Subject of the first section
We come now to the development of the sixth theme in John’s address to the little children, in 2:18-27. In that passage he wrote, “And this is the promise He hath promised us, even eternal life”, 2:25. John now enlarges in verses 1 to 12 on this matter of eternal life, which is the life of God imparted to those who believe, when they believe. As he puts it in verses 11 and 12, “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”.
John had encouraged the little children in the family of God to continue in the Son and in the Father, 2:24, and they will do this if they are strong in faith. This is why there is emphasis on faith and believing in 5:1-5, words that have not occurred previously in the epistle, but which now occur in verses 1,4,5,10 (3x). Then in verse 6-12 there are solid reasons why faith is justified and should be sustained. If Divine persons bear united testimony, who would dare to disbelieve?
Structure of the passage
(a) Verses 1-5
Three results from believing
First result Verse 1(a)
The new birth.
Second result Verse 1(b)-3
Love to those born of God, (for mutual encouragement).
Third result Verses 4-5
Victory over the world, (the source of discouragement).
(b) Verse 6, (and 8)
Three-fold testimony on earth
First testimony
The water of Christ’s baptism.
Second testimony
The blood of Christ’s cross.
Third testimony
The Spirit that anointed Christ at His baptism, and who came upon believers after the cross.
(c) Verse 7
Three testimony-bearers in heaven
First testimony-bearer
The Father.
Second testimony-bearer
The Word
Third testimony-bearer
The Holy Ghost
(d) Verses 9-12
Three features of the testimony
First feature, verse 9
It is the testimony not of men but God.
Second feature, verse 10
It is within the believer, because the Spirit is within.
Third feature, verse 11
It is about God’s Son, and life in Him.
5:1-12
Development of the sixth theme
Eternal life through believing.
(a) Verses 1-5
Three results from believing
First result, verse 1(a)
The new birth.
5:1
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.
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God- John is emphasising that all who believe that Jesus is the Christ, whatever and whoever they were before, are born of God. There are none who believe who are not born of God. There are none who are born of God who do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. This means that those who denied His Christ-hood were not born of God. It also assures those who did believe it that they were truly linked to God in a vital way, as a child is linked to his father.
There are seven aspects to the new birth, four positive, and three negative, as follows:
1. In John 3 the new birth is effected by the Spirit of God as He works out sovereignly the will of God. “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit, John 3:8.
2. In the light of the foregoing we can well understand why Nicodemus asked, “How can these things be?” If the new birth is the result of the action of the Spirit totally apart from man’s ability to control it, how can it ever come about? The answer is found in the Lord’s words about believing in Him as one crucified on a cross, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”, John 3:16. It is not that faith brings about the new birth, but as soon as a person ceases to trust self and trusts Christ crucified, new life is given by God. It is as if we labelled one spoke of a wheel “Divine Sovereignty”, and another “Human Responsibility”. We could put the first label on the first spoke, and the second label on the second spoke, so in a sense one took precedence over the other; but when the wheel starts to turn, they both move together.
3. James reinforces this truth with the words, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures”, James 1:18. So the new birth is the result of the belief in the word of truth, the gospel. And with this Peter agrees, when he writes, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”, 1 Peter 1:23. So the agency God uses, (and it is the only agency He uses), is the word of God.
4. The resurrection of Christ is involved in the new birth, for Peter writes, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”, 1 Peter 1:3. The rising of Christ from the dead is the sure sign that the hopes held out to those who believe are lively; that is, they are not dead hopes, but full of energy and vitality, delivering what they promise.
5. The three negative aspects of new birth are presented to us in one verse in John 1:13, which, speaking of those who believed in the name of God’s Son, reads, “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. These three negatives come first, to deal with the wrong thoughts of the Jews about the rights of birth. To them, descent from Abraham was everything, as John 8:30-42 shows. The Lord had to firmly point out to them that Abraham had more than one child, and if they persecuted Him as Ishmael had persecuted Isaac, then they, like Ishmael, had no right to be in the father’s house. If they believed on Him as the Son of the Father, however, they would be free as Isaac was. See also Galatians 4:26,31.
So it is that John tells us that the new birth is “not of blood”. Ishmael could have claimed rights as being of Abraham’s blood-line, but he was cast out. Isaac and the sons of Keturah, (Genesis 25:1-6), could also have claimed natural descent, but this did not put them in the family of God. Only personal faith can do this, Romans 4:9-12.
6. “Nor of the will of the flesh” tells us that nothing which self can determine can effect the new birth. Abraham adopted the custom of the time and used his wife’s maidservant to give him a son, Genesis 16:1-16, but Ishmael was born after the flesh, Galatians 4:29.
7. “Nor of the will of man” reminds us that Abraham, thinking that he was departing this life without a son and heir, had made Eliezer his servant “the son of possession of his house”, Genesis 15:2 margin, a term meaning one who would inherit from him. This was the will of Abraham coming into view, irrespective of the will of God, which, in fact, was to give him a proper son.
