1 John 5:18–21

 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. ¹⁹ We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. 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. ²¹ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Commentary 

Vs. 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.” 

Here then the Apostle John makes it clear that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, does not continue on it, because of God’s Divine Nature is within us we will overcome both it and the world! Therefore, he who has been born of God keeps himself and wicked one (i.e., Satan) does not touch him. For Satan cannot dwell where one’s person and life is born of God and they are abiding in Him and practicing righteousness. 

Vs. 19 “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”

And so, in face of all false brethren, teachers, and preachers who profess to know God but in works deny him, the Apostle John says, “We know that we are of God.” And that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one, that is they are only being moved by him to do and pursue and justify his evil and degenerate agenda in this world, which at its heart is to deny God and Christ in creation and redemption (Neh. 9:6; Rev. 14:6-7; 19:10 etc.), and so we who do believe in God and His Son must always hold fast to His Word’s truth, for there is no other Word given in heaven or on earth that is able to save us, and sanctify us! 

Vs. 20-21 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. ²¹ Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 

The Apostle John then in a finial refute of all lies and all liars who would dare to deny that the Son of God Jesus Christ has come, and has made possible salvation for us all by faith in His Person. Again, reaffirms that it is the Son of God who has given us an understanding, of God Himself, that we may now Him who is true; for we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Thus, there is no other God but One, and there is no other Savior but One Jesus Christ His Son who is Lord and King of all for it is He who has been appointed by God the Heir of all things! Therefore, let us who believe in Him worship and serve Him alone and have nothing to do with this world’s idols, amen! For as the world was then riddled with idolatry, so shall it be when the Lord Jesus Christ Returns. 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 5:14–17

 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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. 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. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Commentary 

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 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. 

Here the apostle John reaffirms that each and every believer has confidence in prayer with God, confidence that whatever we ask according to His Will we know we will receive. Prayer then is not a means of getting what we want, rather it is so that we have our hearts and minds and lives aligned with what God wants. Verse fifteen then continues on by affirming us telling us that if we are praying according to the Will of God then we should also know that we have prayers to pray given us by God. This then is something that each and every believer who prays to God has an ability to do because of the intimate connection with God we have through His Son and Holy Spirit who guides us into praying prayers from God. Knowing then God’s Word is where one should start if they want to pray their prayers from God (Psalm 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4). 

Vs. 16-17 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. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 

Here the Apostle John tells us that we should pray for our brethren who do not commit a sin which leads to death (consider Luke 22:31-34; Gal. 6:1-2; Jude 20-23 etc.). Death here then likely refers to those who began well in the faith but who having known the truth turn away from it, even against it, which can be known by their words and deeds, and thus are those referred to in Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31, 39, 12:16-17 etc. Therefore, the Apostle John wants all brethren to know that sin is serious, and that no one should ever take having sinned, or having sin in their life lightly! For if sin remains in one’s life, one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ may also fall victim to it! 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 5:6–13

 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. ⁷ For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. ⁸ And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 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. 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. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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.

Commentary 

Vs. 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.” 

Having just declared that Jesus is the Son of God, the Apostle John now reminds us that this same Jesus also came by water and blood, that is Jesus was also the Son of Man, who was baptized in water, and whose blood was shed at Calvary, for the redemption of all of our sins. Therefore, it is the Spirit, God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit who bears witness to Christ’s Person, because the Spirit is truth, unlike the “spirit” of this world which only propagates lies and heresies, because it comes from the father of lies Satan. 

Vs. 7 “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit bears witness here on earth (more on this in vs. 8) so does God bear witness in heaven. And so here we have the Trinity, the Eternal Godhead, clearly revealed and declared; God the Father, the Word (John 1:1), and the Holy Spirit and these three are One. For God is One and has always been One, and has never ceased from being One, even when the Lord Jesus Christ became a Man and died on the Cross, the eternal Godhead remained One. Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omnipowerful. 

