FAITH IS VICTORY OVER THE WORLD
We are now at the last chapter of this first epistle of John. As we look back over the entire letter we have noticed that John has stressed several important issues concerning the Christian life. In the first chapter he taught them the reason for the letter in verse four, 'that their joy might be made complete.' And then in verse nine John taught the importance of confessing personal sin to the Father for fellowship, and that it is very important for believers to walk in the light of this fellowship. Then in chapter two verses one and two John taught that Christ is our advocate and that He is the 'propitiation' for all sin, and in verses seven through seventeen John reminds believers of the importance of loving God and loving one another. In verses eighteen through the end of the chapter John warns believers of the 'antichrists' of the world that were operative then in the form of the 'Gnostics' that were denying the deity and the humanity of Jesus Christ. In chapter three verses one through eighteen John comforts believers with the fact that we are children of God, and that as such we should prove it by loving one another. In verse nineteen through twenty-four John teaches that if we love God and love one another we will have confidence before God. Chapter four begins with John comparing the Spirit of God with the Spirit of antichrist, and that we should not trust any teacher that denies that 'Jesus Christ came in the flesh.' In verse seven through the end of the chapter John stresses the fact that 'God is love' and that now we are able to love one another with this divine 'agape' love.
Now in the last chapter John teaches that, in light of all that he has taught we now can have assurance that we are saved and secure in Christ, and that we are conquerors over the entire world, and the flesh that is in it.
Verse 1, "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."
LGT "Everyone who is believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born out of the God, and everyone who is loving the One who gave birth is loving (also) the One who is born out of Him."
Everyone who loves the One, who gives life, also loves those whom He has begotten. John says that if we believe that Jesus is the Christ, we are born out of God, and that we now must love everyone who is born out of God. Robertson says, 'we prove our love for our common Father by our love for our common brothers and sisters in Christ.' Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born out of God, that is, we become brothers with everyone else who puts their trust in Christ.
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God."
John makes it very clear that a person becomes a member of God's family by believing that Jesus is the Christ. The Gnostics were denying that Jesus is the Son of God. The Gnostics denied both His deity and His humanity. In John's Gospel he begins in chapter one, verse twelve by stating the same thing, 'But as many as received Him, to them Gave He (God) power (authority) to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on His name." Notice the article is before 'Christ' and this means that belief is to be not only in Jesus as to His humanity, but also in 'the Christ' the promised Messiah, who was promised by the prophets, and begotten of God, as to His divinity, which declares 'Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.' When we believe in Christ, we accept Him as 'Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the righteous One.'
Remember that John speaks very distinctly concerning Jesus Christ the Lord. Every name he uses for the only begotten Son is significant. A brief list may serve to be important at this point:
Jesus: is His human name and declares His humanity.
Christ: is His name given to declare He is the promised Messiah.
Son of God or begotten of God: is His name to declare His divinity.
Lord: is His name to declare all of His divine attributes.
Son of David: is His name used to declare His kingly line in His relationship with the Jewish race.
"The first truth is, that all, born of God, believe that Jesus is the Christ; where again, you see that Christ alone is set forth as the object of faith, as in Him it finds righteousness, life, and every blessing that can be desired, and God in all that he is, literally, 'and the whole God.' Hence the only true way of believing is when we direct our minds to Him. Besides, to believe that He is 'the Christ', is to hope from Him all those things, which have been promised as to the Messiah" (John Calvin's Comm. on John's First Epistle).
"And every one that loveth Him that begat."
As family members who believe that Jesus is the Christ, that is, are born again, we love Him that 'begat.' If we love the Son we will love the Father also, and if we love the Father, we will love other family members.
"Loveth him also that is begotten of Him."
John will not let this truth lay. He knows how important it is for believers to love one another, because if we don't love one another we cannot love Him or the Father of the family. If we don't love one another we will not only live defeated lives, but also we will not be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Verse 2, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments."
LGT "In this we are knowing that we are loving the children of God, whenever we may be loving God also, we may be doing His commandments."
"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God."
Loving God and loving one another is a central theme of John's epistle. I must insist that the context of loving one another is only within the family; John could have never intended to include the whole family of mankind. Vincent says 'by this' is not used as an inference, but the very act of loving God, we are convinced of our love for one another.
"And keep His commandments."