We return to 1 John 5 and note what it is that John says the born-again one has believed. It is that Jesus is the Christ. This is a reference to the baptism of Christ, when He was marked out as God’s anointed, (the title “Christ” means “The Anointed One”), by the coming of the Spirit upon Him. But there was also the voice from heaven, as the Father bore testimony to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was His beloved Son, and well-pleasing to Him. So the Spirit declares Him to be Christ, the Father declares Him to be Son, and the one who is thus marked out is the man Christ Jesus. The truths are interlocking, so to deny the one is to deny the other. To affirm the one is to commit to the other.
John combines these truths together. In 4:2 he wrote, “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God”. So the reality of the manhood of Jesus must be believed. In 4:15 it is “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God”. So the Godhood and the real, sinless manhood of Jesus are confessed by those who are born again. This echoes what he had written in his gospel, for he tells us that he wrote that “ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name”, John 20:31.
Second result, verses 1(b)-3
Love to those born of God, (for mutual encouragement).
And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him- not all children love their brothers and sisters, even when they love their father. But this Father is God, who is love. Those born of Him are partakers of that love-nature, and therefore are sure to love. John has already given us the negative example of Cain, who hated Abel his brother. Here the lesson is positive, for those who have the nature of the God who is in essence love, will be sure to love the members of the family of God. There are not “Abel-believers”, (those who love), and “Cain-believers”, (those who hate), in the family of God.
5:2
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
By this we know that we love the children of God- John is always telling how we may know and have assurance about Divine things, and our relationship with God.
When we love God, and keep his commandments- John does not ask us to point to things we have done or said to fellow-believers, but asks us to assess our attitude to God and His commands.
5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments- John is emphasising that love to God must result in the keeping of His commandments. We cannot claim to love God if we disobey His known commands. Love to God is sure to result in obedience to His commands, and one of His commands is to love our brethren; it is not an option. This is why John is confident in saying that we know we love the children in the family if we love the Father of the family, and keep His commands.
And his commandments are not grievous- the true believer will not find God’s commandments burdensome, because they are opportunities to show love to God. It is only the unbeliever that thinks of God’s commands as demands to be avoided. The Lord Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”, Matthew 11:29,30.
Third result, verses 4-5
Victory over the world, (the source of discouragement).
5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world- the attitude of the men of the world to God’s commands is not shared by the true believer. He has overcome that way of thinking. John tells us how it has been done in the next phrase. Notice it is “whatsoever”, not “whosoever”, the emphasis being on the attitude of obedience and faith the believer has by the new birth.
And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith- faith goes against the tide of worldly opinion, and sides with God about matters. Faith is “firm persuasion based on hearing and believing the word of God”. That word informs us as to God and His principles, and also about the world and its opposing principles. Faith sides with God, and in this way overcomes the world, showing that the power of God in a believer is superior to the power of the world.
The Lord Jesus said to the Jews who did not believe on Him, “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not”, John 8:42. The natural mind is conditioned by sin to reject the truth and receive error, so when the Lord presented truth, it was not believed. The believer overcomes this attitude of the world, because he accepts God’s testimony.
5:5
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Who is he that overcometh the world- John now gives us an illustration of how powerful the energy behind the believer’s faith is. (Notice he now speaks of “whosoever”, with the spotlight on the person). He is going to give an extreme example, and one which goes to the centre of the Christian faith. John wants us to be very clear exactly who is at the heart of Christian belief; it is none other than the Son of God.
But he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Jesus is the name given to Him at His birth, emphasising His manhood. Son of God is the title that tells us of His Deity. The world looks at Jesus of Nazareth, and sees only a carpenter. They may reluctantly agree that He was a good example, and said wise things, but beyond that the world will not go, because it does not accept the testimony of the word of God. The believer is different, however, for he has accepted the teaching of the Scriptures about the Lord Jesus, and is prepared, without hesitation, to recognise what God said about Him when He was baptised, namely, that He is His Son.
John will now explain how it is that there are those whose faith overcomes the world. He informs us that the testimony that has been borne to them is compelling, being by Divine persons themselves.
(b) Verses 6 (and 8)
Three-fold testimony on earth
First testimony
The water of Christ’s baptism.
Second testimony
The blood of Christ’s cross.
Third testimony
The Spirit that anointed Christ at His baptism, and who came upon believers after the cross.
It is important to bear in mind that the words “record”, “testimony”, and “witness” all signify the same thing in these verses.
5:6
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.
This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ- that is, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, verse 5, and He came by water and by blood. John is ensuring we realise just exactly of whom he is writing.
