1 John

Tuesday, 2 June 2020

This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:6

John just spoke of the one who overcomes the world, noting that “he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” is such a person. He was referring to the fact that Jesus is fully God. But elsewhere, John has said, “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God” (1 John 4:2).

In that, John was not only referring to Christ’s deity (noting that He has “come in the flesh” and implying that He existed prior to that moment), but that He is also fully human because He took on flesh at the incarnation. The context of John’s words is important because they are needed to rightly discern what he will now refer to.

This verse, 1 John 5:6, is an especially difficult one and has been interpreted in several ways. John begins with, “This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ.” John shows that it is a factual, historical occurrence – Christ “came by water and blood.” This is surely a reference to Christ’s incarnation. As He said in John 3:13 – “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”

Jesus spoke there of the incarnation, acknowledging that He is from heaven, and yet, He was obviously a man, physically present at that moment with Nicodemus. And so, the question is, what does John mean by saying that “He came by water and blood?” Four prominent options are –

1) The baptism and death of Jesus Christ;
2) The water and blood which came from His side when He was pierced on the cross;
3) Purification (washing) and redemption (through His sacrifice); and
4) Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

The last two are spiritual/symbolic rather than literal and are unlikely because John says that He “came by water and blood.” To spiritualize that wouldn’t make sense. The second one is also unlikely because it reverses John’s terminology of the “blood and water” at the cross – “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34).

But more than merely reversing the terminology, the water and blood which came out from His side came after His earthly work of fulfilling the law. It reverses the thought of coming by water and blood, putting it at the end rather the beginning of His incarnation.

Because of this, the first is the most likely of the traditional views, but even that makes no sense because Christ was “about thirty years of age” (Luke 3:23) when He began His ministry. Further, the death of Christ is, again, an event at the end of His ministry. To say He “came” by water and blood would place these events in an awkward format, indicating that His ministry from thirty years of age, until His crucifixion, was all that the gospels were concerned with. Such is not the case, even if it is the highlight of them.

Rather, a fifth – and much more likely – option would be that –

5) Jesus came by water (the water of the womb in which He came into humanity) and the blood (demonstrating His human life).

This is, in fact, what John has been speaking about – Jesus Christ came in the flesh. But He was not created in the flesh as Adam was. Rather He is the incarnate Son of God, but He is also fully human – having come through the birthing process and bearing the actual blood of humanity which was passed on through the genealogy of His ancestors.

The Old Testament states several times that “the life is in the blood,” and it therefore makes an apt description of proof of humanity, particularly when Jesus’ blood was what proved His death and our atonement. Hence, John says, “not only by water, but by water and blood.” There are articles before both “water” and “blood.” It more correctly reads, “not in the water only, but in the water and in the blood.”

Christ wasn’t created in Mary’s womb. Rather, He was conceived of the Father and Mary. Thus, His blood would bear the Life of the Father, and the humanity of His mother. The spiritually dead state of all other humans was not seen in Him. Rather, the spiritual connection to the Father existed, and it remained unsevered due to His perfect obedience in His life. This is why John next says, “And it is the Spirit who bears witness.”

It is generally assumed that this refers to the Holy Spirit. In the next verse, John will use the term “Holy Spirit,” thus defining it as such. The Spirit of God is the witness to the incarnation, and He is the witness to the perfection of life throughout Christ’s earthly walk. Unlike Adam who sinned, and whose spiritual connection to God was severed, Christ remained united to God due to His perfect obedience.

As is stated at the announcement of His coming – “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

Therefore, the evidence of his birth into the stream of humanity is treated in the conception and natal period signified by the water. His physical life, human characteristics, and His divine nature (sinlessness) are evidenced by His blood. And, His deity is also as evidenced by the work of the Holy Spirit as proclaimed in the gospel accounts. These things are true, and the Spirit testifies to them, assuring us that it is so “because the Spirit is truth.” Again, there is a missing article. It reads, “because the Spirit is the truth.”

That the Spirit is the truth is testified to by Jesus in John 14:17, 15:26, and 16:13. Nothing false is conveyed by the Spirit, and therefore there is nothing false in Christ Jesus because – as it reads in Luke 1:35, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

Though this view is not one of the traditional views of scholars of the past, it is the view which corresponds to what John is speaking of throughout this epistle concerning the human/divine nature of Christ, how to discern the spirit of the Antichrist, and what is required for salvation of one who accepts the premise of what God has done in and through Jesus Christ. It further maintains the context of John’s thought of the previous verses, and of the verses to come.

Life application: The Bible is a book which presents many doctrines, but the main premise of the Bible is that God would send His Son into the world in order to redeem man. It would be a work of God alone, and it would be a work which testifies to the truth that God loves His creatures enough to unite with His own creation in order to accomplish that redemption.

We are to accept – without equivocation – that Jesus Christ is fully man, and yet He is fully God. To deny either of these tenets is to deny God His rightful glory for what He has done. Further, it is an abuse of the very word which tells us of Jesus Christ. No person can be saved who denies the fundamental truth that Jesus Christ is the God/Man because they have denied the very word which speaks out this truth. To deny the word is to deny the truth of God who gave us His word.

Have faith in what God has done through Christ Jesus and be saved once and forever through His precious shed blood.

Heavenly Father, Your glorious word testifies to the Person of Jesus, coming in the flesh. He is both fully God and fully Man. He is the bridge between the infinite and the finite, between the Spirit and the flesh, between Your eternal being and our temporal being. Thank You for Jesus who has bridged the gap and restored us to You! Amen.

Monday, 1 June 2020

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5

Look at how John weaves thoughts together to ensure all ends are secure –

“…whatever is born of God overcomes the world.” (5:4)
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (5:1)
“He who believes the Jesus is the Son of God” overcomes the world. (5:5)
“Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.” (4:2)
“…every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (4:3).

In this, John is obviously equating “Christ” with “Son of God.” The Christ is God incarnate (come in the flesh) – where the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). John is once again revealing that which is true and that which is false. This calls out for proper understanding because to believe otherwise is the spirit of the Antichrist.

There are those who claim that Jesus is the Christ, but they do not believe He is God incarnate. Thus, verse 5:1 does not apply to them. There are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they do not accept that He is then fully God. Thus, verse 5:5 does not apply to them. In other words, there are sons of God recorded in both testaments – such as in Genesis 6 and Job 1. These are referring to human beings, not the divine Son of God.

There are also sons of God in the New Testament, such as in Romans 8:14 and elsewhere. These are adopted sons of God, not the Son begotten of God – meaning Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God.

One must take the words of John on a much more global scale to fully understand what he is referring to. Without doing so, a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness might appear to pass the test of one who overcomes the world. But such is not the case. Through evaluating the entire scope of what John is referring to, we find that such heretics do not pass muster, and have not overcome the world. As John asks, “Who is he who overcomes the world…?”

It is the person who will meet the qualifications he will now state, but that person must meet the other qualifications which are directly tied to his next words as well. John then says that it is “he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is the person who overcomes. But he only does so if he believes that the Son of God (Jesus) is the Christ. And further, he only does so if he confesses that Jesus Christ has also come in the flesh.

If he does so, he is of God and has both been born of God and has overcome the world. If he does not confess the deity of Christ (having come in the flesh), he “is not of God.” In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two. However, sometimes the equation is built upon other such simple equations. When each is properly realized, the truth of the situation is confirmed. This is why it is so important to have a larger understanding of what John is conveying when talking with people from aberrant cults.

Also, in his words, John uses present participles, each prefixed with an article when speaking of the one who overcomes. More literally, he says, “Who now is the one overcoming.” The response is, “…the one believing.” As noted, one can believe in a “Christ” who is not the Christ (see 2 Corinthians 11:4, for example). It is the one believing in the proper Christ, who is the Son of God. In his belief, he is overcoming the world. For those who believe in the wrong “Christ,” they are not overcoming anything. They are still in their sins, and they belong to this world.

Life application: John uses the term “overcome” six times in this letter alone, he uses it 11 times in the book of Revelation, and once in the Gospel of John, totaling 18 times – more than the rest of the Bible combined. This is the last time he uses the term in this letter, and he applies it directly to the belief that Jesus is the Son of God.

As He does so consistently in all of his writings, he brings in the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. To him, and therefore as a necessity to us, the idea of the God/Man is an area which is not debatable, and it is the defining line of the Christian faith. Either a person believes that Jesus is fully God, and also fully Man, or that person stands condemned and will be eternally separated from God. In other words, he has failed to “overcome the world.”

Because Jesus has overcome the world, we too can overcome the world. This is not something we can actively do, except in regard to faith. Rather, only Jesus was able to fulfill the law and to take upon Himself the sins of the world. And not only was He able to do so, but He accomplished His mission – defeating death and the ruler of this world, who is the devil. Because He did, our faith in Him is what allows us to overcome also. But our faith must be properly directed.

When we “call on Jesus as Lord” it must properly acknowledge who He is. Jesus is Lord because Jesus is fully God. Stand firm on this truth and you also will overcome the world.

Yes Jesus! You are our God and we bow our knees in submission to You. It is You who prevailed on our behalf and we wholeheartedly confess You as Lord – the Incarnate Word of God – to the glory of God the Father. Instruct us in the truths of Your word and guide us all our days so that we will be acceptable and faithful followers of You! Amen.

Sunday, 31 May 2020

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:4

In the previous verse, John wrote concerning the commandments of God. He now turns to the simple fact that those who have faith have kept the commandments of God. In this, he begins with, “For whatever is born of God.” It is a perfect participle – “having been born.” Whatever has been born is now in that state, and the state is that of completion. One is not born of God more than once, just as one is not born of a woman and then born a second or a third time.

Further, John uses a neuter adjective, whatever (literally, “all”), to indicate a full view of the matter he is conveying. As Cambridge notes of this, “…whereas the masculine would make the victorious person prominent, the neuter emphasizes rather the victorious power.” That power is defined at the end of the verse as “faith.” Before getting there, he continues the thought. That which is born of God “overcomes the world.” It is all-encompassing. Every single instance where one is born of God, the world is overcome.

The word translated as “overcomes” is an aorist participle. It should say, “having overcome,” or “overcame.” It is a once for all act at a specific point in time. One does not overcome the world in order to have to overcome it again and again. It is overcome and it is done. Any who are born of God have overcome the world. The reciprocal must also be true, if you have the overcome world, it is because you are born of God. John next describes how that comes about saying, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

The word translated as “victory” is found only here in the Bible, it is niké. It is the means of success. It is “a particular expression of victory, resulting from receiving (obeying) the faith Christ imparts (i.e. His inworked persuasion)” (HELPS Word Studies).

John says that “our faith” is what brings about the victory, and that victory is what has made us overcome the world. Thus, our faith is what allows us to be begotten of God. It is exactly the same process that Paul conveys in his epistles.

In John 16, we read –

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus obtained complete victory over the world. For those who have faith in Christ – meaning any and all – they join Him in His victory. The faith in Christ allows them to be born of God, and in their being born of God, they overcome.

Seven times in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus shows what overcoming the world because of faith in Him means –

“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:11

“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:17

“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
²⁷ ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star.” Revelation 2:26-28

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Revelation 3:5

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” Revelation 3:12

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21

Only in one instance does Christ add anything to overcoming, when he said, “and keeps my works to the end.” That implies that not everyone who is saved (which is eternal) will be given this particular power and position. Thus, there is a special blessing to those who not only are saved by Jesus, but who also keep his works. However, the overcoming itself is something which is eternal.

A study on the word “overcome” as it is laid out in the New Testament, gives a rich and full view of the marvel of life in Christ. However, Jesus sums up the thought with these words from Revelation 21:7 –

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

It is faith in the finished work of Christ that allows this to occur.

Life application: NEWS FLASH: Deeds are not and cannot be a part of our salvation – either the declaration of salvation (being declared righteous and thus justified) or a continued necessity for our salvation.

For those who have been told they cannot ever truly know if they are saved, or for those who have been told they must “participate” in their salvation by doing things, or for those who have been told that their faith isn’t real unless they demonstrate the fruit of their salvation, then they have been misled.

Jesus Christ asks us to believe, and the apostles ask us to believe. The written testimony, which is the Word of God, asks us to believe. If we have faith in Jesus’ work, then we “overcome the world.” The term “whatever” indicates the victory of being reborn, not the strength of the person.

The engine of Jesus’ work is sufficient for anyone to overcome the world, but it won’t do so unless it has the fuel of our faith. No person is saved unless he has faith in what Jesus did, but glory to God in the highest, our faith in His work moves the mountains!

Lord God, we are so very glad that our salvation isn’t up to a denomination, a church, or our own effort. Instead, our salvation is entirely up to the work of Jesus Christ and our individual willingness to believe it is so. And we have that faith! We believe Jesus died for each of us, that He rose for us, and that faith in His work is all that we will ever need. Glory to God, it is sufficient, and it is finished!!! Amen.

Saturday, 30 May 2020

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

John just tied loving the children of God in with loving God and keeping His commandments. He now takes that and further defines it, saying, “For this is the love of God.” In order to know we love the children of God, we will understand what it means to love God. John then explains that with the words, “that we keep His commandments.”

As has been consistently noted, this is not speaking of the precepts of the Law of Moses. That has already been defined in Scripture as a “yoke,” and as “bondage.” Speaking of the law, Peter says –

“Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” Acts 15:10

Paul uses the same terminology in Galatians 5 –

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

These, and other such examples, show that the Law of Moses was a burdensome yoke, and it was a point of being brought into bondage. But it also served a good purpose by revealing these things, and also showing the world its need for Christ. Without the law, that would not have been rightly understood. Keeping Gods commandments involves keeping the words which point us to life in Christ, beginning with what Jesus says in John 6 –

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” John 6:29

From there, and being obedient to what God has commanded in Christ (and in proper context), and we will be demonstrating a love of God. John then reveals the nature of this by saying, “And His commandments are not burdensome.” The Greek word, translated as “burdensome,” is barus. This is the last of its six uses. It can be used in a positive sense or a negative one, but it generally signifies grievous, heavy, burdensome, and so on. It is quite appropriate for how both Peter and Paul described the Law of Moses. The commandments of God in Christ, however, are not so.

