I John Joyce Webb 2019 Chapter 5 Verses 1-21 Verse 1 Who ever believes that Jesus is the Christ—–is born of God. And everyone who loves Jesus should love those people who also believe that Jesus is Christ. Verse 2 We when love God and obey his commands,–we will love others who also believe and obey. Verse 3 This is how we know we love God—-when we obey his commandments. His commandments are not hard to do. John is telling the believers that the way you can tell if a person is a true believer—-is if they obey Jesus’ teachings—– and if they love others. There are many people, especially in the U.S. that say they are a Christian. Yet when you look at they way they live, the things they do, the things they say—-they do not do what Jesus said we were to do. Saying you are a Christian with your mouth, or saying that you believe Jesus is God’s son—-is not enough. You have to do what Jesus said. If you ignore everything Jesus said you should do—- then you are not truly a Christian. (If you say you love someone—then ignore them—-or do bad things to them—-you do not love them. Your actions and what you do must prove that what you say is true.) Verse 4 What ever is born of God —-whatever comes from God—– will have power to “overcome” or “win over” or “have victory” over the things of the world. Our faith comes from God. Our faith in God helps us have victory over the things of this world. Our faith can give us power to be successful over things in this world. Verse 5 Who is the person who can be successful to have victory , over temptations or powers of evil in this world? It is the person who has faith in Jesus the Son of God. Verse 6 Jesus came into the world. We knew it was him, by his baptism in water (the dove came down on him, and the voice of God said “This is my son in whom I am well pleased.” We also knew him by his death on the cross—where his blood run out of his body. He did this for us. When Jesus died, the day time became dark as night. Later he rose up from the dead. The Holy Spirit showed us that this was the Son of God. The Holy Spirit speaks the truth. Verse 7 There are 3 in heaven who are a witness to these things: The Father, The Word (Jesus was called the Word of God) , and the Holy Spirit. These 3 are 1. Verse 8 There are 3 on earth that are witnesses. The spirit, the water, and the blood. (We talked about these in Verse 6) Verse 9 If we are willing to accept the witness that men give, how much more we should be willing to accept the witnesses of God in heaven. His witness is greater. Verse 10 He that believes on the Son of God, has a “witness” within himself. (The Holy Spirit makes us to know that we are forgiven and belong to God.) The person who will not believe —-are saying that God lies. (If they do not believe what God has said—then they are saying God is lying.) Verse 11 This is what God has said: that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (The reason we can have eternal life—-is because Jesus paid our death punishment for us. So we can have eternal life—-only in Jesus and what he did for us.) Verse 12 The person who has the Son—has life—if the person does not have the Son—-he does not have life. (People who will not believe in Jesus will not have eternal life.) Verse 13 John says: These things I have written to you who believe on the name of the Son of God—-so you may know that you have eternal life. (In other words, you can feel sure about this.) Verse 14 We can feel sure that if we asked for anything —in line to his will—-He will hear us. Verse 15 We know He hears us. We can feel sure that He will answer our prayer. Verse 16 If you see a person who is doing a sin— (not a sin that leads to death) —-pray for him, so that he will come to God to be forgiven. If the person has done a sin that leads to death—then, I am not saying you should pray for them. Every sin is wrong. But there is a sin that leads to death. (It seems that John is talking about the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—for which there is no forgiveness. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be a person who is very much against God—and says things against God that are very bad. They “fight” against God in everything they do and say, They are evil. They have no desire —ever—-to come to God. They have made their heart very hard against God—-so that they can not feel or hear the Holy Spirit calling to them. God has left them alone to their own way. They will never know God’s forgiveness.) (This is not something that would happen often. That kind of person is not often.) (Any sin—all sin—of any kind—that is not forgiven—will make a person not have eternal life. You can not have sin —and not ask for forgiveness—-and go to heaven.) Verse 18 John says: We know that those people who are born of God do not sin. (John is meaning that a true believer—does not live continually doing sin. We know we are human and fail, and sin. But a true believer will stop the sin and ask for forgiveness.) A true believer—keeps himself from sin. And the evil One–Satan–does not have power and control over his life. Verse 19 We know we are of God—we belong to God Those who do not believe are of the world—which is full of evil. Verse 20 We know that the Son of God has come and he has given us understanding. So that we may know Him that is true. We are in Him, and that is true. We are in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God. This is eternal life. Verse 21 Keep yourself—do not worship idols. Amen.