Vs. 8 “And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” 

That is, “they all converge upon one truth”, (Word studies in the N.T.), that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man who has made eternal Salvation available for us all who believe in Him. First then is the Spirit, for it is He who testifies to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person in all that Jesus did here on earth, through His miracles and mighty signs which were all done by the Holy Spirit’s Power to testify of Jesus Christ’s Person to one and to all on earth. That said the Holy Spirit continues to bear witness to the Crucified Resurrected and Ascended back to heaven Lord Jesus in that it is He who since then has brung, and continues to bring everyone who believes in Him to New and everlasting life! No one then can deny His regenerating anyone! The water, Jesus was not only born of water and blood as a Man, but Jesus as a Man was baptized in water where God the Father declared Him to be His Son, (gleaned from BBC). The blood, the Blood of Jesus Christ that was shed by His own Will in obedience to the Will of God at Calvary reveals that Jesus was fully the Son of man, but more to the point is that it is Christ’s Blood shed at Calvary that provides the only means of salvation, so that everyone who now believes in Him can now have remission of all their sins and everlasting life. Thus, Jesus’ blood which provides the Atonement for every sinner’s redemption since Calvary and all on through eternity, also bears an eternal witness to the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person and what He has done for us all who believe in Him. And so, these three like the Trinity also bear witness as one, that is they bear witness to One God and One Truth. 

Vs. 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.” 

If then we will receive the testimony of men, imperfect, partial, and not always truthful, indeed in case of those trying to undermine the Gospel utterly evil and deceitful. How then can we not receive the testimony of God which He has testified of His Son, which is exceedingly greater than mans. For He has even gone so far as to give us His Testimony of His Son in His own Word in our own languages, so that we can all believe in Him. 

Vs. 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.” 

It is then a simple fact that he who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself, thus we have God’s Word and God’s Spirit and thus God’s Person Jesus Christ inside ourselves. In contrast then are those who do not believe in the Son of God, who do not have either God nor His Word inside themselves, indeed in their rejecting His Testimony and Witness they now stand charged with making God a liar, a charge which they now stand condemned by, and will be condemned with, on the Day of Judgment (John 3:18). 

Vs. 11-12 ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 

This then is the Testimony, the only Testimony that one need to heed, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (vs. 11). Thus, everlasting life, Spirit life, fullness of life is all found in the Person of God’s Son Jesus Christ, not Mary, not Moses, not Elijah, not John the Baptist, and certainly not any of those who deny the full Witness and Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. But eternal life is given us by God when we believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Therefore, He who has the Son of God has everlasting life! But He does not have the Son of God does not have life, but is still dead in their own sins and transgressions. This then is another great passage for every believer to memorize and hold dear in their hearts. 

Vs. 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.”

The Apostle John in writing these things to us was doing so to strengthen us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in our faith in Him. To know that we have eternal life through Jesus Christ the Son of God, and so we will continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Which is why I do these commentaries as well, to help people to believe, and believers to continue to believe in the Name above all Names, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

 

1 John 5:1–5

 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. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep 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 born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Commentary  

Vs. 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.” 

It’s a simple fact that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is born of God; born of His Spirit, born-again, and not by their own works or prayers, but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). Therefore, everyone who is born of God also loves everyone who is also born of God regardless of their past lives or nation or culture or whatever else was once used to make one dislike another.

 Vs. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. Here the 

John now links loving the brethren with loving God and keeping God’s Commandments, specifically those commandments that seek our mutual well being. 

Vs. 3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” 

Keeping God’s commandments then by us who have been born-again is not burdensome, indeed being born-again is also realized by this, for where there was once rebellion and ignorance, there is now a desire and will and means to keep them. For that is the love of God now inside each and every one of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Vs. 4-5 ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 

Therefore, whoever is born of God overcomes the world, the world with all of inducements to sin, enticements to compromise, and lies which are only propagating this worlds Satanic agenda which is trying to keep people from God, and or cause people to fall away from God. Thus, we who believe in God overcome the world by our faith, a faith which is rooted in believing that Jesus is the Son of God. And thus, everything else in our faith, and about our faith, and ultimately directs our faith, works itself out from there. 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 4:20–21

²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹ And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 

Commentary

Vs. 20 “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” 

 It’s a simple fact that if someone profess love for God and yet hates their fellow believer then they are a liar. For as the Apostle John says, “…he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” And so once again love for one’s brother/brethren (God’s children) reveals what one is, or what they are not. 