Life application: John uses a definite article in front of the word “love.” In other words, “the love.” He’s speaking about the same unconditional and eternal love that he has been referring to throughout this epistle. It is grounded in our love for the Father, based on the work of Jesus.

The commandments of God in Christ are not burdensome. Rather, they stand in contrast to the commandments of man. His are a light and easy choice as we can see by His words in the gospel of Matthew –

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. ⁴ For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” Matthew 23:1-4

& again…

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus’ yoke is light because He has already done the hard and heavy work for us. Now we can live in the joy of the Lord and demonstrate our love for God in the keeping of His commandments – as are revealed in the New Covenant.

We know, Lord, that Your commandments are not burdensome, but we also know that we often fail You. Be with us and help us to learn, live, and love the commandments which You have given us through Your New Covenant. May our lives be demonstrations of Your great love for us as we pass it on to others, and also return it to You as well. This we pray, so that our fellowship may be complete. Amen.

Friday, 29 May 2020

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 1 John 5:2

Again, as he has repeatedly done, John begins the thought with, “By this.” In this, he is not making an inference based on conduct, but he is saying that we perceive the fact he will state. In other words, one can keep a commandment for whatever reason and actually not know that he is doing right. If the speed limit is 40mph, and someone is driving 40mph, it doesn’t mean he knows that is the speed limit. He is simply doing what is right without knowing it.

Or, a person can know that he is doing right by keeping a commandment. “The speed limit is 40mph, and I am keeping that law. Therefore, I am doing right.” This latter person is who John is referring to. “By this,” is equated to, “I mentally understand the situation.” Understanding this, John says, “By this we know that we love the children of God.”

In knowing the commandment he will refer to, and in applying the precepts of that commandment, one can know that he loves the children of God. John noted loving the brethren (who are the children of God) in 1 John 3:14 –

“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” 1 John 3:14

In loving the brethren, we know that we have passed from death to life. But how do we know we love the brethren? He tells us with the words, “when we love God and keep His commandments.” John has spoken of loving God “because he first loved us” in the previous chapter. Right after that, he said that if someone says, “I love God,” but he hates his brother, he is a liar. So how can we know we love God? It is if we “keep His commandments.”

This is exactly what Jesus (who is God) was referring to in John 14 –

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 14:15

The two are united in one thought – “If, then you will.” John referred to this in 1 John 2 –

“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. ⁴ He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:3, 4

To understand what he was saying in those verses, refer to corresponding commentary, but in short, this is not referring to the Law of Moses. We are to believe in the Son, and we are to love our brethren. In this, we can know we love the children of God. This is because one who believes in Christ Jesus is believing in the Head of a body comprised of people. One cannot love the Head without loving the body. They are one. Therefore, John’s words perfectly explain the relationship between believers, who are the children of God.

Life application: John’s words bring up a point that needs to be readdressed. If some are the children of God, and we can know how they are children of God, then this by default means that those who don’t comply with what he says are not children of God. When we consider what he says, we will see that the vast number of people in the world don’t qualify as “children of God.” So, what does he say? It is –

1) “when we love God,” and
2) “keep His commandments.”

He says these in a united way. We cannot love God if we don’t keep His commandments. Likewise, the reciprocal is true. If we don’t keep His commandments, we prove that we don’t love Him. This brings up the need to review 1 John 4:20, 21 –

“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

The commandment is love – specifically love for the brethren. If we don’t have this love, which John has been so clearly explaining, then we are not keeping God’s commandments and we therefore don’t love God.

Let us believe in the Son, honor the Son, and love the Son. In this, we bring honor to the Father. But, in loving the Son – who is the Head of the body – we are to love the body which is comprised of His people. If you are having troubles loving your brethren in Christ, you are not alone. But you should make every attempt to be the pleasing soul God wants you to be by demonstrating true and sacrificial love for your fellow Christians.

Lord Jesus, move our hearts so that we will be able to love our fellow Christians as You have directed. Because this is Your commandment for us, we truly desire for our lives to reflect what You have said. Take away the feelings of enmity we may have towards others, and mold us into the thoughtful, loving people that You intend us to be. To Your praise we pray. Amen.