| Back to Home Page | Back to
Book Index |
1 John Chapter
Five
I.
Content of the Chapter
The Path of Christians’
Faith
A. General principle ---- from faith to triumph
over the world (v.1-5);
1. Faith makes us born of God and love him who
is begotten of Him (v.1-3).
2. Faith makes us overcome the world (v.4-5).
B. The path from faith to triumph (v.6-21);
1. Believe Jesus is the Son of God because of
the testimony of God (v.6-11);
2. Obtain the divine life because of believing
the Son of God (v.12-13);
3. Know God will hear us because of the divine
life (v.14-15);
4. Be kept from sins because of prayer
(v.16-19);
5. Keep oneself from idols because of abiding
in the true God (v.20-21);
II.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1John. 5:1
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who
loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.”
YLT: “Every one who is believing
that Jesus is the Christ, of God he hath been begotten, and every one who is
loving Him who did beget, doth love also him who is begotten of Him:”
Meaning of Words:
“believe”: trust, rely
on; “born”: begotten; “love”: love with the divine love
(agapao);
Literal Meaning:
“whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born
of God”, “believe”, it is not to accept a rational fact, but receive the fact
whole-heartedly (see John 1:10 “receive”) and put oneself into the fact (see
John 3:16 “believe into Him”). “Jesus is the Christ”, the human Jesus is the
Christ from God. That is to say, one believes that He is both human and divine,
a perfect man and a perfect God. “Is born of God”: obtain the new life (see
John 3:3 “born”) and new identity from God ---- the children of God (see v.2).
“And everyone who loves him who begot
also loves him who is begotten of Him”, “him who begot”: God; “who is begotten
of Him”, the children of God are believers. This verse suggests the relation of
love with life. There will be fellowship of love in life
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The condition of being born of God is easy
---- believe Jesus is Christ. Some religious sects add extra conditions which
are not required in the Bible, e.g.: public remission, preliminary biblical
knowledge, making a vow of joining in the assembly.
2) “Be born of God”: have obtained the divine
life from God and have been partakers of the divine nature of God (see 2Pet.
1:4). All the pursuit and development are related with the new life.
3) Once we have believed the Lord Jesus, we and
others believers have all become members of the house of God. Only God has the
authority of deciding who will be accepted to be a member of the house of God.
4) The new life brings about the intent and
relationship of love. We love all those who have the same life with us. In
other words, we do not love according to our own choice, but love according to
life ---- we love all true believers in the world.
1John. 5:2 “By this we know that we
love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.”
YLT:
“in this we know that we love the children of God, when we may love God, and
His commands may keep;”
Meaning
of Words: “keep”: walk, do; “commandment”: injunction,
precept; “know”:
understand, be aware of; “children”:
descendents;
Literal
Meaning: “when we love God and keep His
commandments”, “when we love…”, it does not mean believers truly living in the
new life may not love God, for we must love God. “Keep His commandments”,
believers shall keep all the truth in the word of God.
“By this we know that we love the children of God”, “know”: obtain a
kind of recognition and knowledge in experience; “love the children of God”:
love those who are born of God (see v.1); it is a natural inclination in life
of loving both God and brothers, which is easy to know without teaching.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) He who is truly born of God will love God
and keep His words, just as the children love their parents and show filial
piety to them and hear them.
2) One who has truly been saved desires to keep
the will of God. Believers who love God show their love to God by keeping the
commandments of God.
3) He who loves God will surely love the
children of God. Loving God is not contradictory to loving men. However, he who
says he loves God does not love men, or loves only those whom he loves. Such
situation goes against the normal principle of life.
4) “Love” can be felt and experienced (“known”)
in life. The more one practices, the more shall he know love.
5) He who loves God shall keep His
commandments. He who loves the children of God shall also keep His
commandments.
1John. 5:3 “For this is the love of
God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
YLT:
“for this is the love of God, that His commands we may keep, and His commands
are not burdensome;”
Meaning
of Words: “keep”: hold fast,
watch; “commandment”:
precept, injunction; “burdensome”:
heavy, weighty, grievous;
Literal
Meaning: “for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments”, “keep His commandments”: hold fast the truth in the word of God;
“this is the love of God”: God’s love enables us to keep His commandments.
