of the Spirit. As you understand what Jesus teaches about the Spirit in John 14-16, you will find many subtle references to the Spirit in this letter.

Overcoming the World’s Temptations—by Simple Faith

First and foremost: we overcome by faith in God’s Son. This is simple, so easy, that we often lose sight of it while we look for something to do. No, nothing at all, should be placed first. Except to say, “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24). There will be no judgment day because we have already been declared children of God. “This is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (John 6:39).

Don’t recount the Sabbaths or Sundays kept, the amount of tithe paid, the church position held. Don’t believe that a specific doctrine which the church teaches is of first importance.

One Thing Needful

Now, right now. In your prayers for help, for guidance and knowledge to know the will of God. Just remain centered on one thing: Faith in the name of Jesus, “the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16). Peter speaking for the disciples declared, “We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:69). It is our privilege to believe “that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

But more, what an honor to believe that “Jesus is the Son of God” because then “God lives in them and they in God” (1 John 4:15).

Personal Note

Every crisis we face in our work, home, church or family. Every difficulty that tests our patience or troubles us. First, remember what it is that overcomes all of this?

What will enable us to answer with kindness and love when abused or lied to—it is our faith in Jesus, the Son of God. Say it out loud to God in prayer.

As Jesus has taught us to say, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matt 6:13). As a positive prayer we can say: “Please Lord, don’t guide my steps into a place where I will be tempted to say or do the wrong thing. To be surprised by a sudden unexpected temptation to react with anger or unkindness. Or to yield to an overwhelming temptation that appeals to my flesh. Thus, to dishonor You and bring shame on myself, I put my trust in You, not myself”.

1 John 5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 5:7 For there are three that testify: 5:8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. NIV

5:6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 5:7 For there are three that testify: 5:8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. NKJV

The Longer Version of the Text

The King James Bible gives the longer version of 5:7: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” (KJV). Most Greek Scholars say, no manuscripts before the fifteenth century have included this longer passage. Nearly all modern versions have dropped this addition. It is believed that the longer phrase was added by monks who made copies of the Bibles. But let’s keep the text just as John wrote it, supporting the older copies of the Bible.

The Water Testifies:  At His baptism God testified, and a “voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Matt 3:17).

The Blood Testifies: By His human birth, Jesus was born as the “Son of Man” (Lk 9:44). “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal 4:4).

By his born in a manger: Through His Mother’s blood at His birth.

At the cross: “Soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34).

The Spirit Testifies:

The Spirit was present at the birth of Jesus: “After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 1:18).

At the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was present: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him” (Matt 3:16).

At the resurrection the Spirit was present: “And if the Spirit of Him [God] who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He [God] who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Rom 8:11).

Three that Testify: The Spirit, the Water and the Blood

• By the water and blood:  This is a reference to His public death, as John witnessed. “One of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water (John 19:34).

• By the blood: Paul says this is: “as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3).

• By the Spirit: "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Rom 8:9).

• By the Water: "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).

• By the Water and the Spirit:  "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing [by water] of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4,5).

• By the Blood: "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith” (Rom 3:25).

• By the Water: Because the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), has forgiven and cleansed us “by the washing with water through the word” (Eph 5:26).

God’s Last Personal Testimony to Whole World

1 John 5:9-12

1 John 5:9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony [witness] is greater because it is the testimony of God [Himself], which He has given about His Son. NIV

5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. NKJV

1 John 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this [God’s] testimony [in himself]. 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. 5:11 And this is the [God’s] testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life [eternal] is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son / has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. NIV

We Accept Human Testimony

We all accept human testimony. When someone is an eyewitness to an event, we accept their account of the story. They witnessed the event and gave testimony to the facts. Now John tells us that God’s witness is greater—with absolute reliability and certainty—much more than any human testimony could ever possibly be.

The Text

 The NIV speaks of God’s testimony, while the NKJV calls it the witness of God. The Greek word is marturia meaning “testimony or witness.” Sometimes the NKJV translators also translate this same Greek word marturia as testimony, in verses 10,11, which we think, is more fitting to consistently translate this Greek word as testimony.

God’s Testimony

When God directed the building of the ancient Israel’s sanctuary Moses recorded the personal words of God.  “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony” (Ex 25:22 NKJV). It is also called “ark of the Testimony” in KJV, NAS, ESV and NET Bible. Now, God’s testimony is to be found in His Son, and no longer in the Hebrew sanctuary.

God’s New Testimony

God’s testimony to us and the world is: “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matt 17:5). “For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (John 6:27).

Jesus said, “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him… If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true” (John 5:23, 31-32)—that is God the Father.

• God’s First Testimony: God’s testimony about His Son, is greater than any other human voice (5:9). God speaks directly to the whole world, to everyone. 

• God’s Second Testimony: All who believe in His Son do so because of God’s testimony about His Son to them, they believe it because it is inside themselves, in their hearts, due to the testimony and witness of God the Father to them personally (5:10).

• God’s Third Testimony: Whoever does not believe God’s testimony about His Son, calls God a liar (5:10). After God has given to them convincing evidence toward His Son and they reject it, the declare God is a liar in doing so. God’s testimony is personal to God; when His witness to someone is rejected, it is as if they personally regard God as a liar, untrustworthy. God is so personally involved in presenting Jesus His Son that when we accept it, God seals us to Himself. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:13-14).

• God’s Fourth Testimony: God testifies that He has given eternal life in His Son. Thus, whoever believes in His Son has life (5:11,12).
  
  
  

God’s Testimony is Greater and the Greatest

Because it is God Himself who that is speaking to the world. There is nothing greater, more truthful, longer lasting. It comes with irresistible power, because all “power belongs to you, God” (Ps 62:11).

God’s testimony about His Son is greater than the Ten Commandments (see Ex 20). Because belief in God’s Son gives to us “eternal life” (1 John 5:11). The Ten Commandments cannot offer us eternal life, “if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Gal 2:21).