This is another place that the literal Greek translation is more precise, 'We may be doing His commandments.' I have read several commentators on this verse and all of them make reference to other commandments than what John had been writing about throughout this epistle. John is not referring to the Mosaic system and the 'Ten Commandments,' but only the two that Jesus Christ taught the disciples, that is 'To love God, and to love those who love God", period. I would like to pose a question about these commandments Jesus gave His disciples, and that the apostle John is passing on to the whole body of believers: 'If we kept these two commands 1) to love God with all our hearts, minds and souls, and 2) If we love our fellow believer as ourselves, would we not be keeping all the other commands God has given His people, including the laws of Moses?' Let me explain; if I honor my father and mother, the fifth commandment, won't I have to love them as a fellow believer. Will I be able to lie to them? Will I be able to steal from them? Will I be able to bear false witness against them? Will I be able murder them? Now in the case of a married partner, will I be able to commit adultery against my partner? Will I be able to speak harshly to my partner? Remember, how I speak to my loved one is how I am speaking to my joint heir and big brother Jesus Christ. You see, keeping the two commands that Jesus Christ gave is all-inclusive and goes way beyond the Decalogue.
Verse 3,"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous."
LGT "For this is the love of God, that we may be keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome."
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments:"
I believe it has been stated clearly enough that 'His commandments' are, that we love God and that we love our fellow believer.
"And His commandments are not grievous."
The Greek word 'grievous' is 'bariea' and it means 'not heavy or burdensome.' This is also proof that John is not referring to the Mosaic system as such, but the two commands of our Lord, 'Love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and love your fellow believer as your self. The Mosaic system in the Old Dispensation was very burdensome because of the penalties for breaking the Law. When we Love God and love one another our burden is light, for our benefits are that our joy is being completed in us, or being brought to its fulfillment or end.
Verse 4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
LGT "Because who has been born out of the God is overcoming the world: And this is the victory that which overcame the world, the faith of ours."
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:"
The Greek word for born is 'gegennemenon' and it means 'begotten of God.' The word is a perfect passive participle, which means that we were born of God at a point of time in the past, and we continue on in this perfect state into eternity future. The Greek word for overcoming is 'nikao' which is present active indicative meaning keeps on conquering the world system. The fact that we believe in Christ is in fact that we have already overcome the wicked world in our position in Christ.
"And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
We accept Jesus Christ our Lord by faith, we are sustained by faith, and we are overcomers by faith. Remember that it is not by any work of our flesh that overcomes the world, but Christ has overcome the world for us, and we must rest assured in this fact and receive it by faith and not works. Jesus said in John 16:33, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Remember in chapter four verse four John stated the same principle, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." There are so many so-called 'Christian books' on the market today that are designed to make better Christians out of us, but all they do is totally confuse the issue of who and what Christ is and what He has done for us. Any thing or anyone that seeks to get a Christian to overcome the flesh by the energy of the flesh is totally out of line and is only seeking his or her own fleshly gain. I think of one such an organization called 'The promise keepers.' The very title speaks of the energy of the flesh. The Word of God is the only instrument that is available to show us the way we are to overcome in this wicked perverse generation.
Verse 5, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
LGT "Moreover, who is the one who is overcoming the world if not the one who is believing that Jesus is the Son of God?"
"Who is he that overcometh the world?"
The answer is whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ and is born out of God. This is not a mere rhetorical question, as Robertson states, but is based on what John previously said in verse four, 'everyone who is born out of God, is overcoming the world."
"But he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Here we have Christ's title of deity, 'Son of God.' The Gnostic heretics denied both the humanity of Christ and the Deity of Christ. I have heard some liberals claim it is not necessary to believe in the deity of Christ to be a Christian. That's not what John is saying in this Epistle; John says the only way a person can be saved is by believing in the deity and the humanity, in other words, to say everything about Christ that God says about Christ, period.
Verse 6, "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."
LGT "This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by means of water alone but by means of water and the blood; and the Spirit is the One who is testifying, because the Spirit is the truth."
"This is He that came"
This is Jesus who came in the flesh.
Robertson notes:
"That came (ho elthon) is second aorist active articular participle of erchomai, referring to the incarnation as a definite historic event, the preexistent Son of God 'sent from heaven to do God's will' (Brooke).
"By water and blood, even Jesus Christ;"
This is a very difficult phrase to understand if it is not understood contextually. I don't reject the commentators, such as Vernon McGee who make reference to the 'water and blood' that flowed from the side of the Savior, for it proves Christ's humanity. But I believe John is making reference to Christ's baptism where he began His ministry. The Gnostics said that the deity of Christ came upon Him at His baptism, and that it left Him at the cross; they were not only denying the fact that Jesus Christ was pre-existent with the Father, but also that he only died humanly and not spiritually, making His death of no effect to Himself or us.
"Not by water only, but by water and blood."