“And His commandments are not burdensome”, “are not burdensome”, God’s commandments
are not burdensome when we keep in His love. In fact, it is “the love of God”
enables us to keep His commandments.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Thanks be unto God for He first grants His
love to us and then asks us to keep His commandments of love. The difference of
Christianity from other religions is provision before requirement.
2) No commandment is difficult when it is kept
out of “love”. Moreover, it will be kept readily in love.
1John. 5:4 “For whatever is born of
God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the
world--our faith.”
YLT:
“because every one who is begotten of God doth overcome the world, and this is
the victory that did overcome the world -- our faith;”
Meaning
of Words: “whatever”: everyone;
“overcome”: triumph,
conquer; “world”:
age, the systematic world; “faith”:
confidence, persuasion;
Literal
Meaning: “for whatever is born of God overcomes the
world”, “for”, the following words will explain why “His commandments are not
burdensome” (see v.3); “whatever is born of God”: all those who believe Jesus
is the Christ (see v.1) ---- they have the eternal life (see v.13), namely, the
life of God; “overcomes the world”: overcome the “love of the world” (see
2:15), i.e. not love the world, but love God and love brothers.
“And this is the victory that has overcome the world --- our faith”,
“has overcome the world”: it is an accomplished fact ---- we have overcome the
world by crucifixion with the Lord (see Gal. 6:14); “our faith”: we are united
with Christ by faith and live by His victorious life.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) We cannot overcome the world by ourselves,
but through the power of God’s life in us.
2) Since we have overcome the world, we will
not love the world or things in the world any more, and the love of God will
abide in us (see 2:15). He who loves God loves him who is begotten of Him (see
v.1).
3) The world is a sharp weapon in the hands of
the devil, who robs believers’ love toward God behind the world (see James 4:4)
and makes us not love but hate brothers (see 3:15-17).
4) “Our faith” is the key to “the victorious
life”. If we have no subjective faith, the objective victory Christ has
accomplished on the cross cannot become our subjective experience.
1John. 5:5 “Who is he who overcomes
the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
YLT:
“who is he who is overcoming the world, if not he who is believing that Jesus
is the Son of God?”
Meaning
of Words: “overcome”: conquer,
prevail; “believe”:
put in trust with, trust, commit;
Literal
Meaning: “who is he who overcomes the world”,
it is a question to define the sphere of
“overcomers”, not including false teachers.
“But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God”? “He who believe that Jesus is the Son of
God”, it is synonymous with “the one who believes Jesus is Christ” (see v.1).
In other words, only Christians who have right faith will overcome the world,
for they have the life of God (see v.11-13).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Common believers may think only those who
have biblical knowledge or who are regarded as spiritual can overcome the
world. However, this verse tells us that all the true believers of Jesus Christ
will be enabled enough to overcome the world.
2) “Believe Jesus is the Son of God”, believe
that the Son of God was incarnated and came to the world and died on the cross
to accomplish the redemption on the position of both a God and a man (see John
1:14; Phil. 2:6-8; 1Tim. 1:15).
3) “Faith” makes us partakers of the victory of
Jesus Christ ---- His victory on the cross is also the victory of us who
believe.
1John. 5:6 “This is He who came by
water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And
it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.”
YLT:
“This one is he who did come through water and blood -- Jesus the Christ, not
in the water only, but in the water and the blood; and the Spirit it is that is
testifying, because the Spirit is the truth,”
Meaning
of Words: “by”: through; “only”: merely; “Spirit”: breath,
wind; “bear witness”: testify; “truth”: reality;
Literal
Meaning: “this is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ”, “by water”: the Lord Jesus was baptized
to manifest that He is the beloved Son of God (see Matt. 3:16-17); “blood”: He
shed His blood and gave His life on the cross to accomplish the great
redemption to show that He is the Savior (see John 19:30; Acts 2:36); “by water
and blood”, the explanations of water and blood shall be kept in balance. We
shall not explain one physically and the other spiritually. Therefore, both
water and blood are physical. And the whole life of the Lord Jesus on the earth
started from the testimony by the baptism of water that He is God and came to
be a man, and ended at the testimony that He is truly the Son of God by shedding
His blood and giving His life (see Mark 15:39). “Jesus Christ”, He is both God
and a man.