God does not point us backward to Abraham, Moses, or Isaiah. God has decreed that the whole world is to be aware of His Son, the man Jesus Christ. Through the Cross of Christ and His resurrection, God has made it plain everywhere you turn.

God’s Testimony Is Public

More has been written, spoken, preached, taught, listened to, read, printed, and publicly proclaimed about Jesus more than any other person in all human history.

• God’s testimony concerning His Son is greater, and has been explained, in more books, more literature and more art.

• God’s testimony about His Son, is repeated by billions of voices, all at once around the world—daily and hourly. More than any other person living or dead, the name of Jesus is known.

• God’s testimony is compelling, engaging and moves even the most harden hearts.

Nobody can match the testimony God has given to his Only Son, whom He loves. It is impossible. Because humans have limited influence on their time and place in history. According online data, “70% of their videos have religious content.”  Even “64% of Generation Z is consuming Christian media.”  And “52% of teenagers in the U.S. were highly motivated to learn about Jesus, reflecting a high interest in faith-based content online.”

The story of God’s Son is never old instead it is always new. New to every person born on earth. It is never regarded as ancient history in the way the accounts of Alexander and Great, the world conqueror, or Julius Ceasar of Rome would be. They are just purely ancient history, with very limited worldwide attention. Not so with Jesus, the Son of God. Billions are attracted to Jesus, worldwide, all at once, every day, hour, and minute. Nobody in history has such a record. No never.

If you are drawn today to Jesus, it is because of the witness, the testimony of God the Father to you.

 God’s Son transcends all time, is found in all history, is relative to every culture, and appeals to all neighborhoods and languages of the earth. It is impossible for anybody to blot out the testimony of God about His Son. It cannot be done. No, it cannot!

Why? Because the “glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Cor 4:4).

Every year there are more believers, more lovers of God, and more voices are heard in prayer, song, petition, and praise. It brings conviction that moves millions all at one time in the individual space they occupy on earth. Jesus said, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one [His Son] He [God] has sent” (John 6:29). This is God the Father’s daily, hourly work—to present the claims, the mission, the life, and the teachings—of “My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17 NKJV), all over the world, all the time. Peter testified: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36).

• “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor 5:17-19

If the Father God is drawing you, say, yes, Lord, I come.

1 John 5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this [God’s] testimony [in himself]. 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. NIV

5:10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. NKJV

5:10 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 testified concerning his Son. NET Bible

God’s First Testimony: God’s testimony about His Son, is greater than any other human voice (5:9).

God’s Second Testimony: All who believe in His Son do so because God’s testimony about His Son to them, they believe it because it is inside themselves—in their hearts—due to the testimony and witness of God the Father to them personally (5:10).

God’s Third Testimony: Whoever does not believe God’s testimony about His Son, calls God a liar (5:10).

After God has given to them convincing evidence toward His Son and they reject it, they declare God to be a liar. God’s testimony is personal to God; when His strong personal witness to someone is rejected, it is as if they personally regard God as a liar and untrustworthy. God is so personally involved in presenting Jesus His Son, that when we accept it, God seals us to Himself. “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:13-14).

The Testimony of Jesus

In the book of Revelation, we see the true nature of this battle. We read of “the dragon,” who represents “that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray… was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (Rev 12:9,17). The NKJV translates it this way, “those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev 12:17).

The group of people with whom the devil is enraged are those who have accepted “the testimony of God [Himself], which He has given about His son” (1 John 5:9). They know in their hearts—the very souls and spirits—that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, without a question or doubt. God’s testimony about His Son lives in their every thought.

Examining The Text

The text is more accurately translated by the NKJV and NET Bibles than the NIV. The Greek establishes that the one who has faith or believes in the Son of God as a witness in himself, herself, or themselves.

God has given His testimony, not just to our ears but to our conscience, the inner thoughts, inside us. We know without a doubt that “the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). This is all due to God’s witness, which finds its way into our hearts. We know it from within ourselves. Inside our minds we know it is the absolute truth, no doubt about it. Our conviction is not born from viewing the Christ and examining Him with our own eyes; it is a heart conviction. It is a past event made ever-present by the Testimony of God the Father to us and in us.

God the Father has made this possible, He has birthed into us the capacity to receive His testimony, to believe in the Christ, without seeing Him. In this way we are “born of God” (1 John 5:1).

The Truthfulness of God’s Testimony

This testimony is our hope “of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:2). As it has been shown in the above verse, God has not lied about His Son. It has been declared true by God Himself, who does not lie to us at all.  “The Glory of Israel [God] does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind” (1 Sam 15:29).

God is the greatest evangelist in all human history. God is constantly speaking to humanity about His Son. God’s testimony is found on printed pages, web pages, online U-tube channels, sermons, and thousands of other places in our human pathway. However, God also has access to our conscience, our convictions, our hearts, our minds, our dreams, our feelings and our impressions—using every channel available to share His testimony.

To Not Believe We Make God a Liar

This is a dangerous path. When the day of judgment comes, who would want to be on record as calling their Judge a liar by denying that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God. When God, together with his Son comes to “judge the world” (Acts 17:31). What excuses can they give?

God has revealed His testimony about His Son. He frees up our fallen human will, to make a choice to believe. God sincerely wants us to accept His testimony. If we refuse God’s certain, long-given testimony about His Son, we declare God to be a liar.

Declaring that God  is a Liar—Is Not a Good Idea

Many have tried to deny the Christ, declaring God’s testimony to be false. Some try to substitute Allah for Jesus, often by force, creating laws that forbid the Christian faith. If they did not, many would be followers of Jesus.

At times China has tied to forbid Christian faith, but in spite of pressure from the government, faith in God’s Son has flourished. Iran has tried to suppress faith in Christ, but they cannot stop belief in the Son of God arising from within thousands of hearts. They cannot stop belief from moving from the pages of the Bible, from the testimony to truth that it gives.

