1 john 5

1 John 5New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Overcoming the World

5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the ^[a]Christ is ^[b]born of God, and whoever loves the ^[c]Father loves the child ^[d]born of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and ^[e]observe His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is^[f]born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not ^[g]with the water only, but ^[h]with the water and ^[i]with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ^8 [j]the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are ^[k]in agreement. ⁹ If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. ¹⁰ The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. ¹¹ And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.¹² He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

This Is Written That You May Know

¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence which we have ^[l]before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother ^[m]committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and ^[n]God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

¹⁸ We know that no one who is ^[o]born of God sins; but He who was ^[p]born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. ¹⁹ We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. ²⁰ And we know 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, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Thoughts:

John had a lot to say about recognizing if we are truly born of God. He basically set out a 'test'.  If we are not loving God and keeping His commandments, we are not born of God. If we are loving God and keeping His commandments, we are born of God.

That really makes me want to examine myself.  Do I truly love God and keep His commandments. I can't say that I have done well in this every day, every moment.  But, I am trying.  I am praying and asking God to do what He wills in me and help me submit.

John then tells us he wrote these things for us to believe that Jesus is real.  We can believe the testimonies of men, But God gave testimony of Jesus. He showed us that Jesus was prophesied of, sent and fulfilled prophecies.    If we don't believe God, we are calling Him a liar.  We are denying God, who he is and what he has done.  I don't want any part of that. I believe God. I believe His word. I believe what He has said. I cannot deny God and His word.

I like that we can have confidence that we can ask according to His will and He hears us. I am glad to know He hears us.  

I am struggling to come to terms with this sin thing.  We should know when we are born of God, that we are not to continue in sin.  I do not intentionally go out and commit sin.  I do not want to sin.  I do, however, mess up.  I am thankful for the love of God and his forgiveness.  This chapter ends telling us that Jesus protects us and keeps us. We can know we are with God.  

We can trust Him.  He will give us understanding so we can know that what he says is true.  

We can know truth.  We have a lot to learn.  I have a lot to learn.

I recognize that I know so little about God. I want understanding.  I was recently in a training and we were talking about what it means to really have understanding of a concept or content.  How do we teach others to understand?  I want God to help me understand His word and understand who he is.  It is a God-breathed Word.  I want to truly understand it. I don't want my interpretation, my dad's interpretation or even my pastor's interpretation to be what I believe.  I want God to show me His truth. Open up my thoughts and my mind to what He says. 

I need a lot of growth here.

I find the last verse very curious. Guard yourselves from idols.  Why did he end with that?

Then I realized that idols will keep us from understanding.  Idols will keep us from loving God first and completely. Idols will separate us from the truth of God's existence and plan.

I know several people who serve an idol. They may not realize it, but they have allowed a false doctrine to take precedence over the truth of God.  They have relied upon their own understanding (now the idol in their life)  to tell them that God couldn't possibly be real or His word is completely false or erred.  I am saddened by this fact. 

Faith is believing. I believe.  I believe I cannot allow any idol to take the place of Jesus.

1 John 4

1 John 4King James Version (KJV)

4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

² Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

³ And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

⁴ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

⁵ They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

⁶ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁷ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

⁸ He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

⁹ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

¹² No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

¹³ Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

¹⁵ Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

¹⁷ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love him, because he first loved us.

²⁰ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Thoughts:
The first few verses give us a test to know whether or not someone is of God or not. They must confess that ,"Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." If they don't, they are not of God.  This is simple.  If someone does not believe in the divinity of God, they are not of God. We should not follow someone who does not confess Jesus Christ. He is greater than the enemy in the world. 

Next, they verses talk about love. 
This next test is about ourselves. If do not love, we are not of God.  It says, "Everyone that loves is born of God. If we don't love, we are not born of God. We must realize that love is why He came and died for our sins. He chose to come because of the great love he has for his children. He wanted to give us a way of salvation. He came to perfect us.  His love is perfect. When we work in His love, share His love, and accept His love, we are perfected as well. 
His love casts out fear.  Fear is the opposite of love. When we are afraid, we are not trusting His love to carry us.  We are not being faithful and trusting. Love from God is deeper and more powerful than we can imagine.  His love is what gives us life. We return love to Jesus because he loves us so much.  We should want to love Him and others. 

This ends with another test. If we say we love God and hate our brother, we are a liar.  Lying is a sin.  Hate has no place in the presence of God.  We have brothers, not only our physical brothers, but spiritual brothers as well. If we hold animosity, bitterness and hatred toward others, we are lying to ourselves about our spiritual state.  We are not right before God. This test says we love others, no matter what.  We cannot hold hatred, bitterness and anger toward others and still be pleasing to God. 
He ends with a command, "That he who loves God love his brother also. "  No doubt, we all need to work on really loving others to the fullest extent.  If we love, we will care for them, help them, accept them, teach them, speak in love, forgive all, and be able to live peaceable with all men. God is not pleased with hate and stirring up of strife.  

Prayer:
1. Lord, show me if I harbor any ill feelings in my heart toward others.
2. Lord, help me to understand what it really means to love. 
3. Lord, help me recognize the right spirit and know when someone is of you or not of you. Help me have wisdom to apply the "test" to all things. 
4. Help me examine my own heart and be sure it is filled with love and no other thing.