“Not only by water, but by water and blood”, “not only by
water”, since the Cerinthian heresy of the Gnosticism confessed that the Spirit
fell upon the Lord Jesus when He was baptized (see Matt. 3:16), the testimony
of water is not enough to refute the faults of heresies. “But by water and
blood”, the
Cerinthian heresy believed that the
divine nature departed from Jesus before his death on the cross. Therefore, he died
as a common man, so his death was of little effect. However, here it mentions
that the testimony is borne by both water and blood that He accomplished the
great redemption on the position of the Son of God. Therefore, the death of Him
is enough to redeem all sinners in the world (see 2:2).
“And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the
Spirit is truth”, “and it is the Spirit who bears
witness”, the Spirit bears witness concerning all the truth
(see John 16:17), especially the truth concerning the Lord Jesus (see John
15:26).
“Because the Spirit is truth”: bear witness concerning the Lord Jesus by water
and blood (see v.6); the Spirit testifies that it is completely worthy of the
truth, for the Spirit is truth, so He is also called “the Spirit of truth” (see
John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The Lord Jesus has testified He is God and
came to become a man and obtain perfect victory through the water of baptism
and the blood shedding on the cross. In like manner we have also baptized into
His death and resurrection (see Rom. 6:3-5) and bear the brands of the Lord
Jesus (see Gal. 6:17) by crucifixion with Him, testifying that we overcome by
the cross (see Col. 2:15).
2) In the present Christianity, many people
remember only his birth (what is testified by the water), but ignore His death
(what is testified by the blood). A minority of believers that love the Lord
thank Him for His Incarnation but also break the bread and drink the cup to
remember and thank Him for His death (see 1Cor. 11:25-26).
3) The Lord Jesus was conceived through the
Spirit (see Luke 1:35), and His baptism and being tempted and ministry and
works all concern the Spirit (see Luke 3:22; 4:1, 14; John 3:34; 15:26; Acts
10:38).
4) Without the revelation, guidance, testimony
and working of the Spirit, all the truth of the Christianity is merely letter
and rules and doctrines that profit us nothing. However, if the Spirit works,
everything is filled with life (see 2Cor. 3:6; Gal. 6:8) and is truth. .
1John. 5:7 “For there are three that
bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these
three are one.”
1John. 5:8 “And there are three that
bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three
agree as one.”
YLT:
“because three are who are testifying , the Spirit, and the water, and the
blood, and the three are into the one.”
Literal
Meaning: “and there are three that bear witness on earth”, “bear witness”, according to the Jewish
law, witnesses should be at least two, and three shall be better (see Deut.
17:6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16).
“The Spirit, the water, and the blood”, it mentions verse
six and seven again.
“And these three agree as one”, “as one”: for the same purpose ---- bear witness
concerning Jesus Christ that those who believe Him will obtain eternal life
(see v.9-13; John 20:31).
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The testimony God has testified of His Son
the Lord Jesus Christ is full and perfect (“three”). From His birth to death,
every point testifies that He is the Son of God.
2) All that bear witness to God has
sufficiently met the need of each case and need, and all of them are
interrelated and summed up unto one (see Eph. 1:10). How amazing!
1John. 5:9 “If we receive the witness
of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He
has testified of His Son.”
YLT:
“If the testimony of men we receive, the testimony of God is greater, because
this is the testimony of God that He hath testified concerning His Son.”
Meaning
of Words: “receive”: obtain,
hold; “greater”:
more; “testify”: bear
witness;
Literal
Meaning: “if we receive the witness of men”,
“the witness of men”: the witness of men in
daily life; “receive the witness of men”: receive the witness of those who are
worthy to be believed;
“The witness of God is greater”,
“the witness of God”: the above-mentioned
three witnesses of the Spirit and water and blood (see v.8); “greater”: more
reliable, more important;
“For this is the witness of God which He has testified of
His Son”, the witness of God
is finally unto Jesus Christ, proving that He is the Son of God.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) In our daily life, we often rely on the
messages, with few doubts, provided by men no matter in small stuff we shall
buy or in the judgment of great things concerning life and death. However, we
may lack faith in the guidance and testimony of God the environment and word
and the Spirit in us as if God lay (see v.10)
2) The center of God’s testimony is His Son
---- our Lord Jesus Christ. All the witness we have borne toward men shall draw
men’s attention to Him and turn unto Him.
1John. 5:10 “He who believes in the
Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him
a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His
Son.”
YLT:
“He who is believing in the Son of God, hath the testimony in himself; he who
is not believing God, a liar hath made Him, because he hath not believed in the
testimony that God hath testified concerning His Son;”
Meaning
of Words: “have”: obtain,
receive; “make”: do, keep; “liar”: he who lies;
Literal
Meaning: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in
himself”, “believe” means “receive” (see v.9); “has the
witness in himself”: have believed the Son of God;
“Believe” here is in the present tense, but “believe” in 3:23 is in the
past tense, which referred to the faith one had obtained when he was saved,
namely, the faith that one received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Here,
5:10, it is the faith of believing Jesus Christ constantly in the daily life,
namely, the faith of believing that the Lord is the center of our life.
“He who does not believe God has made Him a liar”, “he who does not
believe God”: he who does not believe the testimony of God does not receive the
testimony God has given of His Son (see v.9); “has made Him a liar”: do not
confess that He is a living and true God (see 1Thess. 1:9).
“Because he has not believed the testimony that God has
given of His Son”, “has not
believed”: have never believed at all;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) He who believes the Son of God has received
both the Son of God (see John 1:12) as well as the testimony of God that the
testimony will be deeply rooted into the mind and conduct of our whole life.
Thus, the faith of Christ is become the guidance of our life.
2) People in the world may believe everyone
have a voice in deciding whether to believe or not. However, he who does not
believe the testimony of God has made God a liar. And it is a severe sin.
3) If a man resists God because of ignorance
and foolishness, he has still got a chance for salvation. However, if one
resists God all the time, his end will be miserable.
1John. 5:11 “And this is the
testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”
YLT:
“and this is the testimony, that life age-during did God give to us, and this
-- the life -- is in His Son;”
Meaning
of Words: “given”: granted; “eternal life”: the
everlasting life;
Literal
Meaning: “and this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal
life”, “the testimony”
refers to the testimony of God with two aspects: 1) the testimony that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God (see v.1, 5, 9-10); 2) the testimony that he who
believes Jesus is the Son of God has the eternal life (see v.13).
“Has given”, it is given with a condition of believing the Son; “us”:
believers; “eternal life”: the everlasting life, namely, the life that lives
forever and never perishes (see John 10:28) ---- the life of God, God Himself
(see v.20).
“And this life is in His Son”, it shows that Christ is the life that God will
give to us (see
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) There are several points concerning the
“eternal life”: a) origin ---- God; b) by ---- Christ; c) cost ---- given
freely; d) condition ---- believe; e) object ---- we believers; f) nature ----
live forever;
2) Eternal life is not the old life prolonged
to eternity, but a new life of new nature, namely, the life in the Son of God.
One is able to obtain and enjoy the eternal life when he began to believe the
Son.
1John. 5:12 “He who has the Son has
life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
YLT:
“he who is having the Son, hath the life; he who is not having the Son of God
-- the life he hath not.”
Meaning
of Words: “has”: obtain,
possess;
Literal
Meaning: “He who has the Son has life”,
“has the Son”: one obtains the Son of God by
faith; “has life”: have the eternal life;
“He who does not have the Son of God does not have life”, “does not have the Son of God”: do not believe the Son of God; “does
not have life”: do not have the
eternal life;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Life is in Christ (see v.11; John 1:4), and
Christ is life (John 11:25; 14:6; Col. 3:4). Therefore, Christ and life are
one.
