1 John 5 (NIV)
Faith in the Incarnate Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
We are to love as children of God. If we believe that Jesus is the son of God and we love his son, then we are obligated to carry out his commands. His commands are not difficult or hard, because his love has made us overcomers. By our love is how we will be shown to be a son of God and an overcomer. We are to emulate not only the love of Jesus, but also the love of God. In 2 Corinthians 13 learn that love is the greatest, most powerful gift we have been given. Love is the tool that Jesus used on the world to make an impact and it is the tool we are to use as well. They will know us as true children of God by our love. That is the fruit of a life lived in submission to God and in obedience to his commands.
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. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Our faith must be well founded, we must have full confidence in it. When John says Jesus came by water and blood he is giving reference to the means that Jesus used to heal and save us. We are inwardly defiled by the sin of our very nature and for this we need spiritual water for cleansing so that it can reach our very soul. We are outwardly defiled by our guilt and willful sin and for this the only retribution can be blood. So Jesus had to cleanse us in both ways. When the side of Jesus was pierced, both blood and water came out. These were the tools for our cleansing. By the water our souls are washed and purified by heaven and by the blood we are justified and declared righteous in the eyes of God. The Holy Spirit testifies to this because the spirit is truth. We are the living testimony to his salvation and eternal life. The word gives us the prophesy and the evidence, which has come to pass. Those who do not believe will not have this life more abundant, this overcoming life here on earth and they will not attain the kingdom of God.
Concluding Affirmations
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. 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. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
If we have this confidence in Jesus, we now have the authority to approach God and the assurance that if we ask anything in his name and according to his will it will be done because he hears us. In this we should remember that our most important command is to love God first and others second. If we love others more than ourselves, then our prayers should be for the well-being of others and not ourselves. If we see a fellow christian in sin – we should pray for them. If we see them ill – we should pray for them. If we see them in lack – we should pray for them. The only sin we cannot pray for is the sin of unbelief – because that is like calling God a liar. If someone who believed now choses not to believe – it is worse than death for them.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Anyone who loves God more than themselves, will not continue to sin. We know that the enemy cannot harm us any longer because we now belong to God. So that means that our selfish desires are what causes us to sin – not the enemy. And it is the consequences of that sin that leads us to live a defeated life. But if we know that we are the children of God, then we know the truth. We are no longer under the control of the evil one. We have understanding from God through the Holy Spirit and it is that understanding – that truth – that gives us the freedom to overcome. At the last word from John, he warns us to stay away from idols. There is more to an idol than a golden statue – it is anything that keeps us from doing as God commands.
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