1 John: Week 15 (Wednesday 6th July)
(from www.insightforliving.org.uk)
Chapter 5:1-12
The apostle John, perhaps more than any other apostle, deserves our undistracted attention. Even as we inhabit a world filled with countless distractions, the significance of his words bids us to sit still and focus. Throughout his letter, we observe how he emphasizes his apostolic authority and the importance of listening to what he says:
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. (1 John 1:1)
This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. (1:5)
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (4:1)
John spent some of his most formative years with Jesus—day after day watching Jesus, conversing with Jesus, working alongside Jesus . . . just being with Jesus. Then he spent decades heralding the message of Jesus—through persecution, hardship, mistreatment, and pain. By the writing of the letter of 1 John, his years on this earth numbered nearly one hundred.
If any Christian’s words carry the weight of authority, they’re John’s. By now, we have come to appreciate the immense care John gave to his writing. He wrote with simplicity and clarity—words that, still today, apply to us directly.
Chapter five continues in the same vein. In this Searching the Scriptures Bible study on 1 John 5:1–12, we explore the profound meaning of the simple statement:
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. (1 John 5:12)
PREPARE YOUR HEART
Faith begins only after we receive Jesus’ testimony. Once we hear the gospel, the Spirit ignites faith in our hearts. But the Spirit doesn’t then leave us. After giving us spiritual life, He then helps us grow as God’s children. That process occurs as we “humbly accept the word God has planted in [our] hearts” (James 1:21).
Ask God to help you do just that during your study.
TURN TO THE SCRIPTURES
New Testament writers used a variety of images to describe a Christian’s identity. Christians are “sheep,” ( John 10:2–12), “children of God” (Matthew 5:9), and “temporary residents and foreigners” (1 Peter 2:11). These titles name only a few.
Titles like these are important because they translate that everyday image into a spiritual truth.1 We study the Bible well when we let our minds reflect on those monikers. Deep reflection draws out deep meaning. As he prepared to close his letter, John ascribed multiple titles to his Christian readers. We’ll observe those now and discover their significance for us as we follow Jesus.
Observation: Believers and Overcomers
Begin by reading the entire passage, 1 John 5:1–12. Write down the key subjects and break down the passage into paragraphs. Also, jot down your top three observations from this passage.
Believers—1 John 5:1–3
Turn your attention to 1 John 5:1–3. How did John describe what it means to be a believer? (Note the additional title he associated with being a believer.)
Just as a bride and groom’s wedding vows spring from their love for each other, so our love for God flows freely into our commitment to Christ. As believers, our vows to obey Jesus are no burden—no more of a burden than the wedding bands on newlyweds’ fingers. Forged in love and displayed with delight is our belief in Christ!
We believe that Jesus is the Christ, the anointed Savior from God. That means we believe in His deity. Believing in Jesus’ deity then turns into a love relationship with the Father.
Whoever believes also loves the Father. That love for the Father prompts obedience to the Father which makes His commandments a joy instead of a burden.
Overcomers—1 John 5:4–5
Look at 1 John 5:4–5. What did John emphasize about Christians in these verses?
Chuck’s Commentary Insight
First John Theme: Overcomers
Notice it isn’t any good work or personal perseverance that overcomes the world, but it’s our faith. Faith in what? In the finished work of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. John makes this abundantly clear, leaving no room for a misunderstanding that we overcome the world by even one ounce of our own exerted strength: “Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes
that Jesus is the Son of God?” (5:5).
Assurance—1 John 5:11–12
Let’s explore one last passage during observation. Read 1 John 5:11–12. What assurance do Christians have when they believe in Jesus? What does “having the Son” give us? In a world where all life eventually fades into death, Christ came to give eternal life. We need merely to bow before Him with open hands to receive all His gifts. He’ll lift us up, adopt us into His family, and give us the
death-defeating victory that His death and resurrection secured on our behalf.
Interpretation: Witnesses
For this section, we’ll dive into the most difficult part of our passage, 1 John 5:6–10. Read it now. Then write down a few questions which you would like to answer during interpretation.
Who or what are the three witnesses in this passage? And to what do they witness?
Now consult your resources, like Constable’s Notes
as well as additional Bible translations. Research the significance of each witness: water, blood, and Spirit. Determine what John meant with each reference and how each testimony contributes to the identity of Jesus. All divine truth culminates in the work of God through Jesus Christ. All divine truth points us to Jesus. He died on our behalf. He arose to give us life. He reigns at the right hand of the Father and will conquer all evil, perhaps one day soon. All of God’s saving work leads us to Christ.
For this reason, Chuck Swindoll emphasizes two essentials all biblical teachers must hold. First, ensure they respect, believe, and obey the infallible, inerrant Word of God. Nothing can replace the Bible. Second, verify they uphold the biblical teaching about Jesus’ person and work. All false teaching twists Jesus’ message, downplays Jesus’ identity, or distorts Jesus’ work.
Correlation: More Than Conquerors
John devoted just two verses to the victory we enjoy in Jesus. The apostle Paul, too, wrote about the Christian’s victory. He tied the surety of our victory to Christ’s deep love for us. Romans 8:35–39 correlates well with 1 John 5:1–12. Read what Paul said in that majestic passage. Describe how his statements complement what we learned from John.
God’s love for us in Christ secures the gift He has given us: eternal life. Such a gift surpasses receiving the entire universe because eternal life bonds us to the living God. That bond works like a promissory note with immediate payouts in this life. Those payouts foretaste the sum of bliss promised to us in the next.
Application: Living Victorious
Application helps us live as victorious Christians by helping us embrace our identity in Jesus. We strive to become whom He has promised to make us. After death, we shall be perfect. Before then, we take steps to put on our new spiritual clothes in Christ. We do so by learning God’s truth, believing Jesus’ promises, obeying Jesus’ commands, and heeding Jesus’ warnings.
First, God’s truth. Write down one truth from 1 John 5:1–12 which you found to be especially meaningful and encouraging.
Now consider a promise you would like to take from our passage. Once you’ve found it, record it below.
Lastly, think of a command or warning that popped out at you while you studied 1 John 5:1–12. Did you feel the Spirit’s nudge to make a change in something you do or a way you think? If so, write what change you wish to make and your plan to implement that change.
What a privilege God has bestowed by preserving John’s writings! Their simplicity and clarity create a window through which we can behold the face of God. John’s words help us recognize Jesus’ presence—that He’s with us, looking at us, talking to us through His Word.
A FINAL PRAYER
Father, with everything within me, I thank You for giving me Your Son. I know I have life because I have Him. What more could I want? Thank You for making me an overcomer. Please help me to walk victoriously in the truth I learned from this passage. In Jesus’ name, amen.