2) If man desires to enjoy the eternal life, he
as to receive Jesus Christ. One can not obtain the eternal life if he resists
Jesus Christ.
3) This verse is the best proof to refute the
doctrine that “all religions will be unto one”, because all other religions do
not believe Jesus Christ is the “only begotten” Son of God.
1John. 5:13 “These things I have
written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know
that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of
the Son of God.”
YLT:
“These things I did write to you who are believing in the name of the Son of
God, that ye may know that life ye have age-during, and that ye may believe in
the name of the Son of God.”
Meaning
of Words: “believe in”: trust
in; “know”: see, be aware of;
Literal
Meaning: “these things I have written to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God”, “these things”: in the narrow sense, they are the
words of verse eleven and twelve. But in the broad sense, they relate to the
words of this book; “believe”: it is the faith of believing Jesus Christ
constantly in the daily life, namely, the faith of believing that the Lord is
the center of our life.
“That you may know that you have eternal life”, “know”: truly know; “you have eternal
life”: the assurance of salvation. This verse tells us that believers need not
to wait until the future, but are able to know they have been truly saved and
are enjoying the eternal life at present.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) As long as we believe Jesus Christ is the
Son of God, we will be able to receive the eternal life. This is a real fact
according to the words of the Scriptures.
2) Whether a believer has the life of God or
not can be “known”. And such “knowledge” is not according to our personal
feeling, but according to the objective words in the Scriptures.
3) When we have faith in the Lord, we are
living in and by the divine life. When we have no faith in the Lord, we live in
and by ourselves.
1John. 5:14 “Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us.”
YLT:
“And this is the boldness that we have toward Him, that if anything we may ask
according to his will, He doth hear us,”
Meaning
of Words: “according
to”: on the basis of; “will”: desire,
pleasure; “ask”: call, require; “have”: keep; “confidence”: boldness;
Literal
Meaning: “if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us”, “according to His will”: the content of our prayer should be
according to the will of God instead of our own motivation; “He hears us”,
God’s hearing our prayer is conditional. If we do not pray according to it, He
will not hear us.
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him”, “we have in Him”: we
have face-to-face fellowship with God (see 1:6-7); “confidence”: it is a kind
of true confidence, which refers to “the freedom of speech” in the original. In
the real democracy, men are able to speak out freely without any fear of being
punished. Here, the meaning of this word extends to prayer to God ---- as long
as one keeps himself in the will of God, he has no fear.
This verse indicates that when we draw near to God and have fellowship
with God in life, as long as we ask according to the will of God, we will
naturally have a kind of confidence out of us that He will hear us.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Faith only prays or works within the will of
God. Faith beyond the scope of the will of God is not real faith.
2) True faith is the assurance that God has
heard us as soon as the prayer is uttered. That is to say, we do not need to
wait until the prayer is granted.
3) The power of God is hidden in His will. As
long as everything is truly in the will of God, even though there is the most
terrible temptation, we can still be with boldness, knowing that He is hearing
us.
4) When you have understood the will of God,
you have to pray because of the will you have known now in order to perfect His
will. Now the question is not the needy should be provided, but the will of God
should be perfected.
5) Real spiritual prayer is to ask God to do
His will, just as the Lord Jesus’ prayer in
6) Real spiritual prayer is not to draw the
divine power to fulfill our human desires, but to ask God to work in us through
His power to change our mind that our mind will be in keeping with the will of
God. Thus, the will of God will be done.
1John. 5:15 “And if we know that He
hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have
asked of Him.”
YLT:
“and if we have known that He doth hear us, whatever we may ask, we have known
that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.”
