1 John 5: Overcomers

• v.1-4 Loving God means loving His children
• v.5-12 Belief & Testimony that Overcomes
• v.13-15 Concluding Assurances
• v.16-21 More on the Battle Against Sin

[Chapter Synopsis: The interaction between love and obedience that follows being born again is seen resulting in us living lives as overcomers, responding to that conviction that Jesus is the Son of God, testified to by the Father, and a conviction that we have eternal life and an intimate relationship with the Father. Finally, there is the reminder of the battle where we may need to pray for others who stumble to restore them to God, while maintaining our own distinctiveness from those in ‘the world’ who are under the sway of the enemy, constantly reminding ourselves that we are children of God with all that that involves.]  

v.1-4 Loving God means loving His children

[Passage Synopsis: The divinely supernatural life starts and finishes with believing in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, and our love for him is expressed in our obedience to him, and it is his that enables us to combat ‘the world’]

v.1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

v.2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

v.3,4 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

[Note: Everyone who truly believes in Jesus will be born again, developing our love for God and for one another, and we’ll love one another when we love and obey God. Love for God is expressed by obeying Him and this overcomes ‘the world’ and its values.]

v.5-12 Belief & Testimony that Overcomes

[Passage Synopsis: Triumph for believers comes in their testimony that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. It is a testimony revealed in his life on earth, at the time of his baptism and before he was crucified by the voice of the Father so there is no doubt – eternal life comes through believing in Jesus.]

v.5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

v.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.

v.7,8 For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

v.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.

v.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

v.11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

v.12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

[Note: Overcomers are believers in Jesus, who came and lived in the flesh, was baptized and died on the Cross and all those facts agree – Jesus is the Son of God. This is the testimony the Father has given of His Son and so if you believe in the Son, you believe the Father’s testimony of him. God’s testimony declares that eternal life comes through His Son. It’s ‘in Christ’ you have eternal life.]

v.13-15 Concluding Assurances

[Passage Synopsis: This relationship with the Father through the Son is certain and leads to eternal life and an intimacy of relationships seen in prayer.]

v.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.

v.14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

v.15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

[Note: John writes to confirm these truths, thus ‘in Christ’ we know when we pray God hears us and if he hears us when we pray His will, He will answer.]

v.16-21 More on the Battle Against Sin

[Passage Synopsis: We need to recognize that life is a battle and so pray for those believers who stumble. Where some have totally turned away, your prayers will bounce off them. Where there are believers still aiming for God, even if they stumble, He will keep them. Remember the distinction: you are a child of God; the others follow the enemy. Let Jesus teach you and give you understanding but steer clear of the enemies activities.] 

v.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.

v.17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

v.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.

v.19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

v.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.

v.21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

[Note: Pray for stumbling brothers or sisters and save them, at least where it is not apostasy that leads to death. Some sin will not lead to death [that which is not apostasy, a total turning from God]. Where there is a true ‘new birth’ there will not be sin, and as long as our hearts are set on God, He will keep us. Remember the distinction – we are children of God, no longer those under Satan’s sway. Jesus has come to help us understand these things, and to keep us, so as children of God, keep clear of the work of the enemy.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: