Day 5 – 1 John 5

Take some time to Read 1 John chapter 5

Love—Again

John never tires of his favorite subject. The follower of Jesus is a follower because of their faith in Christ and their love for God in all of his majesty. That faith is characterized by love—love for God and love for God’s ways. That same love then extends the other believers and those who don’t know Jesus.

The faithful follower will want to do the things Christ did and said to do. And our love for God will be characterized by a love for and a commitment to live out the commands of God (1 John 5:3).

From the world’s perspective, this is ludicrous. Why would anyone want to be restricted by pious rules? Aren’t we more sophisticated than all of that? As 21^st Century people we know which rules are important and which ones were the traditions of the past, don’t we?

The people John was writing to were surrounded by a culture that had different values. John is proposing that there is a better more beautiful way because there is a better more beautiful person. Jesus changes everything. His love is so great that sins can be forgiven, and lives can be changed. And changed lives are, well, changed! Changed people begin to follow a new ethic that isn’t defined by the world. This new ethic affects everything. It affects the way we do business, and relationships, and marriage, and everything else in life. The commands of God aren’t a burden (1 John 5:3). They are a blessing! But this doesn’t mean they are easy.

Faith is the power that makes the Christian life possible (5:4). This faith isn’t in ourselves. It is in Jesus and because Jesus has overcome the world, we are also overcomers. He is the champion who wins the day and because he wins, we win.

John is continually reminding his readers of these things. He wants them to know that the Jesus that was proclaimed to them is the Jesus of history. John’s reference to Jesus and water and blood reminds us that Jesus really lived. Water refers to Jesus’s baptism and blood refers to Jesus’s death. His baptism and death aren’t the only identifiers of God’s presence in and through Christ. The Spirit of God, descending on Jesus at his baptism is also the testimony that confirms it all. The Spirit of God’s testimony is greater than any testimony that can be given.

So, what is the point here? It is Jesus. Jesus is the focus. It is because of Jesus that there is eternal life (1 John 5:11). It is through Jesus that one enters into it (5:12). John reminds his readers of these things, so they can have confidence in their relationship with God. He is also reminding them to turn away from sin, especially the kind of sin that leads to death.

The Sin that Leads to Death

One has to wonder what John is talking about here? What is the kind of sin that leads to death? Given the context, it must be denying Christ’s incarnation. Those who deny Christ’s presence in the world are just as likely to throw off all moral restraints. Morality becomes, “whatever one wants” or “whatever the moment or the situation dictates. This kind of sin leads to death. As a person continues in sin, hardening their heart toward God, they are increasingly condemned to death (1 John 5:16-18). It’s almost as though God says, “let what you have decided be so.”

But not everyone has a hard heart toward Christ. John readers don’t. And if you’re reading this, you probably don’t either. So keep on keeping on! Keep your eyes on Jesus! Remain oriented toward the one who is true (5:20).

The last sentence of John’s letter is “Dear Children, keep yourselves from idols” (v. 21). John definition of idols is loosely defined in this letter as false teachings about Christ. Anything that leads us away from Jesus is an idol.

Application:

1. Why do you think John returns to the theme of love for God and for others over and over again in this letter?
2. John’s other theme is faith the incarnate presence of Jesus in the world. Why is it so important for us to believe the right things about Jesus?
3. Interestingly, those who were teaching false things about Jesus were also embracing values and morals that were inconsistent with the commands of God. Why would faith in Christ and in his physical presence in the world during his life affect our morality?

What would you say to God based on your reading today? Take some time to talk to God in prayer.

Consider writing down a key verse or verses from today on an index card or small piece of paper and carry it with you today. Look at it as often as you can as a reminder of what we learned today.

Possible Verses: 1 John 5:1-2; 1 John 5:5; 1 John 5:11-12