Meaning
of Words: “hear”: come to the
ears;
Literal
Meaning: “and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask”, “if we know”, the
collocation shows that the condition is true. In other words, we can surely
know that verse 14 is true. “Whatever we ask”: everything we ask according to
His will (see v.14);
“We know that we have the petitions that we have asked of
Him”, “have the petitions that we have asked
of”: everything we have asked of is granted;
“have the petitions”: the present tense indicates that the promise of God has
already been obtained.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) If we know God hears our prayer, we will
know that He will answer our prayer.
2) Believers do not impel God to hear our
prayers by good words. Prayer is to seek the will of God in His words. Once we
have caught the will of God, we will ask God according to the will, thus
driving the hands of God.
3) The steps of God’s hearing prayers are as
follows: a) seek the will of God; b) pray according to the will of God; c) know
that God will hear such prayer; d) know that we have the petitions that we
have asked of Him.
1John. 5:16 “If anyone sees his
brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will
give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin
leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.”
YLT:
“If any one may see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and
He shall give to him life to those sinning not unto death; there is sin to
death, not concerning it do I speak that he may beseech;”
Meaning
of Words: “ask”: seek;
Literal
Meaning: “if anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not
lead to death”, “brother”: believer; there are three meanings of
“death”: a) physical death (see 1Cor. 11:29-30); b) spiritual death (see Rev.
3:1); c) death of perdition (Rev. 20:6, 14); “sin which does not lead to death”: man can still live after committing such
sins, which include all sins outside of “the sin leading to death”.
“He will ask, and He will give him life for those who
commit sin not leading to death”, “ask”: ask
according to the will of God (see v
“There is sin leading to death”,
“sin leading to death”, there are many different explanations among
Bible scholars: a) he who murders pays the forfeit of his life. He who murders
must die (see Pro. 28:17); b) the sin of failing to distinguish the body of the
Lord when taking bread in the bread-breaking gathering (see 1Cor. 11:30); c)
the sin of cheating the Spirit (see Acts 5:5, 10); d) the sin of blaspheming
the Spirit (see Matt. 12:31-32); e) a certain kind of sin which is condemned to
death by God; f) the sin of apostasy;
The most proper explanation shall be
according to the main theme John wrote this epistle ---- exhort and warn
believers not to follow heretical teachers blindly, who are ministers of the
devil and whose end is going into eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels (see Matt. 25:41). These heretical teachers call them Christians and
disguise them as Christians (see 2Cor. 11:13), so they are regarded as brothers
and sisters by common believers. Actually, they are false brothers, who deny
Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. Therefore, they have committed “the sin
leading to death”.
“I do not say that he should pray about that”, we shall pray for common believers and
unbelievers. However, as for these heretical teachers who are used by the devil
to destroy the sound faith, we shall not pray for them. Note that “pray about”
here is different from “ask”. Some Bible expositors explain it: “I do not say
that he should inquire about that”. That it to say, one should not inquire of
God why they are allowed to commit such sin, nor inquire why God does not hear
prayer but lets them die.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Intercession is channel of receiving life.
Where there are many intercessions, there will be more fellowship of life.
2) There are two kinds of prayer ---- one is
what we should ask, and the other is what we should not. Let us ask more about
what we should pray, and less about what we should not. This is the wisdom of
believers.
3) Let believers take the most care of
themselves (see v.21), lest we should commit the “sin leading to death”.
Therefore, we’d better “keep us from idols” (see v.21), for the devil always
hides behind “the religious idols” that believers will be unconsciously led
astray to follow heretical teachers.
1John. 5:17 “All unrighteousness is
sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”
YLT:
“all unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not unto death.”
Meaning
of Words: “unrighteousness”: injustice; “sin”: miss the mark;
Literal
Meaning: “all unrighteousness is sin”,
“unrighteousness”:
any unrighteous work to God or to men will interrupt the fellowship with God
(see 1:9). “Is sin”: here it gives the definition of sin (see 3:4). This verse
counts all works falling short of God’s righteousness as sin, including “sins
leading to death” and “sins not leading to death”.
“And there is sin not leading to death”, all sins that men have committed include
“sins not leading to death”.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) It is sin of failing to say what one should
say and do what one should do, and it is also sin of saying what one should not
say and doing what one should not do, for all of them are unreasonable and
lawless and unjust.