Vs. 21 “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” 

God’s commandment to love Him is not then complete unless one also loves one’s fellow believer. And thus, God has commanded us to do both. 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 4:17–19

 ¹⁷ Love has been perfected among us in this: 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 casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. ¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us.

Commentary

Vs. 17 “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.”

Love God’s being perfected in us means we may have boldness in day of judgement (consider Heb. 10:14). Thus, we are first perfected positionally before God by Christ’s loving Sacrifice for us, then we are being perfected in His love as His Holy Spirit works in and through us. Thus, we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.

Vs. 18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

Thus, ever true believer does not fear God’s Judgment; though we fear God in reverence; we do not fear God as Judge; because His Son Jesus Christ has already Justified us all who believe in Him (Rom. 5:1). Therefore, we see and have God only as our loving Father, who loves and cares for us, who will never leave us or forsake us (Deut. 31:6; Psalm 27:10; Isaiah 49:15; Matt. 28:20; Rom. 11:29; Heb. 13:5). Those then who do not know Him only fear Him as Judge, and so they have torment in their own souls, for they have not been made perfect in love, perfect positionally before God, but also perfect relationally, and thus they need to enter into His Son’s love which starts by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ which then opens the flood gates for God’s love to flow into them. Again, they must first open their hearts to His love for them, to have His love come into them (Rev. 3:20).

Vs. 19 “We love Him because He first loved us.”

 Nothing is more truer about our relationship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ than this, that we love Him, because He first loved us. For all that we now have and are began with His first loving us and saving us. For in His love for us He first moved to make a way for salvation for us, even when we thought we could not be saved by Him, His love found a way to save us. Therefore, we love Him because He first loved us.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 4:12–16

¹² No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. ¹³ By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶ And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Commentary

Vs. 12 “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”

 Even though God is not seen, what is known is that if we love one another God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us, (and thus He will be manifested through us, revealing His love to one and to all). Love then not only marks every true Christian, but also perfects us, for it is only by abiding in His love that we also become His vessels of it (John 15:1-11). And after all that is the point of our sanctification, to be His fruitful people of love (1 Cor. 13).

Vs. 13 “By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

 Though a Christian may doubt themselves when they fail to love as He is love, yet we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. God’s Spirit then does not depart from us when we fail Him, rather He reaffirms us and redirects us back into doing the Will of God through us.

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. ¹⁵ Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

 Though God is not seen, yet His only begotten Son was seen, seen in this world dying on the Cross as the Savior of the world. Therefore, whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him and he in God.

Vs. 16 “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

Therefore, the Apostle John reiterates the fact that he (we) have both known and believed the love that God has for us. For it is in our believing and thus receiving God’s love for us through His Sons own death on the Cross that we also now abide in God’s love, for that is the source of our own love. And thus, he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. God loves you, and He will never stop loving you!

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

1 John 4:7–11

 ⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this 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 also ought to love one another.

Commentary

Vs. 7-8 ⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸ He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

With such strong imperatives to live righteous lives, and to be discerning in this dark and evil world, we can lose sight of the ultimate goal of our common salvation and that is to be God’s people of love (1 Cor. 13). For this is the Essential Nature of our God and Savior, and thus is the mark of every true Christian who has been born again by faith in Him. Therefore, the Apostle John now reiterates this fact, calling us all who believe in Jesus Christ to love one another, “…for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” ^{Vs. 7} Therefore, to not love the brethren whom the Apostle John calls us all as Beloved is to not know God, for God is love.

Vs. 9-11 ⁹ In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this 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 also ought to love one another.

 In stating that God is love, the Apostle John now looks back to how God’s love was first manifested to us all, how He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world; a world that was full of hatred and wrath towards Him; so that we might live through Him, live through the power of His Resurrection from the dead by which He brings us to life and then empowers us by His Spirit to live Godly lives of love. For without the Lord Jesus Christ first coming into this evil world and demonstrating God’s own love for us by suffering Death on the Cross no one would’ve been saved. But now that He has provided the propitiation for our sins, something which He did while we were still enemies of His, thus demonstrating His love for us all (Rom. 5:8), He has made known and manifested God’s love for us all. Therefore Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another, which we do when we care for, forgive, and reconcile with each other. These simply things then should not be burdensome for any of us to do, given the depths of Christ’s Love and Sacrifice for us all in bringing God’s love to us all. Therefore, beloved brethren let us all then exemplify the same love towards each other.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

 

1 John 4:1-6

 ¹ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. ⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. ⁶ We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

This instruction given us by God is so important for a new believer, because as the Apostle John makes clear, and my own experiences as a born-again child of God walking with the Lord Jesus Christ for some twenty-five years or so have also so clearly revealed, there are many spirits in Christine dome that are not of God. Therefore, we are to test them, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. First then as to spirits, many people have in the past century been caught up in the Pentecostal/Charismatic movements. Now without going into great detail, these though having the Gospel, and having very much the same Biblical theology as us all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through God’s grace, have in their own attempts to recreate 1^st century Holy Spirit works have by their own misguided zeal for wanting to have and exemplify the sign gifts of the Spirit have by doing so, by putting such an overt emphasis on these (especially tongues speaking) only opened themselves and others up to demonic counterfeits. For you cannot take the least of all the Spirit given gifts and exalt it and promote it and base one’s own faith; or others faith on doing it; and thus, use it as “evidence” of their being saved, and not have demonic counterfeits impersonate it. Since nowhere in the Scriptures are, we ever commanded to pursue these, but to pursue the greater gifts culminating in love (1 Cor 12-14). And so, when people go looking for spiritual experiences (which no one in the N.T. ever did) they will as the history of these assemblies shows likely find some. However, whether these are real Spirit works, (which is not very likely since with the faith now established, we are now called to walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5:7), and so whether these are just coached tongues speaking and healings or worse demonic impersonations all needs to decided case by case. However, in my many experiences with these things when people who are supposedly filled with the Spirit exemplify none of the fruits of the Spirit, but only bizarre behaviors and unholy sounds which no discerning Christian would every ascribe to God. Rest assured then these spirits are not of God. Same with not following the precepts of the N.T. regarding the proper use of tongues speaking in the assembly. For if someone cannot submit themselves to the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ given in the N.T. then guaranteed what they are doing is not of the Lord. And so again as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and having God’s Holy Spirit you do not need to do anything to prove this to anyone, all you need to do is keep the Lord Jesus Christ’s Commandments and abide in His love. Now returning to the second half of the Apostle Johns exhortation that we are to tests the spirits because many false prophets have gone out into the world, this then is to be of great concern for every believer, because false prophets along with false teachers are the ones who introduce all kinds of strange teachings and doctrines which have not profited those who heeded them (Heb. 13:9). Indeed, as the Apostle John makes clear here, they are the ones who subtly seek to undermine not only the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ denying (or perverting) various aspects of His Person or Ministry, but these also are the one who introduce doctrines which undermine the foundations of our faith. And so, these like the false prophets in the O.T. before them also love the place of preeminence in the assembly and amongst brethren and are so quick to prophesy about this or that, and yet their words are never confirmed, who also make the Christian faith into a means for their own personal financial gain. Therefore the N.T. warns much about them, and how prey upon the naive and gullible (see Matt. 7:15-20; Mark 13:22; Rom. 16:17-18; 1 Tim. 4:1-4; 2 Tim. 3:13; 2; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Jude; Rev. 2:20-23 etc.) and so you need to be aware of them, and rebuke them openly, and not allow them to get established (Jer. 23:16-20). For there are also many deceivers, and many demented people who claim to be prophets, or think themsleves prophets, but they are not (Jer. 14:14; 29:26; Ezekiel 13:1-23; Hosea 9:7). Therefore, like the Apostle Paul warned and exhorted these must be stopped and not permitted to continue on either using or misleading people, “For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.” ^{Titus 1:10-11}