At the beginning of the epistle John told us that he is writing about things that he saw and heard “from the beginning”, meaning the beginning of the public manifestation of Christ to the world at His baptism. So when he mentions water we immediately think of His baptism. It was by means of His baptism that He was brought to the notice of Israel, and in that sense He “came by water”. And in particular, it was the voice of the Father, declaring that Jesus of Nazareth was His Son, that introduced Him into the world of men.
But He also came by blood. John himself had stood at the foot of the cross, and could testify as to the death of the Lord Jesus. The shedding of blood is the giving up of life. The life of the flesh is in the blood, God assures us, Leviticus 17:11, so when the Lord Jesus “poured out his soul unto death”, then His blood was shed. That John saw the soldier pierce His side and “forthwith came there out blood and water”, John 19:34, is simply the sign that the giving up of the life had taken place, for Christ was already dead when this happened. It rendered the crucified body of the Lord Jesus unique and instantly recognisable, for there were three men crucified that day; it is vital that the Lord be distinguishable from the other two. This is why John is so insistent that what he was testifying was true. The death of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, is the basic message of the gospel that was preached from Pentecost onwards. So He comes “by water” in personal testimony to men in His life, and He comes “by blood” in gospel-testimony to men in resurrection.
And it is the Spirit that beareth witness- the blood and the water form a deeply significant witness, and this is reinforced by the Spirit of God Himself. Holy Spirit applies the meaning and implication of the water and the blood as He empowers evangelists and teachers.
Because the Spirit is truth- the truth borne witness to is so important that the Holy Spirit takes responsibility for it, for He is truth. That is, there is no element of untruth with Him, being one of the persons of the Godhead, and God cannot lie. He is totally infallible. This cannot be said of believers themselves as they testify. So John is saying that the task of testifying to men is the Spirit’s work, because He is truth, and preachers might say wrong things. This is why it is important to point men to the Word of God, the place where the Spirit has left on record His testimony regarding Christ.
(c) Verse 7
Three testimony-bearers in heaven
First testimony-bearer
The Father
Second testimony-bearer
The Word
Third testimony-bearer
The Holy Ghost
5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
For there are three that bear record in heaven- this verse has some unusual wording, and perhaps because of this, (and also because it supports the doctrine of the Trinity, which the devil and his agents hate), was excluded from some manuscripts. The godly and learned men who were responsible for the Authorised Version were clearly satisfied that the verse should be present. (There are modern verions of the New Testament which omit these words because they say they are not found in the earliest manuscripts. That is a strange statement, since one of the Church Fathers, Cyprian, who died in AD 258, quoted the words!)
The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost- it is objected that there is no need to witness to anyone in heaven. But John need not be referring to the sort of witness needed so that the truth may be received and believed by men; that is the character of the witness on earth. The mention of the Lord Jesus as the Word reminds us that the one who is the Word in eternity, in John 1:1, is the same word who was made flesh, in time, as John 1:14 states. So it is the Word in manhood that is back in heaven, and bears testimony by His presence there that the Father owns Him as His Son. And it is by the Spirit we know that he is back there. If the word from heaven at His baptism was not true, then He would not have been welcomed back into heaven as He has been. “God was manifest in flesh…received up in glory”, 1 Timothy 3:16.
And these three are one- the Father and the Word and the Spirit testify to the fact of their complete unity by the presence back in heaven of Jesus of Nazareth as the Word, God manifest in flesh. One of the objections raised against this whole verse is that when the great debates were taking place in the first centuries of this era about the Deity of Christ, this verse does not seem to have been used much, if at all. But perhaps that is because those who defended the Deity of Christ in those far-off days did not see the verse as directly teaching His Deity, and therefore concentrated on verses that do. They perhaps believed that “And these three are one” is not so much an assertion of the oneness in essence of the persons of the Godhead, as the assertion of their oneness in testimony. As if John is saying, “These three are one in their Divine assertion of their own unity, which is in no way disturbed by including the Word, (who is man as well as God), within it”.
Further truth about the Spirit bearing witness:
5:8
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
And there are three that bear witness in earth- John now returns to the subject of men believing a testimony, which must be done on earth. As Peter said, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”, Acts 4:12.
The Spirit, and the water, and the blood- the Spirit is now put first, for He it is who is responsible for testimony during this age. The gospel is preached “by the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven”, 1 Peter 1:12, so no matter have far removed in time from Pentecost the preaching is, it still has Pentecostal power and relevance. The gospel may be preached as if Christ died and rose again just a few weeks ago. The passage of time does not alter historical facts.
The Spirit of God takes the initiative in testimony, and we must follow His lead. He bears testimony to the truth set out at the baptism of Christ, namely His Sonship. He bears testimony to what He did by the shedding of His blood. So it is that the gospel consists of the presentation of truth regarding the Person and work of the Lord Jesus, God’s Son. He is central to the message; the testimony of the Spirit is to Him. Of course sinners must be informed of God’s thoughts about them, but Christ must be kept central.