2) It is too easy for believers to commit “sin
not leading to death”. Therefore, let us pray for one another (see v.16) so
that we will be enlightened in time and confess sins and thus the fellowship of
life will be recovered (see 1:9).
1John. 5:18 “We know that whoever is
born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and
the wicked one does not touch him.”
YLT:
“We have known that every one who hath been begotten of God doth not sin, but
he who was begotten of God doth keep himself, and the evil one doth not touch
him;”
Meaning
of Words: “sin”: miss the mark;
“keep”: preserve,
watch; “wicked”:
evil; “touch”:
attach oneself to;
Literal
Meaning: “we know that whoever is born of God does
not sin”, there are three “know”s in the end of this epistle. Here the first
“know” repeats the first half of verse nine, chapter three, declaring that all
those who are true children of God will not often sin.
“But he who has been born of God keeps himself”, here it emphasizes that
the life in the Son of God (see v.11) has the power to keep. Therefore, we
believers that are born again with the life of God’s Son will also be enabled
to keep ourselves.
“And the wicked one does not touch him”, “the wicked one” refers to the
devil (see 3:8, 12). “Does not touch him”: be unable to seize him to drag him
into the habit of sin;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) There is the inborn instinct in each
believer, namely, the life of God, to keep him.
2) The life of God is stronger than the devil,
and is the evil than the natural man. When we resist the devil, success or
failure pivots on whether we have relied on the life.
1John. 5:19 “We know that we are of
God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”
YLT:
“we have known that of God we are, and the whole world in the evil doth lie;”
Meaning
of Words: “of God”: out of God;
“whole”: all; “lies”: lie outstretched;
Literal
Meaning: “we know that we are of God”, here it is the
second time of mentioning “we know …”. The three times of mentioning it
indicate the difference of believers after we have been saved between the
world. “We are of God”, we are of God and are taken care of by God so that we
need not to be ruled by the devil.
“And
the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one”, “the whole world”: all the people in the world
and the whole system by which they live; “lies under the sway of the wicked
one”, it has two aspect of meaning: a) receive the feeding and teaching of the
devil in his bosom; b) be forced to lie under the hands of the devil to let him
rule and exploit;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) The difference of believers from the world
lies in: a) we are born of God (see v.18) and have the life of God; b) we have
been separated from the world and are sanctified unto God.
2) Since we have already turned to God from
Satan (see Acts 26:18) and have been free from the control of the devil, we
shall not imitate the lifestyle of the world so as not to be deceived by the
devil.
3) Those who are of God receive the protection
and provision of God, and those who are of the devil are ruled and fed by the
devil ---- both of them belong to different spheres. If we desire to please
God, we have to keep the boundary of this separation and not be friend of the
world (see 2Cor. 6:14-18).
1John. 5:20 “And we know that the Son
of God has come and has given us an understanding, 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.”
YLT:
“and we have known that the Son of God is come, and hath given us a mind, that
we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus
Christ; this one is the true God and the life age-during!”
Meaning
of Words: “come”: arrive, be
present; “understanding”:
mind; “given”:
granted; “true”:
real;
Literal
Meaning: “and we know that the Son of God has come”, “we know”, this is the third time of
mentioning “we know…” ---- all true believers of God must have the three
aspects of knowledge from verse eighteen to twenty. “The Son of God” refers to Jesus Christ;
“has come”, he had been incarnated to come to us and be with us (see John
1:14).
“And has given us an understanding, that we may know Him
who is true”, “understanding” does not refer to the worldly wisdom (see
1Cor. 2:6), but the wisdom for salvation (see 2Tim. 3:15) and spiritual wisdom
(see Col. 1:9); “know”, the knowledge acquired from experience; “Him who is
true”: the only true God, who is the only true and real One. All is vain and
false except for Him.
