Commentary on the First Letter of John, Chapter 5
The conquest that has conquered the world, our faith: « Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God, and everyone who loves the one who caused to be born loves him who has been born from that one. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and carry out his commandments. 3 For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome, 4 because everyone who has been born from God conquers the world. And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith. 5 Who can conquer the world? Is it not the one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came by means of water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. And the spirit is bearing witness, because the spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three witness bearers: 8 the spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement » (verses 1-8).
The witness of God about his Son is greater: « If we accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. Because this is the witness God gives, the witness that he has given about his Son. 10 The person putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness within himself. The person not having faith in God has made him a liar, because he has not put his faith in the witness given by God concerning his Son. 11 And this is the witness, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this life. 13 I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting, you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that no matter what we ask according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us concerning whatever we are asking, we know that we are to have the things we ask for, since we have asked them of him » (verses 9-15).
All unrighteousness is sin; and yet, there is a sin that does not incur death: « If anyone catches sight of his brother committing a sin that does not incur death, he will ask, and God will give life to him, yes, to those not committing sin that incurs death. There is a sin that does incur death. It is concerning that sin that I do not tell him to make request. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and yet there is a sin that does not incur death. 18 We know that everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin, but the one born from God watches him, and the wicked one cannot take hold of him. 19 We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one. 20 But we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us insight so that we may gain the knowledge of the one who is true. And we are in union with the one who is true, by means of his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols » (verses 16-21).
As the apostle Paul wrote, the wages sin pays is death (Romans 6:23). Thus, according to the apostle John, there is a sin that does not incur death, allowing the forgiveness of God, on the basis of the atonement value of the sacrifice of Christ. The sin which incurs death, according to verse 18, is the practicing of sin, in this case, the sacrifice of Christ does not apply, it is not even useful to pray for those who are practicing it. The apostle Paul wrote a similar idea on the practice of voluntary sin, which cannot be forgiven and which, therefore, incurs death: « For as regards those who were once enlightened and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit 5 and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, 6 but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame » (Hebrews 6:4-6).
The present system of things is under the domination of Satan the devil: « We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one » (verse 19).
The Christian should not practice idolatry: « Little children, guard yourselves from idols » (verse 21).
***
John is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. He is also the writer one of the Gospel which bears his name and as well as the book of Apocalypse or Revelation…
***
Table of contents of the website
Reading the Bible daily, this table of contents contains informative Bible articles (Please click on the link above to view it)…
Table of languages of more than seventy languages, with six important biblical articles, written in each of these languages…
***