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1 John 5

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1 John 5 Overview

John closes by connecting faith in Jesus as the Christ with being born of God, love of God with love of His children, and faith with victory over the world. He presents the Spirit, water, and blood as witnesses, insists that God’s record is greater than man’s, and states his purpose plainly: believers may know that they have eternal life. He ends with confidence in prayer, concern for a sinning brother, and a warning against idols.

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Before you read 1 John 5

Coming from

John commands believers to test the spirits because many false prophets have gone into the world. The true confession centers on Jesus Christ come in the flesh. He then develops the theme that God is love: God loved first, sent His Son as propitiation, and His love should shape believers’ love for one another. Perfected love gives boldness and casts out tormenting fear.

In this chapter

Leads into

The canonical sequence continues into 2 John.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Verse 13 is a controlling assurance statement: John writes to people who believe on the name of the Son of God so they may know they have eternal life.

‘He that hath the Son hath life’ locates eternal life in possession of the Son, not in achieving enough works to pass a moral test.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Faith in Jesus is the victory over the world

The believer’s victory is tied to believing that Jesus is the Son of God.

God has given eternal life in His Son

Life is a divine gift, not wages earned by works.

Believers can know they have eternal life

John’s purpose is settled assurance, not endless uncertainty.

Prayer confidence rests on God’s will

He hears requests made according to His will.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

John 3:16

Whoever believes in the Son has everlasting life.

John 20:31

John’s Gospel was written so readers might believe and have life through Christ’s name.

Romans 6:23

Eternal life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not turn the letter’s practical tests into a denial of verse 13’s explicit assurance

John wants believers to know, not endlessly wonder, whether they possess life.

Do not make prayer itself a condition for salvation

Prayer confidence is addressed to those already possessing eternal life.

Do not build speculative doctrines around ‘sin unto death’ beyond the text

John distinguishes serious sin but does not fully define every case.

Read 1 John 5 watching for…

Faith as victory.

The threefold witness language.

God’s record concerning His Son.

Verse 13’s purpose statement.

Confidence in prayer and the sinning brother.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-5Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and faith overcomes the world 6-12The Spirit, water, and blood bear witness, and God’s record is that eternal life is in his Son 13-15John writes so believers may know they have eternal life and have confidence in prayer according to God’s will 16-17Believers are instructed concerning prayer for a brother who sins and the distinction of sin unto death 18-21Those born of God are kept from the wicked one, know the true God in Jesus Christ, and are warned to keep from idols

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

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1 John 5:16

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