1 John 5

1 John 5 ~ Vs 1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born (begotten, conceived) of God: and every one that loveth him that begat (Jesus), loveth him also that is begotten of him (Jesus Jh 5:21). 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." ~ First as Adam the child of God is begotten (Lk 3:38), conceived by God the Father, which is evident by the fruit of the spirit (Gen 3:7 opening his eyes to his depraved condition), yet he in the darkness of the spiritual womb (Gal 1:13) as all othise before Gal 3:23. In Hebrews chapter eleven we are given those of faith, yet never received the promise (11:15 of the new covenant faith Rom 12:3, Heb 8:11,1 Jh 5:4), This promise being the engrafted word of God (James 1:21, 1 Pet 1:23), new covenant faith that was shut up unto them (Gal 3:23). Gal 6:10 “Let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” The statement, ‘his commandments are not grievous’ speaks more so of the doctrinal teachings of Rom 8:28 and not of our moral responsibilities. (1 Sam 15:23 vs 2 Sam 13:13).
Verse four speaks of the engrafted (James 1:21) word which only those called to be witnesses of the truth have been given. Not all of Gods’ children given this blessed truth will confess it, for knowing that 'Jesus is the Christ' (2 Cor 5:19) rejected him (Mt 21:32).
Vs 4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” ~ I seldom hear this verse preached on, but it has become one of my most beloved texts. The ‘what’, rather than the ‘who’ carries a profound meaning to me. It tells me that it is not by my power nor will that I am able to overcome the false doctrines of the world. It is because of the engrafted word or dealt faith of the new covenant that has worked in me the will and the to do of his good pleasure (Phi 2:13). It is the inner sounding board that is able to detect the uncertain sound of the false doctrines (1 Cor 14:8). Had God, not left us a seed we would all have been a Sodom (Isa 1:9, Rom 9:29).
Vs 5 “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth (n) 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.” ~ This believeth is not a verb which calls for action of the person, but a noun that expresses a fact known by the person. This apostle is the only one who speaks of water with blood recorded at his crucifixion (Jh 19:34). John also used the term water in his account of how the gospel works. We first find it in 2:9, wherein the earthen vessel used for purification is used to contain the water, which is turned into wine. It is my understanding that the vessels were those, which the law service used for the cleansing or purifying of the things in the temple. Here we see in Rev 1:5 ‘Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests.’ It does not that will make us, but hath already. Under the New Testament we have a need of the gospel, for a daily cleansing. John in 3:3 tells us that in order to see, or rather understand the truth, one must be begotten again (from above, regenerated Mt 19:28) by the Spirit. After having being quickened, conceived by the Spirit, they must then be born, brought forth from the darkness of the spiritual womb, not again from above, but by the water and spirit, in order to enter into the kingdom. John tells us in 1:13 that those that believe (n) are born (regenerated as in 3:3) of God, not of (natural birth) blood, that is according to his fleshly descendent, nor man will (their acceptance). Now here we are told that the true believer must come by water and blood, even as Jesus did. How does this differ from 1:13 and 3:3? It is my understanding that it has to do with the witness of the truth by Jesus. The blood as the Passover blood also indicates the type of life that one is living, because of the blood covering. (John 18:37) ‘I should bear witness unto the truth', as he ministered here in this time world. It is the water that defines his teachings as we read in Luke 4:18 ‘He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.’