Vs. 2-3 “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

Here then the Apostle John was dealing with a specific issue regarding these false prophets and that was they were denying the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, saying that He did not come in the flesh, which the Apostle John resolutely rebukes as being from the spirit of the Antichrist. For if the Lord Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh as the Son of Man then there would be no Atonement for our sins, because Jesus though being the Son of God, had to take the place of Adam as the Head of the Human race to make the Atonement for the human race, and thus by doing so He opened up salvation for everyone who believes in Him. Again, if Jesus Christ did not come as a Man, the Son of Man, born of a virgin, then God would’ve died on the Cross which is simply not possible. Jesus Christ is God’s Son come in the flesh as the Son of Man to save everyone who believes in Him!

Vs. 4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Having then rebuked the false prophets and their doctrine which was trying to subtly undermine the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John says to us that we have overcome them, because God’s Person and Spirit is in us and He is exceedingly greater than he who is in the world, that is the Antichrist and his spirit and sway that he exemplifies over those who do not believe. And so it is through God’s Holy Spirit that we discern the truth when faced with lies and error.

 Vs. 5 “They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.”

This then is the condition of them, they are of this world, therefore they speak as of this world, and the world hears them (consider John 3:31). Thus, they not only speak like the world, reflecting its morals, its values, its beliefs, but they themselves always appeal to those of this world, and so they do not speak for God, calling people to repentance and faith, but for this world. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ warns us all by saying, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.” ^{Luke 6:26}

 Again, the Word of God says,

“But if they had stood in My counsel,

And had caused My people to hear My words,

Then they would have turned them from their evil way

And from the evil of their doings.” ^{Jer. 23:22}

 Vs. 6 “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

Confirming then our person as being of God, the Apostle John also affirms another great truth, that those who are of God hear us, that is they also have ears to hear and thus believe the Word of God spoken through us. Thus, because they are of God, they don’t need to be debated into believing us, for the children of God all hear the children of God, while the children of this world only hear the children of this world, and thus they don’t hear us. That is, they cannot receive the things which we speak of God and Christ because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:6-16). And so, it is by this we know the spirit of truth (which speaks truthfully about the things of God and Christ) and the spirit of error (which does not and cannot receive the truth of Him).

 Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

1 John 3:24

 "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

Commentary

Abiding in the Lord Jesus Christ is done by keeping His Commandments, both as an individual believer as well as a collective body of believers, I.e., a church, or congregation, or assembly of believers etc. Thus, when an individual believer or collective body of believers decides to not hold up the Lord Jesus Christ’s Commandments (which do not contravene nor annul any of God’s Old Testament commandments which reveal and declare the righteous and moral Character of God, and thus we as people who are all created in His own Image are to likewise reflect and live by), then that individual believer, or body of believers, ceases to abide in Christ, even though they may still call themselves Christians or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in reality they no longer are, because they have ceased keeping His commandments which He has given us all to preserve and to uphold us all in the face of humanities sinful and demonically prompted inclinations to reject and rebel against God and His Word and Will for us all. And so, this is the battlefield both on a personal and collective level. For make no mistakes about it, when the Word of God says, that Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth as an example for all those who would afterward live ungodly lives, its warning us all not to follow this world’s moral depravity to our own eternal destruction (see Mark 9:42-48; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-23; 2 Peter 2:4-22; 3:10-13; Jude 3-25; Rev. 21:6-8; 22:14-15; also see Rom. 1:18-32; Lev. chapters 18, 20).

Having then covered how we abide in Christ the next part of the Apostle Johns exhortation tells us how the Lord Jesus Christ abides in us, and that is by His Spirit whom He has given us all who believe in Him. In reality then the first part is not possible without the second, for we cannot abide In Christ unless He first abides in us, which happens the moment anyone believes in Him, then He will come and dwell in them, just as dwells in us, just as He has Promised us (Rev. 3:20). Therefore those who have been born again by God’s Spirit through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will always keep Christ’s Commandments, because we cannot deny Him who abides in us, while those who are not born again will always default or fall back to the world and its morals and values, to lessor and greater degrees.

 Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

1 John 3:16–23

 ¹⁶ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. ²⁰ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. ²² And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.

Commentary

Vs. 16 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  

In commending us all to love, the Apostle John now cites the highest example of manifested love that has ever been. And that is the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered and died on the Cross for us all while we were still enemies of His so that we could know God’s love and have His salvation by God’s grace through faith in His Person (Rom. 5:8). Therefore, if the Lord Jesus so laid down His life for us, so that we could be saved, we too must also be willing to lay down our own lives for the brethren. Which may mean we will have to sacrifice our own desires, ambitions, and dreams to find our place in God’s service for them all. For there is no greater outworking of love than to lay down one’s life for the brethren, in all of its wonderful works and ways.

 Vs. 17 “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Here then is the great call to exemplify the faith and love of Jesus Christ by sharing one’s material possessions with those in need, specifically with ones brother, for as the Apostle John says, “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” For to see one’s brother destitute and in need and do nothing when it is in the power of one’s hand to do so is just an absolute denial of the faith that they profess to have, The Apostle James likewise has the same exhortation in regards to our not neglecting the poor amongst us, nor treating them with contempt, as is the manner of some who show partiality to the rich (see James 2:1-26, 5:1-6) which is nothing other than worldliness. Therefore if anyone does, they do not have the love of God in them, for God loves the poor and needy, He is their defender (Ex. 22:22-24; 23:6-9; Deut. 10:18-19; Psalm 68:5-6, 9-10; 82;2-3; 72:2, 4; 74:19; 145:17; 146:9; Isaiah 1:16-17; 11:4; 41:17 etc.) and so the Lord Jesus Christ throughout His Ministry and throughout the Scriptures makes it clear that those who provide for the poor and defend the cause of the poor are doing the Will of God in their lives (consider Deut. 15:7-11; Psalm 41:1-3; 72:4, 12-14; Prov. 14:31; 29:7; 31:8-9; Isaiah 25:4; 32:7-8; 41:17; 58; 82:3-4; Jer. 22:16-17; Luke 4:18-19; 6:20-26; Gal 2:10 etc., while those who do not are not obeying Him, Psalm 37:12-15; 109:16-20; Prov. 30:14; Isaiah 10:1-4; Jer. 5:28-29; Ezekiel 22:29-31; Amos 4:1-3; 8:4-13 etc.).

Vs. 18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

And so, the Apostle John, like the Apostle James makes it clear that lip service is only playing the hypocrite, and is not serving God, nor ones well man.

 Vs. 19 “And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”

 Like with love and practicing righteousness, caring for the poor, especially the poor amongst us, reveals whether one is of the truth or not (consider Jer. 22:16-17, Luke 16:19-31).

 Vs. 20-21 ²⁰ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

 And so here the Apostle John reminds us to listen to our heart, for God speaks to us in our hearts, and He guides us into doing what is right, though we still have to choose to do what is right. Thus, if our heart condemns us, we should listen and make a change, for God is greater than our heart, and He knows all things. However, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God, because we know that we have done (or are doing) the will of God. Therefore, brethren do not harden your hearts towards doing the Will of God when you know what it is, and it is in the power of your hand to do so.

