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.
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