If we could read the hearts of men and women in North Korea, that has publicly banned faith in Christ. We would see many secretly believe in Jesus, because God Himself sent to them His witness. We would be amazed at the large number even in that hostile environment. God does not take NO I AM NOT INTERESTED, with indifference. He is actively engaged in always promoting his Son.

1 John 5:11 And this is the [God’s] testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life [eternal] is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son / has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. NIV

5:11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. NKJV

God’s First Testimony: His Son is greater than any human influence (5:9).

God’s Second Testimony: He gives to this personally about His Son, depositing it directly into our hearts (5:10). God warns us “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb 3:15).

God’s Third Testimony: He has given eternal life to His Son; all who believe and follow His Son receive eternal life (5:11,12). This is a massive that nobody in this world can give, yet it is given for a small step we make, made possible by the conviction that God Himself has placed within us us.

The Testimony of Jesus

When John fell at the feet of an angel to worship him, the Angel said, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus” (Rev 19:10).

“The spirit of prophecy” is the testimony about Jesus. Jesus promised, “When the Advocate [the Spirit] comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me” (John 15:26). The Spirit gives to all of us a testimony about Jesus as the Son of God who alone is able to forgive our sins and remove all guilt. Because the Spirit is send from the Father, He carries the Father’s own  testimony about His Son to us.

The “spirit of prophecy” tells all the world about God’s testimony of His Son and the coming judgment day for the world. God’s testimony that eternal life is only given through faith in His Son. The “testimony of Jesus” is God’s true witness, through the Spirit sent by the Father, into our hearts.

This is the Testimony

As seen in 1 John 5:9, God’s testimony about His Son is the most widely known, written and known biography in all human history. God has not hidden this opportunity but instead has made it very public presenting to all of humanity eternal life that is made available by belief in His Son. This fact is widely known to everyone who reads or hears about the life and gospel of Jesus Christ.

In Absolute Truth we Should Sing About

• “"Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”  By Thomas Ken 1674.

Eternal Life is From God, Revealed to Us by His Only Son

 In the longest private prayer of Jesus to his Father he said, “For you [the Father] granted him [the Son] authority over all people that he [the Son] might give eternal life to all those you [the Father] have given him [the Son]. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:2,3). God the Father gave to Jesus full authority to give eternal life to all who come to personally know the only true God, the Father. We can only know God the Father through His Son, who came to reveal Him.

As you draw near to Christ, he brings you into His presence, with all the welcome and acceptance Christ God’s Son has made possible by the witness of His life and His redeeming death with resurrection.  

Eternal Life

When we believe God’s possessing God’s witness within ourselves. God gives us eternal life. This is so simple. There are no previous requirements, no promises to make—just acceptance of God’s testimony about His Son.

This is not casual faith; it is profoundly moved into to heart with conviction and a wholehearted desire to yield to divine influences.

Eternal life VS Just Life

John declares a well-known fact; eternal life comes from the Son. Having the faith in God’s Son affects this life, in the present, here on earth. The certainty of the Father’s presence—His witness in our conscience our minds that generates faith in God’s testimony—is the guarantee that we will be with God on the last day.

Think of it this way. God does not just give a written testimony in the New Testament. Not just cause it to be proclaimed on 100,000 pulpits every week. Not just have the name of Jesus and his Apostles mentioned in millions of homes every hour—He gave a consistent stream of witnesses to the fact that Life is found by faith in His Son—“We know it by the Spirit, He gave us” (1 John 3:24).

Just think of having the witness of the Father inside our hearts and consciences. When God’s witness is believed, when faith in His Son becomes personal—our eternal life begins while we are living on earth. God’s witness is not just on a factual level, the way we know the periodic table of elements.

First God’s witness is inside us. For God “send His One and Only Son into the world,” into your heart and conscience—for the purpose that we “might live through Him” because “He loved us” (1 John 4:9,10). How do we know that God dwells in us, in our body’s temple? Because we learn to love. “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).

The book of Revelation pictures that those who Satan hates have the testimony about Jesus in their lives. “The dragon [Satan] was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus” (Rev 12:17). Where did they get their conviction about Jesus—From God the Father’s witness to them personally. Once they receive “God’s testimony” (1 John 5:9) they hold it dear and near to their hearts, freely confessing that they belong to Jesus, the Son of God.

He Who Does Not Have the Son

For those who do not have faith in the Son of God; this life is all they have. They do not have love for God and others around them. This is a sure sign that God has yet to be welcomed into their lives.

Those who don’t believe in God’s Son only get a few years here on earth. They give up for the pleasure of sin, an unmeasured life, just like God’s life. They trade away a life of greater love, greater joy that comes from love, and greater peace that comes from being loved and loving in return. They chose not to believe the indisputable witness, given in millions of ways on earth every second.

Instead, they choose to hold a boxing match with hate and unrest. Then they exit this world as an unbeliever of the greatest witness to anything on earth—the gospel account of God’s love, pointing to His Son.

·       “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)

God Promises Answers to Our Prayers

1 John 5:11-15

1 John 5:11 And this is the [God’s] testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life [eternal] is in his Son. 5:12 Whoever has the Son / has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. NIV

1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know [are assured] that you have eternal [faith in God’s Son] life. 5:14 This is the [reason for] confidence [boldness, assurance] we have in approaching God [in prayer]: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 5:15 And if we know [truly, really] that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know [from inside] that we have what we asked of him NIV

5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 5:15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. NKJV

The Text

 The NKJV, not in the KJV, added the words you may continue (5:13), to the text. It is better to let the passage read as it is in Greek. True belief is not flighty, easily frightened, like a flock of birds. It does not have to be told to keep on believing, because belief is not merely intellectual, it is a burning conviction that is real like anything else in our lives.

I Write These Things—The Settings for Prayer

John had just said that God’s testimony about his Son is greater than any human testimony (5:9). When we believe in God’s Son, it is because we have been led to believe, because of God’s testimony to us personally about His Son (5:10).