And these three agree in one- obviously the Spirit and the water and the blood are not one, as the Father, the Word and the Spirit are. The point is that the Spirit, water, and blood are at one in their testimony; they agree in that unified testimony.
(d) Verses 9-12
Three features of the testimony
First feature, verse 9
It is the testimony not of men but God.
5:9
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.
If we receive the witness of men- we are prepared to accept the testimony of honest and sane men to a certain degree. We always have reservations about the witness of sinners, for the psalmist wrote, “all men are liars”, so they have that tendency. That said, the testimony of men we trust is believed, in the general sense.
The witness of God is greater- the testimony of men, even believing men, might be to some degree unreliable, but we still accept what they say with the appropriate reservations. We do not have any reservations, however, about accepting the record that God gives in His word.
For this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son- not only do we believe God’s testimony is greater because He is God, but His testimony is greater because of the subject of it. He bears witness to the Lord Jesus that He is His Son. He did this at His baptism in the words, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. He did it by raising Him from the dead, so that the apostle Paul can write, that He was “declared to be the Son of God by the resurrection from the dead”, Romans 1:4.
Second feature, verse 10
It is within the believer, because the Spirit is within
5:10
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.
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself- John now tells us the consequences of the witness of the Spirit, whether for the believer or the unbeliever. First for the believer. The Spirit testifies as to the Deity of Christ, and this testimony is believed. As a result, the believer has the testimony within his heart now, and can pass it on to others. But he has more. He has the Holy Spirit within His heart also, for the moment a person believes, the Spirit takes up permanent residence within.
He that believeth not God hath made him a liar- when we believe men we always have reservations, and need to verify what they say to some degree. But if God is God at all, He cannot lie. Those who do not accept His testimony, therefore, because we are only prepared to knowingly accept truthful testimony, have said in effect that God’s testimony is not truthful, and therefore He is a liar. Of course we cannot actually make God a liar, but men can make Him out to be a liar by rejecting His witness.
Third feature, verses 11-12
It is about God’s Son, and life in Him
5:11
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
And this is the record- in previous verses the record, or witness, (same word), was a general one, whether the Father’s voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism, or the combined testimony of the Persons of the Godhead as to the Deity of the Word, in that He has been welcomed back to heaven in manhood. Then in verse 6 there is the witness of the Spirit to the world in the gospel, as He sets out the truths implied by the coming of Christ through water and through blood.
Here the record is given in assurance to the believer, for it comes to one who has been given eternal life, so is not a word for the unbeliever. This refers back to John’s statement in verse 10, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself”, and is an extension of it.
That God hath given to us eternal life- the consequence of believing God’s record in the gospel is that we are given eternal life. Now that has happened, God’s testimony to our hearts is, first, that we do indeed have that eternal life. This goes back to the theme in 2:25 that John is developing. He wrote there, “And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life”. God now assures us that since we have received the promise by faith, eternal life is indeed ours. This is all based upon the words of the Lord Jesus in John 5:4 when He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life”. So God bears testimony to the fact that what His Son said would come to pass when a person believes, has indeed come to pass.
And this life is in his Son- there is no other person to whom we may go to obtain the gift of eternal life. Again referring to the Lord’s words in John 5, He said in verse 26, “For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself”. The life needed to quicken those dead in trespasses and sins, and to quicken their mortal bodies at the resurrection, is sourced in God the Father. But the “as…so” of this verse signifies the same as it does in verse 21, namely just as, even as. So not only does the Son have life in Himself just as the Father does, (as John 1:4 indicates, “in Him was life”), but in addition it is given to Him to have this life in Himself for others. He is the vessel full of the water of life, and men are invited to go to Him and drink, John 7:37; Revelation 22:17. When the Lord Jesus asked the question of His disciples, “Will ye also go away”, Peter was quick with his answer. He said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God”, John 6:67-69. And all true believers would say Amen! to those words.
5:12
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
He that hath the Son hath life- ever the evangelist, John states plainly what he had emphasised in his gospel, that the Son of God is able and willing to give life eternal as a gift to those who believe Him. John will write in verse 20 about Jesus Christ, and say, “This is the true God, and eternal life”. So He is the full expression of what the life of God really is, and when we have the life, we have Him. No doubt this is made good to us by the Spirit, for Christ said to His own, “He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you”, John 14:17, a reference to the Holy Spirit. Then in the next verse he says, “I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you”. Again, in His prayer to His Father He said, “I in them, and thou in me”, John 17:23.
And he that hath not the Son of God hath not life- John is fond of putting things round the other way so that we are in no doubt as to his meaning, and to ensure we realise there are no exceptions to what he says. No doubt the false teachers of John’s day claimed to have life apart from Christ as Son of God. John firmly rejects such an idea. There is no other route to eternal life than the Son of God.
5:13
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.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God- verses 11 and 12 are really a summary of John’s gospel, and John now tells that he has written his epistle to those who believe that gospel. They have believed on the name of the Son of God. That is, they have received the truth about the Son of God, and the implications involved in Him having that name, and have believed. When John tells us about the new birth he writes, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”, John 1:12. This is why the Lord Jesus is given so many titles in John 1, for they all express His name. He is the Word, the Light, the only-begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ, the Christ, the prophet, the Lord, Lamb of God, Baptizer, Jesus of Nazareth, King of Israel, Son of man. To believe on His name is to receive the many-sided truth about Him suggested by these titles.
That ye may know that ye have eternal life- John is very concerned that believers should be confident about possessing eternal life, so that is why he wrote his epistle. He wrote his gospel so we might know how to get it; his epistle that we might know we have it. He had written that “this life is in His Son”, verse 11, and does not want us to think that the life is only there. It is in the believer too.
And that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God- why does he write to those who believe on the name of the Son so that they might believe on the name of the Son of God? Have they not already done so? John is encouraging them to continue in their belief in the Son of God, and to remember what his character is. This is why he says “believe on the name”, for the name tells of character. They are to believe in Him because of the character He has, as well as the relationship He has with God.
We now come to the seventh theme of the epistle, in which the apostle develops what he wrote to the little children in 2:27: “the same anointing teacheth you of all things”, and in verse 20 of that chapter, “But ye have an unction from the Holy one, and ye know all things”. This is developed in 5:13-21, where first of all three things personal to the believer that he knows are detailed, and then three things that the believer knows in relation to the truths set out in the epistle.
5:13-21
Development of the seventh theme
“Ye know all things”, 2:20.
Verses 13-17
Three things the believer knows about himself
First thing known, verse 13
He has eternal life.
Second thing known, verses 14, 15(a)
He knows God hears him.
Third thing known, verses 15(b)-17
He knows God will answer intelligent prayers.
First thing known, verse 13
He has eternal life.
5:13
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.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God- verses 11 and 12 are really a summary of John’s gospel, and John now tells that he has written his epistle to those who believe that gospel. They have believed on the name of the Son of God. That is, they have received the truth about the Son of God, and the implications involved in Him having that name, and have believed. When John tells us about the new birth he writes, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name”, John 1:12. This is why the Lord Jesus is given so many titles in John 1, for they all express His name. He is the Word, the Light, the only-begotten of the Father, Jesus Christ, the Christ, the prophet, the Lord, Lamb of God, Baptizer, Jesus of Nazareth, King of Israel, Son of man. To believe on His name is to receive the many-sided truth about Him suggested by these titles.
That ye may know that ye have eternal life- John is very concerned that believers should be confident about possessing eternal life, so that is why he wrote his epistle. So he wrote his gospel so we might know how to get it; his epistle that we might know we have it. He had written that “this life is in His Son”, verse 11, and does not want us to think that the life is only there. It is in the believer too.
And that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God- why does he write to those who believe on the name of the Son so that they might believe on the name of the Son of God? Have they not already done so? This was clearly a problem to some who, in the early centuries of this age, were copying the Scriptures. Sadly, some of them were not only copiers, but corrupters, and they imposed their thinking on the word of God by removing some of the words. This is a fatal thing to do, but it is sadly still being done, as the multitude of translations of the Bible available today shows. We should not deal with problems by pretending they are not there.
The first “believe” is a present participle with the article in the nominative, and we have come across this construction in 3:6 with the expression “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not”; or, in other words, “is a non-sinning one”. So in our verse John is writing to those who are “believing ones”; for that is their character. But the second “believe” is a verb in the present, and signifies a continuation of belief. So to summarise: John is writing to those who because of their faith can be described as believing ones. But he is writing to them to achieve two ends. First, that they might know they have eternal life. Second, that they may continue in their faith. He has believers in view in each case. He wants them to know assurance, and express perseverance. They were surrounded by those who sought to take them away from faith in the Son of God, and to embrace alien thoughts. Once they have believed on the Son of God they can never renounce that belief in principle, but they might adopt other doctrines which would undermine their faith. This is what John fears will happen, and therefore he has written so that it might not.
Second thing known, verse 14
He knows God hears him.
5:14
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And this is the confidence that we have in him- the word translated “confidence” is the same as is translated “boldness” in Hebrews 10:19. It is literally “the absence of fear in speaking boldly”. This is the holy boldness that those who believe on the name of the Son of God have been given, and that confidence is in Him, as one totally competent to deal with our requests.
That, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us- the Lord Jesus told His own, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in my name, I will do it”, John 14:13,14. We can easily see why John, and his readers, have confidence, for they have the promise of the Lord Jesus behind them. We can also see that when John writes “He heareth us”, it signifies the same as when the Lord Jesus said, “that will I do”. So, confident that we believe in the name of the Son of God, we claim the answers to our requests that He promised He would give, so that His Father might be glorified.