“And we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ”, “In Him who is true”: in the true God;
“in His Son Jesus Christ”: he who is in Christ is in the true God, for in him
dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (
“This is the true God and eternal life”, “this is the true God”, the Son of God
and God Himself cannot be separated. Once we have obtained the Son of God, we
have obtained God Himself. This definition aims at the false Gnostic doctrine
that Christ is not God. “And eternal life”, such a true God is eternal life to
believers so that we believers have become partakers of the divine life.
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) All is vanity in the world (see Eccl. 1:2).
Only in Christ there is reality and truth.
2) All idols are vain and false that cannot
bring men true joy and enjoyment. Things can become true (see 2Cor. 1:19-20)
though Jesus Christ only so that we will obtain true joy and enjoyment.
3) The Son of God can not be separated from the
true God. our experience of the Son of God is also the experience of the true
God.
1John. 5:21 “Little children, keep
yourselves from idols. Amen.”
YLT:
“Little children, guard yourselves from the idols! Amen.”
Meaning
of Words: “little children”:
little kids; “keep”:
preserve; “idols”:
images;
Literal
Meaning: “little children, keep yourselves from idols”, “keep yourselves”: keep oneself from external attacks,
especially the unprincipled cunning of heresies (see Eph. 4:14); “idol” has two
meanings: a) in a narrow sense it refers to false god; b) in a broad sense, it
relates to all things and persons that replace God in believers’ heart;
Enlightenment
in the Word:
1) Though he who is born of God keeps himself
(see v.18), every believer shall still obey the life of God. If we do not abide
in the life of God, the great power of the divine life cannot work in us.
2) The world is full of tangible and intangible
idols attacking men’s hearts everywhere. And there are also many intangible
idols even in the church (e.g. spiritual giants, money, etc.). The best way of
keeping oneself is to keep far away from them and let nobody and nothing occupy
our heart.
3) If we uphold a certain point of truth or a
certain preacher in the church above what is written in the Scriptures (see
1Cor. 4:6), they will become our idols that our thoughts should be corrupted
from simplicity as to the Christ (see 2Cor. 11:3).
III.
Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons
Four Effects of Faith
A. Be born of God (v.1);
B. Love Him who begot (v.1,
C. Love him who is begotten of Him (v
D. Keep the commandments of God (v.2b, 3);
Seven Testimonies of Christians
A. The testimony of love ---- keep the
commandments of God’s love (v.1-3);
B. The testimony of faith ---- overcome the
world (v.4-5);
C. The testimony of Jesus Christ ---- by water
and blood (v.6);
D. The testimony of the Spirit ---- testify the
truth (v.7-8);
E. The testimony of God ---- he who believed
the Son has the eternal life (v.9-13);
F. The testimony of prayer ---- God hears us if
we ask anything according to His will (v.14-17);
G. The testimony of eternal life ---- he who is
born of God keeps himself (v.18-21);
Faith, Hope and Love
A. The faith of Christians
1. Whoever believes that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God (v.1);
2. This is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith (v.4-5);
3. He who believes the Son of God believers the
three testimonies God bears to His Son (v.6-10);
4. He who believes the name of the Son of God may know that he has
eternal life (v.13);
B. The hope of Christians
1. Once one has the Son of God, he has the hope
of eternal life (v.11-12; see Col. 1:27);
2. God and His divine life will keep us for
that day (v.18-19);
C. The love of Christians
1. Everyone who is
born of God and loves
Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him (v.1);
2. He who keeps
His commandments loves God and the
children of God (v.2-3);
Several “Know”s
A. Know that you have eternal life (v.13);
B. Know that He hears us, whatever we ask (v
C. Know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him (v.15b);
D. Know that whoever is born of God does not sin (v.18);
E. Know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under
the sway of the wicked one (v.19);
F. Know that the Son of God has come and has given us an
understanding (v.20);
Sorts of Sins
A. Sin leading to death (v.16);
B. Sin not leading to death (v.17);
Three Basic Convictions of Christians
A. Who are born of God that they have the life
of God (v.18);
B. Who are of God that they are not ruled by
the evil one (v.19);
C. Who are in Christ that they know God (v.20);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou