Podcast 115, 1st John, “Pt 5, Ch 5”

Anyone who reads John is immediately struck by the richness of his doctrine. You cannot be in a hurry for every word, phrase, or clause matters. Because of its richness, it is helpful to divide his epistles into concepts. Once one understands the concepts, then it is easier to tie them together for each epistle must also be considered as a whole. His masterpiece, The Book of Revelation is the perfect model.

The theme of Godly Love dominates Chapter 5 as it does other chapters of John. I have divided Chapter 5 into Six Concepts.

Concept One: Keep the Commandments of God.

1 John 5:1-3

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

A favorite Christian phrase is “born again.” John tells us that faith in Christ is to be “born again” or “born of God.” If we love God by nature we must love the children of God. We show our love by keeping the commandments. John teaches that “his commandments are not grievous.” Synonyms for grievous are acute, harsh, intense, extreme, distressing, agonizing, burdensome. Christ said it so beautifully.

Matthew 11:28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Concept II: Must be Born of God

1 John 5:4-5

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

To be ‘born of God’ means to overcome the natural man. In our world we must fight against the cunning of Satan, the craftiness of man, and our own fallen natures. Babylon, which means the world, and the natural man are equated. We are often told, come out of Babylon, or refrain from the lusts of the flesh:

Isaiah 48:20

"Go ye forth of Babylon…”

Isaiah 52:11

"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord."

Revelation 18:4

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Concept Three: Three Witnesses

1 John 5:6-10

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

The Law of Witnesses is very important. Paul wrote

2 Corinthians 13:1

"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."

Above John said, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.” At Christ’s baptism, we have manifested the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. On the Mount of Transfiguration, we have Christ with Moses and Elijah, and the Father saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.” It was also witnessed by Peter, James, and John. Above John presents three other witnesses: “the Spirit, and the water, and the blood.” Does that not remind us of partaking of the Sacrament or the Lord’s Supper. We also learn that we are witnesses of God if we believe on the Son of God. In other words, our own faith is a witness. Those of us who have faith in Christ have pretty good company.

Concept Four: Eternal Life

1 John 5:11-15

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

There is an enormous difference between living forever and having eternal life. Satan and his angels will live forever. We all have immortal spirits that shall never taste death. In addition, all resurrected beings shall live forever, but not all resurrected beings shall live with God forever. Living forever is not eternal life. Eternal life refers only to living forever with God in his kingdom. Anything less is a form of damnation. Damnation is not hell. Hell is eternal fire. Damnation is eternal restriction on progression. Eternal progression is synonymous with Eternal Life. To have progression curtailed in any way poses a restriction on our capacity for joy. A fulness of joy can only be obtained in the presence of Christ for he is the source of all Joy. Paul, who was caught up in the third heaven, speaks of three degrees of glory:

1 Corinthians 15:40-42

There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Those are all levels of heaven. That means there are three different levels of Joy. To have a fullness of joy one must live in the celestial glory where God and Christ dwell. The other two kingdoms of glory will have joy unspeakable and no sorrow, but they cannot have a fullness of Joy because Christ will not be living there with them. Only where Christ is can there be a fullness of joy. Only where the Father and the Son dwell can we have eternal life with God. Those who have the concept of only one heaven and one hell are ignoring Paul’s words. On a practical level, what would be the cut off? Would a just God split hairs. Would a merciful God allow such a thing? I don’t think so. Would the law of justice and the law of mercy allow such a thing. Can God ever be arbitrary and still be God? God must always be just, or he would not be God, but God is also a merciful God and he will do everything to give as much joy to as many people as will permit him. He cannot, however, go against their agency for he died that we might all have agency. Christ offers everyone born on this earth eternal life, but he can grant it only to those who accept his conditions; otherwise, he would violate their agency. His commandments are the conditions.

Concept V: All Sin is Violation of Law

1 John 5:16-19

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Without law there would be no sin. Sin does not exist in abstractions. God does not arbitrarily say this is good and that is evil. God gives us law. His laws are absolute. Until law is given sin does not exist. All sin is violation of law. The straight and narrow way is to obey law. The greatest quest in life is to search for truth. There are temporal truths, the laws of nature, and there are spiritual truths, the laws of God. God is the author of all law, whether natural or spiritual, and all laws are necessary for life. Every rational being knows how important the laws of nature are. Natural laws deal with natural life. Spiritual laws deal with eternal life. If we ignore natural laws we are often dealt with very quickly for nature is not very forgiving. Natural laws deal with mortal time. Spiritual laws deal with eternal time. This is a probationary state to see if we will obey spiritual laws. Natural laws cause temporal death; only the violation of spiritual laws cause spiritual death. The body can die but the spirit cannot. That means that the spirit is not subject to death. Spiritual death means that we are cut off from the presence of God. The entire purpose of all spiritual laws is not to punish us, but to bring us back into the presence of God. That is only possible because Christ died for our sins. That introduced the principles of repentance and forgiveness and grace and mercy which are always available to everyone all the time we are on this earth.

Concept VI: Christ is the True God

1 John 5:20-21

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.