Third thing known, verses 15-17
He knows God will answer intelligent prayers.
5:15
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
And if we know that he hear us- as we do, for He has promised to respond to those who believe on His name.
Whatsoever we ask- the words of the Lord were, “if ye ask anything in My name, I will do it”. And John has written in the previous verse, “if we ask anything according to His will”, so there are conditions attached to the promises. Those who make requests according to His will, may rest assured that they will be answered.
We know that we have the petitions that we desired of him- John is stating very definitely here that God always answers the prayers of His people when they ask according to His will. The question we often have is, “Where is the answer?” We pray in a way which we believe is in accordance with His will, and there seems to be no change. Does this mean the prayer has not been answered? This verse tells us otherwise. The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them”, Mark 11:24.
So we could list the conditions for answered prayer as follows:
First condition
Belief in the name of the Son of God.
Second condition
Asking according to His will for things in harmony with His character.
Third condition
Belief that the answer is given.
We need to exercise that the answer is given, for it may not appear to us to be given. It may be that the answer is in a different form to the one we expected. Or it may be appropriate for the answer to be held back in the wisdom of God.
Well might we say with the man of Mark 9:24, “Lord, I believe; help Thou my unbelief”. We can see now why “believe on the name of the Son of God is mentioned twice in verse 13, (and why it is a mistake to tamper with it). We need to be believers in His name to ask, and believers in His name to receive.
John now proceeds to illustrate his point by deliberately using a difficult situation to show that God does answer prayer. The use of the word “whatsoever” in verse 15 was not an exaggeration.
Before considering the next verses we need to notice the various ways in which the word “death” is used in Scripture:
1. Physical death: This is the separation of the spirit from the body. As James puts it, “The body without the spirit is dead”, James 2:26. The cause of this is the presence within a man, (whether believer or unbeliever), of the sin-principle, for “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23.
2. Governmental death: The separation of the believer’s spirit from his body in physical death because of God’s discipline, as in 1 Corinthians 11:30, “for this cause many…sleep”. Some believers at Corinth were sinning so badly that they had to be removed in the government of God, so that the shame that their sin brought to His name could be halted.
3. Spiritual death: The separation of the sinner from God because of the sin of Adam. “And you…who were dead in trespasses and sins”, Ephesians 2:1. “If one died for all, then were all dead”, 2 Corinthians 5:14. The Lord Jesus taught this when He said that the one who believes “is passed from death unto life”, John 5:24.
4. Moral death: Separation of the believer from the enjoyment of spiritual things. “If ye live after the flesh ye shall die”, Romans 8:13. When a believer is acting according to the Spirit, he is being true to his calling, and is living. When a believer is acting according to the flesh, he is in death. This was the experience of the prodigal son when he was in the far country, for his father said, “This my son was dead, and is alive again”, Luke 15:24. In the far country, he was dead to his father and his position as son. Back in the father’s house, he was alive to his father and his proper status as son. The same is true of the young widow in 1 Timothy 5:6, for Paul writes, “she that liveth for pleasure is dead while she liveth”. That is, she is dead to spiritual things all the time she lives for pleasure- but this can change.
5. Eternal death: The separation of the sinner, (with his soul and spirit reunited with his body), from God eternally. This is the second death, after the resurrection of the unsaved dead, and the appearance before God’s great white throne. It will be spent in Gehenna, the Lake of Fire.
We may discover which death John is referring to by using a process of elimination, as follows:
It cannot be physical death, for whether on not we die does not depend on whether or not we practice sin. Physical death is because of the sin principle within, and all men, believers or not, have this, and tend to death. The only thing that can prevent this is the coming of the Lord Jesus for His saints, which is why Paul wrote, “we shall not all sleep”, 1 Corinthians 15:51.
It cannot be spiritual death, for that is the condition of all unbelievers, irrespective of what kinds of sin they commit. And it does not apply to believers, for they have passed out of (spiritual) death unto (eternal) life. Nothing they do can reverse that process, or else they would come into judicial condemnation, and the Lord Jesus promised this would not happen.
It cannot be eternal death, for once a person has reached the Lake of Fire there is no hope for him.
So we are left with two options, either the reference is to moral death, or to governmental death. In the case of moral death, the situation is that a believer is seen to be committing a sin which is preventing him enjoying spiritual things. As such he is in moral death, and that particular part of his life does not count as Christian experience. But John envisages a situation where a brother commits a sin which is not unto death. So the idea that he means moral death is clearly wrong, for all sins that a believer commits result in moral death, so in this sense there is no “sin not unto death”.
We are left with the option that John is referring to governmental death, the sort of thing that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 11:30, where behaviour at the Lord’s Supper was bringing shame on the name of Christ. For the cause or sake of judging the Corinthians, the Lord had inflicted them with physical ills. Some were weak, and this was a warning to them, so that they would ask themselves why it was so. Some were sickly, and thus prevented, for their own good, from partaking of the supper. (The practice of taking the bread and wine to those unable to attend the gatherings is contrary to the nature of the supper, for it is an assembly action, when believers are gathered together. Furthermore, it would have to be decided whether the sickness was sent by the Lord to prevent the person from eating and drinking the Lord’s Supper, and this mere mortals cannot do, especially now the gift of discerning of spirits has been withdrawn). There were some at Corinth who had not responded to the lesser judgements of weakness and sickliness by repenting of their evil ways. These had been removed by the Lord in judgement, lest further shame should come upon His name, and further blame would rest upon them if they continued to eat unworthily.
Note that the apostle says “for this cause”. Excepting those alive when the Lord comes, every believer will sleep in death, as to the body. Death is not a judgement for all the saints, but only for those in question is this passage. The believer’s body is his last link with a fallen creation, and is subject to the same afflictions as everyone else. We should not therefore conclude that every believer who is weak, or sick, or who dies, must necessarily be under the judgement of the Lord.
With these things in mind, we proceed to verse 16.
5:16
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.
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death- adopting the view advocated above, we say that John is referring to the sort of sin that is not of such seriousness as to warrant God’s intervention, at least for the time being. Of course all sin is serious and should be shunned, but the apostle is being realistic here, as he was in 2:1 where he exhorted the believers to not sin, but also referred to the provision God had made for them if they did sin, even Christ as their advocate.
God does not always intervene governmentally in the lives of His people immediately they begin to stray from the paths of righteousness. He supplies by His Spirit, often through His people, the guidance they need to bring them back. But John is thinking of a situation where the brother is sinning, but not in such a severe way as merits immediate Divine intervention. He is not, at present, sinning unto death.
He shall ask- the spiritual response from a loving believer will be to pray for him. He will not gloat over the sin; will not adopt a “holier than thou” attitude; will not “feed on failure”, deriving some weird pleasure from the fault of another, (as if that fault makes his life less faulty). He will do none of these things, but will resort to prayer.
And he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death- in wonderful grace, God gives the believing brother the credit for the recovery of the sinning brother. It is the one who prays who is said to give them man life, for he has rescued him from a pathway that would have led to being cut off by physical death. The prayer is answered, the request is granted, and is given, in the first instance, to the one who prayed. How noble an act praying for erring brethren must be! Note that having been granted the life of one believer, this praying brother goes on to pray for others, so the apostle says “give him life for them“, not “give him life for him“.
There is a sin unto death- by using the singular number, the apostle is not indicating that there is only one sin unto death, leaving us with the problem of discovering what it is. There is a category of “sin unto death”, just as there is a category of “sin not unto death”. What is in view is a particular sin, which in one brother’s case, will result in him being removed from the scene.
I do not say that he shall pray for it- John uses a different word for the prayer here. The word ask, as at the beginning of the verse, is a request for something to be given, in this case, life. The word pray is usually a request to do something, in this case to refrain from intervening in judgement. This is a very bold sort of prayer, and perhaps John is not sure that all believers are spiritual enough to pray this sort of prayer. So he does not exhort or command that this prayer be made, but leaves it open. He does not want to encourage unwise prayers. We should be very cautious, therefore, before we ask God to halt His judgement in this extreme situation. We should learn to ask sooner, before the situation deteriorates almost beyond recovery.
5:17
All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
All unrighteousness is sin- John does two things at least in this verse. In this phrase he warns us against taking his division of sin into “unto death” and “not unto death”, as meaning that we may think of some sins lightly. All deviation from that which is right is sin against God, the standard of righteousness.
And there is a sin not unto death- here John reminds us again that we must distinguish between sins that merit removal by death, and those which do not. After all, who among us has not sinned? Scripture says “The thought of foolishness is sin”, Proverbs 24:9. Should we expect to be removed from earth after such a sin? Clearly there are degrees of guiltiness, and therefore degrees of severity in God’s dealings.
Verses 18-20
Three things the believer knows that are fundamental:
John brings the epistle to an end by setting out three further things that we know. The former set of three things we know had to do with our personal lives, and the personal lives of fellow-believers. Now the apostle speaks of three fundamental truths we know:
First fundamental truth, verse 18
That believers have a nature that does not sin.
Second fundamental, verse 19
There is a difference between believers and the world.
Third fundamental, verse 20
That the Son of God came to give us understanding.
First fundamental, verse 18
That believers have a nature that does not sin.
5:18
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.