God’s further testimony is that God has promised eternal life, to those who believe on His Son, because the Son has life in Himself (5:11,12). God has appointed His Son to be the means by which we can receive eternal life. For the words and commands of the Son of God are “words of life” (1 John 1:1) which are “full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). “God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in the Son” (1 John 5:11).

John writes to his “dear children” (1 John 2:1), to those who are a part of his “fellowship” (1 John 1:3) with great encouragement. John is speaking to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. Not that John hopes they are believers, but he affirms that indeed they have embraced Jesus. Thus they are assured they “will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet 2:11). How does a “rich welcome” sound and what does it look like? Think about it.

God’s First Conditions to Answered Prayer—Believe God’s Testimony

We affirm that Jesus is God’s Son, accepting God’s testimony. This is God’s designated portal for our prayers to be heard by God and always answered by God Himself.

Give to God’s Son authority over your life. Be students of his teachings and those of his Apostles. Then the Father wants us to ask anything of Him, in the name of His Son.

Jesus promises, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

Both the Father and Son want us to pray in the Name of His Son. We are to accept God’s testimony about His Son. Not in an abstract way, but personal. When you hear the song “Fairest Lord Jesus” or another similar song, it should warm our hearts with love of the Son of God. In this way we meet the first condition of answered prayer.

God’s Second Conditions to Answered Prayer—Know you Have Eternal Life

What does it mean to know you have eternal life?

• It points to having a deep longing for God, which is never satisfied.

• Our longing for God is greater—above, and beyond—professional or material satisfaction.

• It is something God has revealed to you about Himself.

• God and eternal life cannot be separated. We cannot have one without the other. We believe God’s testimony about His Son, and God imparts to us at the same time assurance of eternal life.

  From time to time, God makes his presence known, through heart awareness. For no outward reason, the eternal God gives witness to you, giving you assurance that you are His child. Sometimes it comes with a call to prayer. Sometimes with tears, as you express out loud, “I love you Lord,” arising spontaneously from deep in your heart. “He [God] has also set eternity in the human heart” (Ecc 3:11).

  Knowing that you have eternal life, is through the witness of the Spirit. We know it, because we have “the witness in himself” (1 John 5:10 NKJV), knowing that we have eternal life. God leaves us with a witness of what he promises, “everyone who believes may have eternal life in him” (John 3:15). God does not use just words; he reveals His presence in our lives. He makes Himself known to us and we know it is from God.

Question? Why is it so important to know that we have eternal life, when we come to God with our prayer requests?

• First Answer: We cannot have any  assurance of eternal life, while we “hate a brother or sister.” For such a person “is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing [dwelling] in him” (1 John 3:14,15). Thus, we cannot have confidence that God hears us when we pray.

• Second Answer: First because God put the knowledge in Him, in your mind, your heart and your soul. You have “tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age” (Heb 6:5). You know they are real, because you are “born of God” and “God’s seed remains” abides in union with you (1 John 3:9).

If you don’t have this assurance, ask God for it. Once you have it, don’t grieve it by failure to love others as you know you should.

 Eternal life is the greatest, most lasting, and most significant, most important of all God’s gifts. If God has given the ultimate gift of life eternal, as coming from Himself. We can count and expect that he will answer our prayers. God has committed Himself to us; thus, He is attentive to our needs and will “graciously give us all things” (Rom 8:32). Since we are so honored to “live our lives through Him’ (1 John 4:9).

Thus:

• We can come near to God with confidence, boldness, and assurance that God does hear us. Not to pray hopefully, or wondering if God will answer our request that is based on love and a desire to know God better.

• If we know our prayers are in accordance with the will of God—what Jesus has told us about God’s will—we can believe they will be answered; we have what we asked of Him.

• If we are uncertain whether our prayer is His will for us, we wait for God to answer us, maybe redirecting us to know His will in a different way. God always answers. God hears us. To be heard by God means answers are always given.

Thus:

Now we know, we are assured that God will answer our prayers, giving to us “endurance and patience,” sourced from God’s “All Power” (Col 1:11).

Now:

  Start a list of your specific prayers, not general prayers for the missionaries around the world. But personal and specific. Be amazed but surprised to record answers across these prayers.

May Know and May Have Eternal Life

The entire reason John has written his letter is that we as his readers can find faith in his Son. This letter should be at the center of all gospel presentations. It will generate faith and a love  for God’s Son. It will be a witness to this fact. This truth about God’s Son, is to be real and personal, as tangible as the things our hands hold.

It is the witness of God to us that awakens our love for God and generates faith in His Son’s message. It is not our free will that finds God before God gives us His assuring witness. Thankfully, God does not wait for us to make the first move. Instead “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). We are glad that God found us first.

It is by God’s first and direct action that we can give “joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the [His] kingdom of light.” Because God “has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and [He] brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves” (Col 1:12,13).

We are glad that when we have wandered away from Him, God seeks us out first, so we can repent and renew our faith and love.

• "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me. I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent”  Luke 15:4-7

Confidence in God’s Witness—YOU HAVE (5:14)

         The word confidence also means boldness, because we know personally about the person we are speaking to. We know about their witness of the Father and His Son to help us, about the assurance they have given to us, many times, about their love for us. Thus, there is no hesitation, no doubt, no fear that they will be too busy to listen to us. No fear that they will regard our needs as too trivial for them to attend to. No fear that our request for help is too difficult for them or impossible for them to render any help at all. So, they send us away empty-handed. So, he leaves us all alone to figure it out or seek help from another source.

Thankfully, this is never the case. Don’t give it a thought for one moment, because “now we are children of God” (1 John 3:2). We are children upon whom God has “lavished” His “great love” on us (1 John 3:1). God’s love cannot be indifferent to His children that he loves.

Scriptures reminds us, “God is with us; He is our leader” (2 Chron 13:12), and He has said “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb 13:5). Never is a long word with a world of meaning. Stand on that word NEVER, today in your prayers.

• Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Pet 5:7

• So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isa 41:10

• What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—How will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.  Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died— more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Rom 8:31-35, 37

The Lord’s Prayer—Your Will Be Done

 In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed [reverence, honored] be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’” (Matt 6:9-10). Seeking the will of God should be the first thing we do before we set our feet on the floor.

 Even believers who have walked in prayer and devotion for years in the Father and Son do not always know the will of God. In fact, it is better to start the day asking God to show His will for our day, each day. We humans have many wishes, wants and needs for which some are self-centered, some are mainly focused on our reputation and our honor. For this reason, plus many others, we really don’t know God’s will in everything. Thus, tell God in prayer that you want to do His will for today and in your life. Ask God to reveal it, so that you will not come “into temptation” (Matt 6:13) and make big mistakes.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6). Be humble in prayer, come to God wanting Him to reveal His will to you this day and throughout the day. For “if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us” (5:14). We should ask with the words and teachings of Jesus in our minds.

It is important to not believe that our feelings and impressions are the voice of God, directing us to do certain activities. Our thoughts, our plans, our ideas, our impressions, our counsels, our committees or our church leaders, do not always reflect the will of God. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8,9).

When urgent action is needed, move forward in prayer, trusting God’s Spirit to guide in the best course of action. The general guide is do what is good, right an just. Do what is responsible when others need your leadership and helping hand.

When urgent action is not needed, we are confounded with problems. We do not know a solution that would bring glory to God and uplift those in need. Pray, with a clear conscience. Pray with no ill-will toward those who have created the problem with no desire to see a change. The best advice, pray every day for the Lord’s will to be done.  Then “wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Ps 27:14).

• Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. (Ps 5:32-4 NKJV).

• Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. (Ps 33:20, 21 NKJV).

• “Commit your future to the Lord.  Trust in him, and he will act on your behalf. He will vindicate you in broad daylight and publicly defend your just cause.  Wait patiently for the Lord! Wait confidently for him! Do not fret over the apparent success of a sinner, a man who carries out wicked schemes. Do not be angry and frustrated. Do not fret. That only leads to trouble” (Ps 37:5-8 NET Bible)

• I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption” (Ps 130:5-7 ESV)

How do we have assurance in prayer? We lay our request, our needs, our desires to do good, to be of help to others, to be a good leader, to be honest and most of all to love others. Within these requests, support everything with “Your will be done on earth [in my life] as it in heaven.” God has promised to reveal His will, as it is known in heaven, for you. All heaven is available to lead you into His will.

Now, right now You Can Have

Bring your burdens, your cares, your hurts, and difficulties that you face—to God. Do so with boldness, based on the true knowledge that He, God Himself, has given you witness about His Son and along with that witness, God has placed a longing to be with Him—into eternity.

1 John 5:16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray [for them] and God will give them life [eternal]. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that [them also]. 5:17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. NIV

5:16 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. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 5:16 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. NKJV

15:16 If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

This unique phrase is unlike anywhere else, John repeats this three times. Paul has given us a general statement about all sin saying, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom 6:23). John says some sins do not lead to the loss of eternal life. Not all sin will result in certain death in the judgment day.

This is the only time in John’s letter that he asks us to pray. Twice John has assured us that God answers prayers in 3:22 and 5:14-15. What does John wish us to pray for? Other weak believers who have made some mistakes and are in dangerous territory. We still should pray for lost sinners; however we have a specific responsibly to pray for those in our fellowship that are living compromised life’s but still hold on to their faith in Jesus.  

The Big Picture: Sin That Does Not Lead to Death

 First, believers are to be very active in praying for others; instead of just doing nothing. Instead of just watching others make mistakes in their leadership, in their personal lives or in their narrow unkind general conduct. We are to pray for them, specifically. Ask God to pardon their mistakes and give them “eternal life” (1 John 5:11), as He as promised to all who believe on Him.

         The purpose of this prayer is to ask God to pardon their sins, on account of His promises and honor. To ask God to turn their hearts to the way of the will of God, so they do “not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” (1 Tim 3:7). So “they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil” (2 Tim 2:26).

Second, believers are called upon to discern the differences, between human flaws and mistakes, or open rebellion, for this is a sin that leads to death also called “acts that lead to death” (Heb 9:13).

Third, believers are to ask God to have mercy on the weak, sins that do not lead to death, and give to them, despite their weak flaws, “eternal life” (1 Jon 5:13). To ask God to “heal the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps 147:3).

As the start of Jesus public ministry, he declared His mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me, to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk 4:18-19).

The brother of Jesus has some advice for us, he said, “Be merciful to those who doubt.” Those who struggle with their walk of faith in God. But to those who are involved in sins that lead to death, we are to “save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 22-23). In other word, we don’t hate the sinner, but the things that belong to their corrupted desires.

Twenty-One Sins that Leads To Death and can shut Us Out of the Kingdom

These are very serious sins that we should pray that we do not follow in their paths. Because they lead to certain death, unless they are repented of, there is no salvation for those who practice these sins with no remorse.

“(1) The cowardly, (2) the unbelieving, (3) the vile, (4) the murderers, (5) the sexually immoral, (6) those who practice magic arts, (7) the idolaters and (8) all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev 21:8)

“Outside [New Jerusalem] are the (8) dogs [impure minds], those who practice magic arts the sexually immoral, (9) the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” (Rev 22:14,15)

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of (10) greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be (11) obscenity, (12) foolish talk or coarse joking [vulgarity], which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them.” (Eph 5:3-7)

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, (13) lust, (14) evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways; in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: (15) anger, (16) rage, (17) malice, (18) slander, and (19) filthy language from your lips.” Col 3:5-8

“But anyone who (20) hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”  1 John 2:11

“(21) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

• The cowardly: are those who know what is right, but out of fear they join with the evil crowd.

• Dogs: As male dogs roaming the streets always looking to mate, for that moment; with no responsibility and no commitment or love.

• Magic Arts: Are those who reject God and prayer, claiming to know the future, which is not revealed by God, is learning this from dark sources.

• Greed: Are those who are self-centered on material things so much charity, kindness, and love are neglected. All that matters is material things. More cars than one can drive, more homes the one can live in, more money spent on themselves, while others around them live in poverty. Greed is when money is the bottom line for everything.

• The Sexually Immoral: This is listed four times, because of its seriousness. Although the Gentiles were told to “abstain from food polluted by idols” (Acts 15:20), they do not pollute the soul, as sexual sins. Paul pleads with all believers to: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Cor 6:18). The body is the location where the Spirit was promised by Jesus to “live with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). Immoral activities are not compatible with the Spirit’s presence in our lives.

We should be very careful not to tolerate any immoral pictures, movies, magazines or music that enflame sexual passions driving them away from the comforts of marriage.

Sexual desire has a nice way of paralyzing moral restraint. Even marriage cannot control sexual desires that are fed by the media, and popular culture. Unless confessed and “born from above” (John 3:3, footnote), or as John records it as “born of God” (John 1:13; 1 John 3:9), this human desire will remain dominate and controlling until eternal death, called “the second death” (Rev 20:14), silences it forever.

The above list of potentially deadly sins is not an exclusive. Paul has a longer list in Romans 1:24-31 and another long description that he calls the “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21. For “if you live according to the flesh, you will die… The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Rom 8:13,7), ever.

Let’s be plain, all the above sins can be forgiven. Psalms 51 is an example of prayer for forgiveness. It was a psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him and exposed his secret adultery to Bathsheba, and murder of her husband.

• “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…” ( Ps 51, read the whole Psalms)

Sins That Lead to Death Among Unbelievers

These sins are a direct violation of our conscience. Often related to hatred, murderous thoughts or unwillingness to forgive an offence. Deadly sins are serious moral choices to do wrong, even when known to be against the law, which would declare them criminals. If these acts of evil and violence continue against God’s personal calling to them for repentance or His provided opportunities to reform. They become sins that will lead to death. Jesus has warned us to: “Be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt 10:28).

Sins That Lead to Death Among Believers

Some of these sins, believers will have in their lives when they start their walk with God. After Baptism and confession of sins, the Spirit will lead every believer as they are able to recognize certain sins. The Spirit will lead them to pray for God to remove the desire to continue in them, as they had freely practiced before.

After Baptism God gives us of His Spirit in larger measures. Some sins a believer has practice they have no desire to continue in them at all. They even hate them; this happens to them before they even know it.

Some sins take longer. Although they are very troublesome to a sincere believer, they encourage them to pray and study scriptures as a defense. Some old habits are slowly rooted out and replaced with love for God and others.

The process of overcoming may be slow at times, but it is beneficial to us as we are led to draw near to God. Not on our own, it is the Spirit the calls us up higher, with encouragement and increased passion for seeking out the will of God every morning.

Sins that Do Not Lead to Death

This is the only time in this letter that John asks us to pray. Not for ourselves, but for others. Five times John has asked us to love one another (3:11,23; 4:7,11,12) and only one time (5:16) he asks us to pray for one another. Especially when we see others struggling with issues that are troubling them.

We are to pray for struggling believers. To pray that God will lead them, guide them into a better path. We are not to be indifferent to the many problems that other believers have. We are not to dismiss them, saying, “It’s not my problem.”

John envisions a fellowship of believers that care for each other, deeply. They care enough to be actively praying for others that are struggling in their walk of faith. Who are weak and prone to wander from the Lord they have loved. They may be influenced by unbelieving friends or spouses.

A sound congregation will support each other in prayer. All believers should know they have good friends that care enough for them, to really pray for them. In many places this type of fellowship, sadly, is very hard to find.

Pray That God will Give them Life Eternal

Amazing, we can, we should and we must, pray interceding prayers for others; in their behalf, in their weakness that God will give to them life.  

Life is used many times in the NT as a reference to “eternal life,” as in John 5:24. Just the word life can be understood as eternal life, as when Jesus said, “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt 7:14).

Thus, the prayers of others for a struggling weak sinner, will bring to them forgiveness. But more, God will take them to heaven, because He answered our prayers on their behalf.

As taught in the last two verses that we will have “whatever we ask” (1 John 5:15), John is encouraging us to pray for the forgiveness of a weak sinner. To pray for their salvation, even though they are less than perfect and seem unable to move to higher standards. They may be weak due to many reasons such as poor health, youthful mistakes in marriage that linger with them for years afterwards.

We cannot name all the reasons why some believers always seem to be troubled in their life, their work, their families, their upbringing, or their mental disorders. Whatever the reason, believers are under obligation to love weak believers enough, instead criticizing them, pray that God will give them eternal life.

Perhaps, when we pray for others that display sins that don’t lead to death. Perhaps, when we pray God will give eternal life to others committing sins that don’t lead to death, we are praying for ourselves. In prayer for others, we ourselves are drawn closer to God.  

• “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matt 7:1-3

Sins That Do Not Lead to Death

• John repeats this three times. He is very concerned that we pray for other believers that are making mistakes, while they are part of our Christian fellowship.

• It could be sins due to mistakes, while trying to do the right thing.

• It could be sins of the young and inexperienced.

• It could be sins of forgetfulness.

• It could be mistakes in judgment.

• It could be they are inattentive to details that are important.

• It could be that they are careless in their dress.

• It could be they are neglectful of prayer and attendance to Bible Study in groups.

• It could be they are in the midst for a very troubling personal health or family issues, that leaves them drained.

• It could be that the church they belong to does “preach the word” (2 Ti 4:2), and they are offered powerless sermons that are nearly Scripture less.

• It could be that they must care for more children than they have strength.

• It could be that rich and powerful people have taken advantage of them, leaving them worried, helpless and frustrated.

• Plus, many more problems that believers face in life which are not open rebellion, but due to many reasons, they make mistakes in good judgment. Thus pray, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk 23:34).

We Are Our Brothers Keepers—In Prayer and love for Them.

We care for others; we pray for them when they are in apparent trouble. For example, a young woman accepting a proposal of a young man with no Christian faith. We don’t leave her to her own fate; we pray for God to intervene and reveal His will for this young woman.

But more, even after she has made a poor choice in marriage, we pray that God will forgive her youthful mistake, that has brought her many unwanted conflicts. We prayer that she will be granted by God’s grace a warm welcome: “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matt 25:34).

John’s Recall of Jesus Teachings

Perhaps John is drawing from his memory of Jesus words, just after his resurrection. “After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:20-23).

Just think of this responsibility. Our prayers for others are part of God’s plan of salvation. If we neglect it, is it possible that “their sins are not forgiven”?

What serious responsibilities Elders and Pastors in the church have. Jesus said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Matt 21:13). How wonderful it would be if this was always the case!

What a rare fellowship to belong to a group that would pray for the sins caused by poor judgement and human passions, to be forgiven. Without any form of criticism, judgement, and condemnation. 

But in love they display the mercy of God.

We know that such Christian congregations do exist, that do pray like this. But we have never been privileged to be part of one. Have you?

1 John 5:18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe [protection], and the evil one cannot harm them. NIV

5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. NKJV

5:18 We know that everyone fathered by God does not sin, but God protects the one he has fathered, and the evil one cannot touch him. NET Bible

5:18 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. NAS

Not the End of 1 John Chapter 5 Yet

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Appendix 

The Practice of Lawlessness (1 John 3:4)

The Practice of Sin (1 John 3:8)

The acts [works] of the flesh are obvious:

sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft,

hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,

dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21

“It is one thing to be provoked by the flesh, and another thing to assent to the flesh,

and without fear or remorse to perform and fulfill the works thereof,

and to continue therein.” Martin Luther

Sexual immorality--(Greek: porneia—fornication, pornography, promiscuity) "Fee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor 6:18-19)

Adulterers, adultery—1 Cor 6:9; Matt 5:28, [violence to the inner soul]

Acts against nature—Rom 1:26-28; 1 Cor 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10

Debauchery, orgies—Gal 5

Impurity, lewdness—Mk 7:22; Gal 5 (coarse, vulgar, indecent)

No one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister 1 Thess 4:6

Human Activity:

• Thieves, swindlers, greedy—1 Cor 5:10,11; 6:10

• Murder—Mk 7:21; Rom 1:29; 1 Tim 1:9;

• Folly, recklessness—Mk 7:22

• Reject the truth and following evil—Rom 2:8

• Drunkenness, drunkards—1 Cor 6:10

• Idolatry, witchcraft—Gal 5 (pharmakeia, drugs that cast spells)

Human Emotions:

• anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer—1 John 3:15

• rage, anger, malice, abusive, treacherous—Eph 4:31; Mk 7:22; 2 Tim 3:2,4

• discord, dissensions, jealousy, bitter envy, selfish ambition — Rom 13:13; 1:29; James 3:14

• arrogance, boastful, proud, insolent—2 Cor 12:20; 2 Tim 3:2; Rom 1:30

• conceited, provoking each other, ungrateful, envying each other—Gal 5:26; 2 Tim 3:2

• lying to each other, false testimony, gossip, slander —Col 3:9; Matt 15:19; 2 Cor 12:20; Titus 3:2

• lovers of themselves, lovers of money, without self-control —2 Tim 3:2,3

• lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, not lovers of the good —2 Tim 3:3,4

• disobedient to their parents, no fidelity, no love, no mercy, unforgiving—2 Tim 3:2,3; Rom 1:31

• filthy language, invent ways of doing evil, rash—Col 3:8; Rom 1:30; 2 Tim 3:4

• unthankful, ungrateful, unholy, quarreling over disputable matters—2 Tim 3:2; Rom 14:1

• comparing ourselves to someone else—Gal 6:4

Summary of ways to Practice sin—Is to do evil deeds to others.

• To be harsh, unkind and demanding

• To excuse rudeness as deserved

• To use vulgarity when others offend you or things go wrong.

• To be unforgiving

• To be abusive

• To be difficult to live with or get along with

• To make others feel it’s all their fault, while they admit nothing.

• To borrow and never return

• To have sexual thoughts/plans toward the innocent or those under your authority.

• To keep the attention and focus on yourself, showing how good you are for the praise of others,  with fake humility.

• To slander and destroy another person’s reputation, often for no good reason.

• To be jealous of others that threaten you.

• Give nothing without gaining something in return.

• To show partiality and favoritism, neglecting the less socially acceptable

• To use their authority for the primary object of benefiting themselves.

• To love the praise of others and be jealous overs are preferred.

• To make as much money as possible so every luxury can be afforded to be self-centered with your means.

The Practice of Righteousness (1 John 3:7) 

• l When you stand praying, forgive or your Father will not forgive you—Mark 11:25-26

• l Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you—Eph 4:32

• Forgive others 70 X 7—Matthew 18:21–22

• Settle matters quickly with your adversary, restore broken relationships—Matt 5:25

• Do not resist an evil person, turn the other cheek—Matt 5:38-39

• Do not retaliate when injured or abused.

• Love and pray for your enemies—Matt 5:43-45

• l Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice—Eph 4: 29,31

• Do everything without grumbling or arguing—Phil 2:14

• Do as the Good Samaritan did—Luke 10:30-37

• Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful—Luke 6:36

• Care for the distress, thirsty, stranger, need clothes and sick—Matt 25:34-36

• Servant Leadership, be a servant to others—Matthew 20:26–28

• Serve one another humbly in love.

• The entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself—Gal 5:13,14

• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ—Eph 5:21

• Take care of the poor and disabled when you have a large feast—Luke 14:12–14

• Do not swear at all, be truthful in your speech—Matt 5: 34-37

• Blessed are the meek—Kindhearted, sweet natured and not prideful—Matt 5

• Blessed are the merciful—Kind and compassionate—Matt 5

• Blessed are the pure in heart--Those with integrity—Matt 5

• Blessed are the peacemakers—Keepers and promoters of peace—Matt 5

• I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you —Matt 6:27,28

• Giving more than is demanded, above and beyond, the extra mile—Matt 5:40-42

• Give to please God, not to be seen by others—Matt 6:1

• Speaking the truth in love… each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor—Eph 4:16,25

• Beware of covetousness for material things—Luke 12:15

• l Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands—Eph 4:2

• Don’t lust in your heart, it is as serious as to adultery—Matt 5:2

• But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality—Eph 5:3

• Be kind to children and welcome them—Matt 18:19

• Do not Judge others, treating others as unworthy—Matt 7:1-2

• Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful—Lk 6:36

• Your faith has saved you; go in peace—Lk 7:50

• Spend your money on things that matter eternally, do not store up treasures—Matt 6:19-21

• Golden Rule—Do to others as you would have them do to you—Matt 7:12; Lk 6:31

• l Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers—Gal 5:9,10

• Be on your guard against any kind of greed—Luke 12:15

• l Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others--Phil 2:3,4

• Don’t break a marriage up, what God has brought together, let no one separate— Matt 10:4-6

• Take are for the outcast, blind, cripples and poor—Luke 14:12-14

• Freely you received, freely give—Matthew 10:8

• Lend expecting nothing in return—Luke 6:35

• Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience—Col 3:12

• Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.

• Forgive as the Lord forgave you—Col 3:13

• Over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity—Col 3:15

• l “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends…they may invite you back… But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous—Lk 14:12-14

• “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” John 14:21

• My new command is to love each other, as I have loved you. (John 13:34-35)

• We know for a fact we know Christ if we keep his commands (1 John 2:3)

• To keep his commands—is to walk in love (2 John 1:6)

9 Fruits of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is (1) love, (2) joy, (3) peace, 

(4) forbearance, (5) kindness, (6) goodness, (7) faithfulness, 

(8) gentleness, and (9) self-control. 

Against such things there is no law. Gal 5:22,23

1—Love 

Love is showing goodwill for another, it is altruistic and benevolence,

• Serve one another humbly in love. Do everything in love —Gal 5:13; 1 Cor 16:14

• Love with a gentle spirit—1 Cor 4:2

• Be devoted to one another in love, honor one another above yourselves—Rom 12:10

• Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good—Rom 12:9

• God loves a cheerful giver—2 Cor 9:7

• Pursue righteousness, faith, love, & peace—2 Tim 2:22

• Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers—1 Pet 2:17

• Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech—1 Pet 3:10

• Greet one another with a kiss [warm affection] of love [agape]—1 Pet 5:14

• Love does no harm to a neighbor, Do everything in love—Rom 13:10; 1 Cor 16:14

• This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more—Phil 1:9

2—Joy

Chara-- joy, joyful, delight, gladness,  feminine noun

• Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer—Rom 12:12

• Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! —Phil 4:4

• Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs—Ps 100:2

3—Peace

Eiréné-- quietness, rest, feminine noun

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God—Matt 5:9

• If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone—Rom 12:18

• For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit—Rom 14:17

• Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace—Eph 4:3

• Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way—2 Thess 3:16

• For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—1 Cor 14:33

• Encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace—2 Cor 13:11

• Be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone—Titus 3:2

• Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace—2 Tim 2:22

• Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… you were called to peace, and be thankful—Gal 3:15

• The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds—Phil 4:7

• Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification—Rom 14:19

• They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it—1 Pet 3:11

4—Forbearance

makrothumia: patience, long-suffering, self-restraint, Feminine Noun

• Correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction—2 Tim 4:2

• You know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance—2 Tim 3:10

• Through faith and patience inherit what has been promised—Heb 6:12Patience in the face of suffering—James 5:10

• Being strengthened with all power…that you may have great endurance and patience—Col 1:11

5—Kindness

chréstotés: goodness, uprightness,  gentleness, feminine noun

• The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us—Acts 28:2

• In purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love—2 Cor 6:6

• Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience—Col 3:12

6—Goodness

agathosune: To do good, feminine noun

• Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge—2 Pet 1:5

• May see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven—Matt 5:17

• A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him—Matt 12:35

• Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you—Luke 6:27

• Give…good measure, pressed down, shaken together…will be poured into your lap—Luke 6:38

• Overcome evil with good—Rom 12:21

• Please our neighbors for their good, to build them up—Rom 15:2

• No one should seek their own good, but the good of others—1 Cor 10:24

• Bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God—Col 1:10

• Never tire of doing what is good—2 Thess 3:13

• Holding on to faith and a good conscience—1 Tim 1:19

• Command them [the rich] to do good, to be rich in good deeds—1 Tim 6:18

• Lovers of the good—2 Tim 3:3

• Be hospitable, one who loves what is good—Titus 1:8

• Teach what is good. Eager to do what is good. Ready to do whatever is good—Titus 2:3,14; 3:1

• Be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good—Titus 3:8

• Trained themselves to distinguish good from evil—Heb 5:14

• Spur one another on toward love and good deeds—Heb 10:24

• And do not forget to do good and to share with others—Heb 13:6

• Must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it—1 Pet 3:11

• Anyone who does what is good is from God...does what is evil has not seen God—3 John 1:11

7—Faithfulness

pistis: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, feminine noun

• Faithful in prayer—Rom 12:12

• Faithful to his wife and his children… faithful to her husband—1 Tim 3:12; 1 Tim 5:9

• Faithful stewards of God’s grace—1 Pet 4:10

8—Gentleness

prautés: mildness, meekness, feminine noun

• Let your gentleness be evident to all, Not violent but gentle—Phil 4:5; 1 Tim 3:3

• By the humility and gentleness of Christ—2 Cor 10:1

• Be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone—Titus 3:2

• Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love—Eph 4:2

• A gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight—1 Pet 3:4

• A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger—Prov 15:1

9—self-control

egkrateia: self-mastery, one who masters his desires and passions, feminine noun

• Younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure—Titus 2:3,4

• Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled—Titus 2:5

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