"These two incidents (water=baptism, blood=Cross) in the incarnation are singled out because at the baptism Jesus was formally set apart to His Messianic work by the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Him and by the Father's audible witness, and because at the Cross His work reached its culmination ("It is finished," Jesus said). There are other theories that do not accord with the language and the facts. It is true that at the Cross both water and blood came out of the side of Jesus when pierced by the soldier, as John bore witness (John 19:34), a complete refutation of the Docetic denial of an actual human body for Jesus and of the Cerinthian distinction between Jesus and Christ. There is thus a threefold witness to the fact of the incarnation, but he repeats the twofold witness before giving the third. The repetition of both preposition ( en this time rather than dia) and the article (toi locative case-location) argues for two separate events with particular emphasis on the blood ("not only" ouk monon, "but' all'), which the Gnostics made light of or even denied. It is the Spirit that beareth witness (to pneuma estin to marturoun). Present active articular participle of martureo with the article with both subject and predicate, and so interchangeable as in 3:4. The Holy Spirit is the third and the chief witness at the baptism of Jesus and all through His ministry" (WPNT A.T. Robertson)
"Cerinthus, we recall, taught that 'the Christ' (a spiritual being) came down on the man Jesus when He was baptized but left Him before He died. The Christ, that is to say, came through water (baptism) but not through blood (death). To this misrepresentation of the truth John replies that the One whom believers acknowledge to be the Son of God (verse 5) came 'not with the water only but with the water and with the blood': the One who died on the cross was truly the Christ, the Son of God, as the One who was baptized in the Jordan" (The Gospel and Epistles of John F.F. Bruce).
"And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."
The Holy Spirit is indwelling all believers and will bear witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God, and He will lead us by the Word of God into all truth, because the Spirit is truth. Those who deny the person of the Holy Spirit also deny that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"And it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth." It is the Spirit who can make these truths live. May I make this rather startling statement: The Lord Jesus told the disciples that between His death and resurrection and the Day of Pentecost they were to tarry in Jerusalem and to do nothing - they were not to witness. Why? They could not witness effectually without the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if anyone is to be saved, not only is Christ's redemptive death essential, but also that the Spirit of God work in the hearts and lives" (T.T.B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."
LGT "Because the ones who are testifying are three."
As you can see by the literal Greek translation only the first part of this verse is found in most of the reliable Mss. Verse seven should be read with verse eight, without the scribes addition, 'The Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." Robertson says, "The fact of the Trinity does not depend upon this spurious addition. Some Latin scribe caught up Cyprian's exegesis and wrote it on the margin of his text, and so it got into the Vulgate and finally into the Textus Receptus by the stupidity of Erasmus (a Greek scholar in the middle ages who also wrote the first Greek Grammar)."
Verse 8, "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one."
LGT "The Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are for the purpose of one."
"And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood:"
Actually when you get down to it, it is only on earth that a witness is needed. The interpolated words in verse seven, Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost are not needed for a clear understanding of verse eight.
It is not doubted by any of the commentators that I have read that the 'Spirit, water, and blood represent the trinity. God the Father by the Holy Spirit bears testimony to us by the water of His Word that the blood of Jesus Christ has once for all cleansed us from all sin, and continues the cleansing process of cleaning us from all sin, through His Word.
The editor of John Calvin's Commentary on first John has this note:
"And there are three who bear witness in earth, the Spirit and the water and the blood;" as to the construction of the passage, as far as grammar and sense are concerned, it may do with or without the interpolation equally the same. What has been said to the contrary on this point, seems to be nothing of a decisive character, in no way sufficient to show that the words are not spurious. Indeed, the passage reads better without the interpolated words; and as to the sense in which they are commonly taken by the advocates of their genuineness, it has no connection whatever with the general drift of the passage."
"And these three agree in one."
Vincent says that 'all three converge on one thing, that Jesus Christ came in the flesh.' This is one of the purposes John wrote this epistle, to refute and condemn the teaching of the Gnostic heretics. A.T. Robertson writes, on this last phrase:
"Are for the one thing," to bring us to faith in Jesus as the Incarnate Son of God, the very purpose for which John wrote His Gospel, 'But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name" (John 20:31).
Verse 9, "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."
LGT "If the testimony of men we are receiving, the testimony of God is greater; that this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning His Son."
"If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater."
If here on earth we are listening to men and believing what they tell us about Christ, should not we be much more secure in what the Word of God has to say about the Son. The problem with us is that we not only listen to the men of this world concerning spiritual things, we are also taking their advise on all things mundane. The construction of the phrase, 'If we receive the witness of men,' has the inference, 'and we do.'
"For this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son."
Westcot notes that the true order of the witness is, 'God has witnessed of the Son through the prophets of old, the Son bore testimony of Himself in His life, death, burial and resurrection, and then His ascension, His glorification, and His seating Himself at the right hand of the Father, and the Holy Spirit bears witness to us through God's wonderful Inspired Word, interpreting it to our hearts and minds. God has only one message concerning our eternal future; He gave us His Son that we might live eternally.