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not- the apostle had dealt with this in 3:9, hence he can write “we know”. The believer has the life of God and the Spirit of God, and neither God or His Spirit can sin. The believer has a nature that is the result of being born of God, and that nature is not capable of sinning either. This is God’s view of the situation, although the reality in our lives is often sadly different. But John is not dealing with practicalities here, but principles governing God’s dealing with us.
But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself- the apostle has already defined a believer as one who “sinneth not”, 3:6, where he used a construction which serves to make “sinneth not” like a title, “a non-sinning one”. But this does not mean that a believer is sinless in practice, for he still has the ability to sin. This is why there is the need to purify the life of all that is contrary to Christ in all His sinlessness. He is the great example, for “in Him is no sin”, 3:5. So we need to keep a watch on ourselves, lest sin is allowed in the life, with the consequence indicated in the next phrase.
And that wicked one toucheth him not- because he only deals with sin, the wicked one, the Devil, has no handhold on the believer. John is writing as if he expects that there is the watchful care on the part of the believer, with the result that the Devil has no matter he can use in an accusation in the presence of God. Too often we are not watchful, and we find ourselves in need of the advocacy of Jesus Christ the righteous, but the apostle is writing so that we do not get ourselves into that compromised position.
Second fundamental, verse 19
There is a difference between believers and the world.
5:19
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
And we know that we are of God- this knowledge transforms everything. To be of God means that the origin of one’s spiritual life is God Himself. He has imparted His life in the new birth, and this marks the difference between the believer and the world. This makes spiritual decisions very easy, for we have only to ask “Is this of God?” and all becomes clear.
And the whole world lieth in wickedness- there is no middle ground, no compromise, for the whole world, (the sum total of those who are not “of God”), lie in wickedness. The false teachers that were attacking the believers in John’s day would claim that they were of God also, but in a superior sense. They claimed advanced knowledge, beyond what the apostles taught. The apostle will not allow this at all. If a person is not born again, (as the false teachers were not), then that person is part of the world, and no section of the world can be said to not be in wickedness. John has already written about the false prophets, “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them”, 4:5.
So there is a clear-cut difference between believers and the world, for the former are of God, with all the blessings that brings, but the latter lie in wickedness. Wickedness is that which is hurtful spiritually. The word that is translated “lie” here means to be stretched out full length, and is in the Middle Voice, which indicates that the position is voluntary. There is no effort to move, or to escape, showing that the one lying is content to be there, with no desire to change position.
Third fundamental, verse 20
That the Son of God came to give us understanding.
5:20
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.
And we know that the Son of God is come- since the next phrase speaks of “us”, the apostle is linking himself with all believers as he affirms that they know that the Son of God is come. They are not mistaken as to who Jesus of Nazareth is. He came from Nazareth to be baptised of John, but He came from heaven before that.
And hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true- an understanding is the ability to think spiritual things over and think them through to their logical conclusion. It is literally “deep thought”. The unsaved have their understanding darkened, Ephesians 4:18, but the believer, by the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation”, Ephesians 1:17, is able to consider spiritual things seriously, and come to conclusions. This faculty is ours as a result of the coming of the Son of God. In Him are hid “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”, Colossians 2:3. As the one who is the Word, (the discloser of the mind of God), He has declared God to us. To know God is to know, potentially, all we could possibly know. To think deeply about the things of God is to understand.
And we are in him that is true- instead of being in the world, with all its wickedness and error, we are in Him that is true. Who that is in practical terms is defined for us in the next phrase. The fact that we know “Him that is true” is a sign that we have eternal life, which is to know God, John 17:3. The fact that we have eternal life is the sign that we are in the Son of God who also is true. We are enclosed in a living relationship with Him, the source for us of all that is real and substantial. There is no detachment from reality for the believer, for he is vitally linked in unbreakable relationship with Him by the indwelling of the Spirit, John 14:20.
Even in his Son Jesus Christ- this defines who “Him that is true” of the last phrase is. Of course, God the Father and the Spirit of God are true also, but it is through the Son of God that the knowledge of God is obtained, for He is the Word, able to disclose what is in the Divine mind.
This is the true God, and eternal life- this one of whom John has been writing, the Son of God, can be said to be the true God, without in any way detracting from the glory of the Father, since they are one. To be in relationship with God through His Son is to have eternal life, for as John wrote as he opened this epistle, He is “that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us”, 1:2.
5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen- in view of all that he has said about God in the epistle, it is fitting that John should warn his readers about all that is contrary to the knowledge of God. As the apostle Paul put it, “flee from idolatry”, 1 Corinthians 10:14. Such are the glories of Divine persons, that they should not have to compete for attention in the believer’s mind. The word idol is based on the word to see, so is anything that comes before the eyes, whether the eyes physically, or the eyes mentally, that diverts our attention from that which is of God. This would include false teaching, which makes the doctrines John has set out in this epistle so relevant and important; let us take note, and keep ourselves from anything that would divert our attention from God and His Son.