Vs. 22 “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

 Here like the Lord Jesus (Matt. 7:7-11; 21:21-22; 16:24), and the Apostle James (James 4:3), the Apostle John reaffirms that whatever we ask from God we receive, linking it with keeping His commandments and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight, like showing mercy to the needy and being just and charitable towards one and towards all. Thus, God does not answer prayers of selfishness, greed and or covetousness, but He does answer the prayers of the just so that we may do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Vs. 23 “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”

 What is the commandment of God for everyone? It is simply that we believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He (the Lord Jesus Christ) gave us commandment (John 13:34-36).

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

 

1 John 3:10–15

¹⁰ In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. ¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous. ¹³ Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. ¹⁵ Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Commentary

Vs. 10 “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.”

The Apostle John to sum up once again makes a clear distinction between the children of God and the children of the devil, saying that, “Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” It’s a simple summary that makes everything so clear. Thus, practicing righteousness and loving one’s fellow believers is the only mark of every true Christian. And in a world that is so rapidly degenerating into doing and pursuing and justifying all manner of vile and gross sexual immorality, wickedness, Godlessness, violence, lawlessness and chaos we need to be even more vigilant in our own personal lives and assemblies and take our stand with Christ and the Body of Christ outside of them, standing up for God’s righteousness and against the sins that they stand up and live for.

 Vs. 11-12 ¹¹ For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹² not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

Having cited the Lord Jesus Christ’s highest command and imperative that we as brethren love one another (John 13:34-35), the Apostle John now recalls the antithesis of that, citing Cain’s murder of his righteous brother Abel, whom he killed because his own works were evil, while his brothers were righteous. And so, this deep seeded hostility that he held for his brother finally manifested itself when Cain brought an offering to the Lord, as he desired to do, and so it was rejected by the Lord. However, when Abel his righteous brother brought an offering to the Lord which was accepted by the Lord (Gen. 4:11-8), Cain upon seeing this, being of the wicked one, as the Apostle John says of him here, became filled with wrath and murdered him! And so, from the beginning we see there were always two types of people, those who are of God, (who will find their way to Him), and those who are of the wicked one (who will always reject Him and His rule for and over them), and thus they will hate and oppose and even seek to destroy all of us who belong to and seek to obey Him, because their own wrath is born out of the devil’s own hatred and wrath for God (consider Rev. 12:13, 17). While our own love for God and each other is born out of His Holy Spirit dwelling inside of each one of us.

Vs. 13 “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” 

Therefore, the Apostle John says to us who believe in Christ Jesus, “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” For this is just what Jesus Himself said would happen to us who believe in Him (John 15:18-25). 

Vs. 14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.” 

Again, a clear marker that one has passed from spiritual death to new and everlasting life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is that we now have love for all the brethren (that is the Body of Christ, whoever they are, and wherever they are). For God’s love in us for all the brethren s something that is a fundamental part of who we now are, being the first fruit of the Spirit of God inside each and every one of us (Gal. 5:22-23). Therefore, as the children of God bearing the Lord Jesus Christ’s Person and Spirit inside us, we who believe in Jesus Christ all have God’s love for each other inside us. Therefore if you do not love the brethren, guaranteed you are not saved! 

Vs. 15 “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 

Therefore, the Apostle John looking at the wicked example of Cain now links hatred of one’s brethren with murder. For it’s a small step from one to the other. And as the Lord Jesus Christ has made clear murder always begins in the heart, first with derogatory thoughts and speech, and later with actions (see Matt. 5:21-22). Therefore, no this no one who hates his brother has eternal life abiding in them.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.

1 John 3:1–9

¹ Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ² Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ⁴ Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ⁵ And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. ⁶ Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. ⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Commentary

Vs. 1 “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”

 In a moment of great thanksgiving and praise the Apostle John now exults in the Lord, in the love of God our Father who has bestowed His love on us, such love that can reconcile us sinners to Himself through His Son so that we should be called children of God! It’s an amazing act of grace on His part all to His great glory and praise that we are now apart of Him, of His redeemed and reconciled people through Christ’s Cross, which is foolishness to world, and an offense to the proud, who only want to try to redeem and reconcile themselves back to God by their own works and efforts. Therefore, the world does not know us, (that is they do not know us as His children, only He knows us as we truly are), because they did not know Him.