Vs 7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” ~ We can see in 1 Cor 15:27 that “He (Father) hath put all things under his (Jesus) feet. But when He (Father) saith, all things are put under him (Jesus), it is manifest that He (Father) is excepted, which did put all things under him (Jesus).” Here we have a definite separation of the authority of the Father and Jesus, yet we are told they are one. It is my understanding that God the Father was in Jesus Christ, in the work of atonement (2 Cor 2:19), which was accomplished in the three hours of darkness on the cross. They are then one in purpose, will, and decree, to complete the work of atonement. The sacrificial goat and the fit man were typed as Jesus the man, and the scapegoat was the eternal soul, which is recorded in Ps 16:10 and Acts 2:27 to show a separation (death) of the eternal, for the sin debt of all of the children of God. It is also brought to our attention in Romans 7:4 to show the need that the Husband of Judah must be separated by death from her husband (Jer 31:32). And it is also stated in Heb 9:16 that, ‘where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator: for a testament is in force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.’ The Husband of Judah must of necessity be separated from her by death, in order that the New Testament be of any force. “My brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ (being seperated fron the eternal soul); that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God” (Rom 7:4). The atonement have been completed by the Father (Gen 22:8) as he was in the Son, and now the Holy Ghost is the administrator of the new covenant which enables those call to be a witness of the truth, guidiing them in all truths. These three are recorded in the council halls of eternity.
Vs 8 “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” ~ It is my understanding that the witnesses in the earth are the spirit of truth (1 Jh 2:20,27) as found in the new covenant. The preached word, and the blood of the Passover (witnessed in the first three hours upon the cross) covering of the first born or bride of Jesus as their lives show forth his glory. The Holy Ghost is the administrator of this blood covering during the gospel age. Those called and chosen are not only provided the atonement of their sins, but also given this double portion, the knowledge of this completed work of the atonement. Having been in the first resurrection (Rv 20:5) for they have been called unto the marriage of the Lamb (Rv 19:8,9), and have been delivered from the fear of death, and the bondage of the law (Heb 2:15). They are not as the Jews, who came to John in order to escape the wrath to come, for they did fear death as also those who are still subject to some work system.
Vs 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. 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.” ~ John simply amplifies the last verse, wherein the law written upon the heart of those who have been brought forth from the spiritual womb, by the mother of us all (Gal 426), to the light, knowledge of the truth (Mt 11:19, Lk 7:35), which testifies to the basic truths which the church is founded upon. There are those in the called out who will not abide in the vine, because of pride, and will depart, and leading other out with them. Thanks be to God he has chosen a seed, remnant that will not bow to the image of Baal, thus providing the needed stability within the body of believers, so as to guide the church through troubled times.

Vs 11 “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.” ~ The lesson herein is not to establish sonship, for by the use of the pronoun us, John is defining discipleship. The eternal life is that which the faithful disciple abides within. Remember the lesson here in John is about the faithful bride of Christ, and also those who have failed in the blessings afforded them by the new covenant. To understand this, one needs only to go back to Chapter Two and read from verse Nineteen through twenty-seven. Remember the antichrist (1 Jh 2:18, 22, 4:3, 2 Jh 7) is those who have knowledge of the truth, That 'Jesus is the Christ' and deny it, therefore becoming liars, and refered to the devil as their father, because he was a liar from the beginning. The devil does not procreate children but by deception draws away children of God to their own destruction (Mt 7:13, Phil 3:19, 2 Tim 2:26)

Vs 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.” ~ Again we find the idea of this eternal life which the true disciples of Christ have in this present time world (Jh 17:3). It is the seed of Christ in his bride, enabling them to overcome the false doctrines of this time world (1 Cor 14:7,1 Jh 5:4). It is by this dealt faith that one believes (n) on the name of the Son of God.

Vs 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 if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” ~ What a blessed privilege is given to those called unto the wedding feast. As one who is called, as was Abram, steps out on the dealt faith, taking up his cross and following after the lowly Lamb of God, he is able to add (2 Pet 1:5) to this dealt faith and grow in grace to the point the confidence becomes so strong in his blessed husband that when he calls unto him, he can know that his petitions will be answered.

Vs 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. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." ~ This verse has probably created more sorrow to the poor struggling child of grace than any other in the word of God. The way it has been applied has torn the churches asunder and destroyed the confidence in the church for so many disciples. The sin unto death ~ what is it? We can look at the Old Testament and study the first two kings of Israel, and find that the first one, Saul, committed a sin unto death. How do we know this? As we read the account of Saul we see that God turned his back upon him when he became proud and did what he decided was right concerning King Agag (2 Sam 15:23). On the other hand David’s sin would be much grosser in the sight of most Old Baptists today than was Saul’s sin. Yes we look upon moral and doctrinal sins much different than what God does. Jh 8:11, 2 Cor 2:7 speaks of a moral sin and Heb 6:4, 10:29 speaks of a willful doctrinal sin. The history of the church has suffered the onslaught of the old Puritan doctrine of perseverance since the beginning of her history, and yet when the false teachers arise, we continue to allow them to remain in our fellowship until they have led many weak members off. May the God of all grace give us greater love for those who have fallen into the sins of the flesh as did King David.

Vs 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. 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." ~ This lesson was also taught in 3:8-10, wherein it speaks of the inner man that is born from above (Jh 3:3) and not the outer man which cannot refrain from those things he would not (Gal 5:17). No the devil cannot touch the seed, inner man for it is shielded by the Passover blood of the Lamb of God. The world that lieth in wickedness is the world of false teachers, for they give their listeners no foundation to stand on against the wickedness of the flesh. Yes the Son of God has indeed came and established himself in the hearts of his bride, to give understanding of the truth. May we be strong in the faith and keep ourselves from the false doctrines of this wicked world? Yes and walk not after the lust of the flesh.

Amen. 8/11/08 Rev. 5/26/2009 Rev 9/2/09 By Allen