1 John 5

• Review of Chapter 1:

  • The Word of Life is Jesus from beginning of creation.

  • Jesus brought the way to have fellowship with God resulting in eternal life.

  • The apostles were eye witnesses to Jesus’ physical resurrection.

  • Believers have sin but should avoid sin.

• Chapter 2:

  • Jesus is our propitiation.

  • A person cannot love the things of the world and God at the same time.

  • Antichrists deny Jesus is the Christ.

  • The truth leading to eternal life is found in Christ which leads us to love others and practice righteousness vs. the lie which denies Christ’s deity and practices sin.

  • Be prepared to deal with false teaching and false teachers in the church.

• What are the five basic tenets of Gnosticism discussed?

  • 1. knowledge superior to virtue

  • 2. non-literal scripture only a select few could interpret

  • 3. God is not only creator because He couldn’t create a world with sin

  • 4. Deity can’t exist in flesh

  • 5. No resurrection

• Chapter 3:

  • Believers are children of God.

  • We will be resurrected as Jesus was resurrected when He comes back for us.

  • The part of a believer that becomes purified like Jesus is in the spirit as one receives the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation when we are born again, this allows a believer to practice righteousness and love the brethren.

  • Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

  • Believers are to love one another and demonstrate this in actions of sacrifice even to death as Jesus did.

• Chapter 4:

  • Believers are to test the spirit in someone to identify false teachers.

  • The test is those who confess Jesus Christ came in the flesh and was God have the Holy Spirit, those who do not confess this have the spirit of antichrist.

  • Those with the Holy Spirit will love the brethren sacrificially.

• Finishing tonight with Chapter 5

1John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.
1John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.
1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
1John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.
1John 5:5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

• v.1 What declarative statement does John continue with? (Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.)

  • How is Jesus described? (the Christ)

    • This is a very specific name used in declaring the coming Messiah of the Jews.

      • Jesus declared himself to be the Christ. John 4:25-26

John 4:25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”
John 4:26 Jesus said to her, “ I who speak to you am He.”

• The disciples declared Jesus to be the Christ. Matthew 16:15-17

Matt. 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matt. 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matt. 16:17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

• In the early church this was the focus of the gospel especially to the Jews. Acts 9:22, 18:5.

Acts 9:22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 18:5  When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.

• This Jesus was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament referred to as the Christ.

  • Everything they needed to know was already provided in their scriptures.

• 1 John 5:1 Those who believed that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah (The Christ) were what? (born of God.)

  • This person is a believer.

  • What else demonstrates the heart of a believer? (and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him)

    • Who is the “child born of Him”? (Jesus)

      • Believers accept the truth about who the Messiah is

      • The believer will love the Father and the son born of Him.

• v.2 What is John’s next statement? (By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.)

  • What are the believers to do? (love God and observe His commandments)

  • When a person loves God and observes His commandments what is true? (By this we know that we love the children of God)

    • Believers can know they love the brethren when they love God and observe His commandments.

      • The commandment to love your neighbor as yourself will take care of this.

• v.3 How does John define love? (For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.) See 1 Samuel 15:22

1Sam. 15:22 Samuel said,
“Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.

• The connection between love for God and obedience is to demonstrate this is not a feeling of love, but true love demonstrated in action.

  • When a believer loves God he willingly desires to obey His commandments.

    • This is a demonstration to God of the love one has for God.

    • To the unbeliever, God’s commandments are unnatural and difficult or even burdensome.

• 1 John 5:4 Why can a believer love and obey God? (For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.)

  • The verse begins with what? (For whatever is born of God)

    • The verse does not begin with whoever.

    • You have to read to the end of the verse to find the object.

  • What is the “whatever” referring to? (our faith)

    • Our faith is what needs to be born of God.

      • That faith then does what? (overcomes the world)

  • How is the faith described? (this is the victory that has overcome the world)

    • What is the object of this faith that has overcome the world? (v.1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ)

• v.5 John clarifies the overcomer how? (Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?)

  • The overcomer believes Jesus is the Christ and is the Son of God.

1John 5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
1John 5:7 For there are three that testify:
1John 5:8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
1John 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.
1John 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 given concerning His Son.
1John 5:11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
1John 5:12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

• v.6 What does John clarify about this Jesus? (This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.)

  • Who is the ‘One' referring to? (Jesus Christ)

    • John says Jesus came by what? (water and blood)

    • How and when did Jesus come by water? (Baptism by John)

      • In Acts we learn that whoever the new apostle selected had to be with Jesus from the time of His baptism to His resurrection. Acts 1:21-22

Acts 1:21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

• What important event occurred for Jesus at the time of this baptism? Acts 10:36-38

Acts 10:36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Acts 10:37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

• John also testifies to this event in John 1:32

John 1:32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

• The baptism by water is understood to be the time of baptism by John the Baptist where the Spirit came and remained with Jesus.

  • What is the baptism of blood? Romans 6:4

Rom. 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

• Jesus referred to His death as a baptism as well. Mark 10:38-39.

Mark 10:38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
Mark 10:39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.

• The baptism of blood was accomplished through the crucifixion of Jesus.

  • Jesus was speaking to James and John.

    • James was the first apostle to die as a martyr. See Acts 12:1-2

    • John was the last apostle to die.

• 1 John 5:6 John continues how? (not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood.)

  • John says it is this Jesus, the Christ, who experienced both the baptism of water when the Holy Spirit came upon Him all the way through the crucifixion when the Holy Spirit was still with Him.

    • The baptism of the Spirit at water baptism and the baptism of blood at the crucifixion are authenticated facts bearing witness to the truth of an incarnate Jesus.

  • Who does John say testifies to this? (It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.)

    • It is helpful to understand this was a refutation of a false teaching John is contending with.

      • Some false teaching at that time said “the Christ” descended upon Jesus at baptism but left Him at the crucifixion.

        • The identity of “the Christ” then becomes the Holy Spirit and not the man Jesus.

        • John counters by saying it is the Holy Spirit that testifies to the truth that “the Christ” is Jesus.

      • Water and blood become the evidence John is using to describe the incarnate Jesus.

• vv.7-8 John continues with more evidence to validate his point how? (For there are three that testify: v.8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.)

John 1:32  Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
John 1:33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
John 1:34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”

• Because Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit is a testimony to Jesus being the Son of God, the Christ.

Matt. 3:16  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 lighting on him.
Matt. 3:17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

• At the water baptism when the Spirit comes on Jesus, God testifies that Jesus is His Son.

  • In this the water testifies to Jesus being the One who came, the Christ.

Luke 9:28  About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
Luke 9:29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
Luke 9:30 Two men, Moses and Elijah,
Luke 9:31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
Luke 9:32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
Luke 9:33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)
Luke 9:34  While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

• v.31 says “They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem”; this is concerning the crucifixion.

  • Immediately after the crucifixion is being discussed God testifies to Jesus being His Son.

    • Notice God says “whom I have chosen”.

      • Jesus was chosen for this event that has not taken place yet.

John 12:27  “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
John 12:28 Father, glorify your name!”  Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
John 12:29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

• God speaks to Jesus immediately before the crucifixion and says, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again”

  • What is “it” referring to? (I came to this hour)

  • What is “this hour”? (The crucifixion)

    • God testifies He has glorified Jesus to come to this hour, put His Spirit in Jesus at the water baptism and is going to glorify Jesus again when the crucifixion is done with His Spirit in Jesus.

• 1 John 5:9 Men can say and believe something because they have heard it from another man – John makes what comparison of this? (If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater;)

  • God is to be believed more than the testimony of man.

  • How does John conclude? (for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.)

    • God Himself testified concerning Jesus.

      • What did God testify? Matt 3:17 (This is my Son), Luke 9:35 (This is my Son), John 12:27-29. (His name had been glorified and will be glorified) In Jesus.

• 1 John 5v10 What is true for the one who believes this testimony of God about His son? (The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself;)

  • The one who believes Jesus is the Son of God believes Jesus is The Christ

  • The one who believes Jesus is The Christ has what or who inside himself? (The Holy Spirit)

    • The testimony of being a Son of God is the Holy Spirit, both for Jesus and for men.

  • What is the opposite of this truth? (the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.)

    • One who does not believe in the testimony of God concerning His Son does not have the testimony in himself, does not have the Holy Spirit in himself and is not a believer.

• v.11 John gives insight of this testimony how? (And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.)

  • God’s testimony is that He has given believers eternal life.

    • How is this eternal life given? (this life is in His Son.)

• v.12 The simple truth is what? (He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.)

  • We cannot think of eternal life apart from the Son.

    • It is impossible to have the one without the other.

1John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1John 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
1John 5:15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

• v.13 Who does John clarify he is talking to? (These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God,)

  • What do we call those who believe in the name of the Son of God? (Believers)

  • What does John say to believers? (so that you may know that you have eternal life)

    • Assurance of salvation for believers is important, especially if there are false teachers putting that security into question.

• v.14 What else does John say to the believers? (This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.)

  • Who is the Him? (v.11 God has given us…)

  • How do we ask for things from God? (Prayer)

    • When a believer prays for anything according to His will what is the promise? (He hears us)

• v.15 How does John continue? (And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.)

  • When a believer has asked for something that is in God’s will then God hears the believer.

    • God not only hears but the believer will have the request answered.

      • This does not mean the believer will see the request answered as it may happen outside of the knowledge of the believer.

      • God will always grant His will to be accomplished.

      • Notice the believer is still to seek to know God’s will.

      • The believer is also to still seek the request from God, meaning the believer is still to pray to God about the request.

1John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.
1John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

• v.16 John continues discussing prayer for the believer and addresses what? (If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.)

  • When a believers sees what? (sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death,)

    • What kind of sin does not lead to death? (Any sin committed by a believer)

      • All sin is forgiven for a believer.

      • This assumes the death is in regards to eternal death not physical death.

  • When a believer sees a brother, a fellow believer, committing sin we are to ask for what? (God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death)

    • What does it mean “for him give life”

      • To give life can be an eternal understanding.

      • However the believer already has eternal life so it would make more sense that the prayer for the believer is to remove the sin that is talking about life in some manner in the temporal sense.

        • We might say take sin away so the believer can live a more abundant life, or abiding life or virtuous life.

  • What is the contrast John puts forth next? (There is a sin leading to death;)

    • What is this sin John has been discussing that can lead to death? (Not believing the testimony of God concerning His Son, or unbelief) Ephesians 2:1-5

Eph. 2:1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,
Eph. 2:2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Eph. 2:3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
Eph. 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
Eph. 2:5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

• We are all dead in this sin before God made us alive with Christ by grace through faith

• 1 John 5:17 What does John say a believer should not do in regards to the sin of unbelief? (I do not say that he should make request for this.)

  • A believer cannot ask God to just forgive this sin of unbelief.

  • What should all believers pray for as a request from God concerning all unbelievers? (That they would believe)

    • Believers can pray God will grant the grace and mercy of faith to believe but one cannot be forgiven the sin of unbelief.

• v.17 How does John continue? (All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.)

  • What sin does not lead to eternal death? (The sin of a believer)

    • When a believer commits sin it does not lead to eternal death but it is still sin.

1John 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.
1John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
1John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

• v.18 John reaffirms what first? (We know that no one who is born of God sins;)

  • Who is one who is born of God? (A believer)

  • Where does a believer not sin? (In his spirit)

  • Why does a believer not sin? (but He who was born of God keeps him,)

    • Who is the “He who was born of God"? (Jesus)

      • John already gave the testimony that this was truth by the Spirit, and water and blood.

  • What is true for the believer? (and the evil one does not touch him.)

    • Who is the evil one? (Satan)

  • In what way is a believer assured the evil one cannot touch him? (Spiritually, eternally)

• v.19 What do believers know to be true? (We know that we are of God,)

  • What is the contrast? (and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.)

  • Who is the whole world? (Unbelievers)

  • What is true for unbelievers? (lies in the power of the evil one.)

• v.20 When we are of God and not the evil one what do we know? (And we know that the Son of God has come,)

  • The Christ had come.

    • What has He given us? (and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true;)

    • Because the Christ has come we now can understand who God is through the Holy Spirit.  See 1 Corinthians 2:11-14.

1Cor. 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
1Cor. 2:12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.
1Cor. 2:13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
1Cor. 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

• We can know God because He gave us His Spirit to know Him.

• 1 John 5:20 Why can we understand who God is? (and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ.)

  • We are in Jesus now.

  • What is revealed to us who have Jesus in us? (This is the true God and eternal life.)

    • This relationship of knowing the true God is happening now and will continue with our eternal life.

• v.21 What is John’s final warning? (Little children, guard yourselves from idols.)

  • Who is John speaking to? (Believers)

  • What are believers to do? (guard yourselves from idols.)

    • The term idols means “false gods”

      • Any movement to worshipping another God without a complete understanding of the true God revealed through the Spirit because of Jesus is idolatry.

        • There is knowing and worshiping the one true God and then there is everything else!

• John writes this letter to refute the lies of the false teachers

  • In doing this John accomplishes many things for the encouragement of the believers.

• John has written this letter to encourage believers that they have all they need in Jesus.

  • John reiterates who Jesus is and what He is to the believer, The Christ, the propitiation for our sin and this is testified to by men, the Holy Spirit and God the Father.

    • We are Sons of God, we have forgiveness of sin, we have eternal life, we can live victorious over sin and can love other believers.