Vs. 2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  

Here the Apostle John addresses as beloved, beloved by him (and all the Apostles) and beloved by the Lord Jesus Christ our God and Father in heaven! And yet though we are intimately known by God, and He has made and makes His love known to us, there is still a mystery which surrounds each and everyone one of us as to what we shall be in Christ’s Kingdom. Nonetheless whatever individual roles and duties and rewards we will have there, one thing is certain that when He is revealed, (in all of His heavenly glory), we shall be like Him, (like Him in character and nature, for then our fleshes sinful nature will have completely passed from us forever), and so on the day when He is revealed we shall see Him as He is, (and thus we shall see ourselves as we shall forever be), which John and James and Peter all got a glimpse of when He was transfigured before them on the Mount. It is then our glorious hope and desire to be made like Him! 

Vs. 3 “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” 

And so, this is what drives us to strive against sin in our lives, and to reject all of this worlds lies and inducements to sin, for we long for our heavenly body, and so we strive to purify our earthly bodies and lives down here in anticipation of being made pure like Him up there in heaven.

Vs. 4 “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.”

Therefore, the Apostle John in wanting us all to purify ourselves now says that those who commit sin, commit lawlessness. For there are always those who look upon Gospel and the grace of God as a license to sin, and these sorts of people need to seriously reconsider what they are doing and believing (consider Mark 9:42-50). As well there are those who know the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, and yet they think themselves as not having violated any of these, at least not grossly, and so they grant themselves a license as to the sins that they do commit. Sins of slander and neglect and abuse of others, or sins of hatred, jealously, and outbursts of wrath, or sins of lust and greed and covetousness and whatever else the human mind and heart is capable of thinking and doing. Therefore, the Apostle John is warning us not to let sin have dominion over us, for all sin (whether great or small) is lawlessness.

Vs. 5 “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.”

Here the Apostle John reiterates the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was manifested here on earth to take away our sins, and that in Him there is no sin, that is no sin was ever committed by Him, nor was any sin every dwelling in side of Him. This is important because Jesus Christ came to take away the sin of the world through His Death on the Cross. He came to make the Atonement and to pay the Highest price so that anyone and everyone who believes in Him can have everlasting life (John 3:16). Therefore, to receive such a gift of God as that and yet to continue to justify or pursue what God says is sin, is only a denial of who He is and what He has done.

Vs. 6 “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.”

In wanting us to be discerning the Apostle John says that everyone who abides in Christ, does not sin, that is sin as manner of life, for His Nature by His Spirit within us leads us out of sin and into all righteousness. Which will be a struggle at times, (Heb.12:3-11), nonetheless our desire is not to sin, which is to be contrasted with those whose only desire is to return to their sins. As the Apostle John says, “Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.”

Vs. 7-8 ⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 

Again, the Apostle John uses very strong and direct language to reiterate the fact that those who profess faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and do not practice righteousness are not of Christ. For just as Jesus Christ practices righteousness so do those who believe in and belong to Him. While the devil who has sinned from the beginning only continues to sin and thus so do his own also continue to sin, but not just in practice, but also in defense of it. Therefore, it was for this purpose that the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil. And this He has done by defeating him through His own Death on the Cross and Resurrection from the dead by which all the Atonement was made for our sins, and thus with His now being Ascended back to God the Father in heaven, Jesus Christ now brings us to life by His Spirit all who believe in Him, conveying us out of the kingdom of darkness and into His glorious Kingdom of light (Col. 1:13). Therefore, with such a high price paid for each and every one of our redemption, how can anyone who claims to believe in and belong to the Lord Jesus Christ now do or justify or endorse or try to normalize those things which God in His Word says is sin.

Vs. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Here then the Apostle John makes it clear that there is a permanence about us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ both in our behaviors towards sin, and in our beliefs about sin. All which is based on the fact that Jesus Christ’s seed remains in us.

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.