"For the Apostle, after having reminded us that God deserves to be believed much more than men, now adds, that we can have no faith in God, except by believing in Christ, because God sets Him alone before us and makes us to stand in Him. He hence infers that we believe safely and with tranquil minds in Christ, because by His authority warrants our faith. He does not say that God speaks outwardly, but that every one of the godly feels within that God is the author of His faith. It hence appears how different from faith is a fading opinion dependent on something else" (John Calvin's Comm. on First John).
Verse 10, "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."
LGT "The one who is believing in the Son of God is having the (this) testimony in himself, the one who is not believing in God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony which God has testified concerning His Son."
"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:"
Everyone who believes on the Son of God has the witness of the Holy Spirit residing in his mind and soul. There was a little chorus we sang in Sunday school that is based on the truth of God's Word: "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." We could not have accepted Christ as our Savior without the Word of God, and we cannot rest assured in our salvation outside the Word of God. How utterly preposterous it is to deny that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. A person not only commits the unpardonable sin by rejecting Christ as the Son of God, but they are compounding the issue by calling God a liar.
"He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar."
Every member of the human race from Adam and Eve to the last member of the human race is guilty of this sin of calling God a liar every time they say they don't believe in Christ. There are a lot of 'sophists' who claim to know a better way than the way outlined in this epistle, but they are fools and are calling God a liar.
"Because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son."
The answer God gives to all unbelief is that they have no excuse; for they will to believe everything but the record He gave concerning His only begotten Son. How hard can it be to accept God's record instead of man's lies? Unbelievers call God a liar; while at the same time convince themselves of man's lies.
Verse 11, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
LGT "And this is the testimony, that God has given to us life eternal, and the (this) life is in His Son."
"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,"
John is speaking of the record of Christ's incarnation that he came in the flesh, but also is telling us that this 'eternal life' that God gave is His only begotten Son. The term 'eternal life' in this instance does not have the article; therefore what is described is the quality or character of this eternal life.
"Eternal life (Gr. Zoe aionios) means in the first instance 'the life of the age to come', the life of the resurrection age. As such, it is something to be experienced in the future. But in Jesus the powers of the age to come have manifested themselves already; He proclaims Himself to be 'the resurrection and the life' in such a way that those who are united by faith to Him enjoy eternal life here and now, whereas those who reject Him are 'condemned already' without waiting for the sentence of the great day (compare John 11:25 f. with 3:18). The Son of God who died and rose again is the embodiment of 'the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us' (1:2), so that to have 'the Son' is to have 'the life' and failure to have Him means forfeiture of 'the life'. Very much the same statement is made in the Gospel (cf. especially John 3:16); here probably John has in mind more particularly those false teachers, who, by denying that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh (cf. 4:2), showed that they had not 'the Son of God' in the sense in which the apostolic message had proclaimed Him 'from the beginning', and showed by the same token that they were outside the pale of eternal life" (The Gospel and Epistles of John F.F. Bruce).
"And this life is in His Son."
It could not be stated any more plain than this, you either have the Son or you do not have the Son. You either believe in Christ or you reject Christ.
Verse 12, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
LGT "The one who is having the Son is having the (this) life; the one who is not having the Son of God is not having the (this) life."
It seems to me that John must have gotten some rather negative reports as to what effect the Gnostics, with all their heresies, had on the churches. It seems to me that once would be enough to tell me that to 'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and one would be saved', but John has the true love of an apostle, for he makes it as simple as he possibly can, and he almost is saying, 'I don't want to hear any excuses later.'
"Hath the Son, hath not the Son of God, pointing back to God as the giver of life in His Son. Bengel observes: 'The verse has two clauses: in the former, of God is not added, because believers know the Son; in the other it is added, that unbelievers may know at length how serious it is not to have Him.' (Vincent's Word studies in the N.T.).
Verse 13, "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."
LGT "These things I wrote to you in order that you may be knowing that you are having life eternal, to the ones who are believing in the name of the Son of God."
"These things have I written unto you that that believe on the name of the Son of God;"
John is saying 'these things' that I have written in this epistle. John knows the importance of assurance. John didn't write everything, but what he did write, he wrote that they might have the full assurance of their salvation. John knew very well that he was writing to believers, and it was very important to him that they grow in grace, and he also knew they could not grow in grace unless the were assured of their eternal salvation.
John Calvin stated it this way:
"But we ought to observe the way in which faith is confirmed, even by having the office and power of Christ explained to us. For the Apostle says that he wrote these things, that is, that eternal life is to be sought nowhere else but in Christ, in order that they who were believers already might believe, that is, make progress in believing (grow in grace). It is therefore the duty of a godly teacher, in order to confirm disciples in the faith, to extol as much as possible the grace of Christ, so that being satisfied with that, we may seek nothing else" (John Calvin's Comm. on First John).
"That ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
I personally cannot think of any doctrine more detrimental to a Christian's growth than to believe that it is possible to lose salvation. John had the Gnostic sect in mind when he wrote this epistle, and as has already been stated, these heretics denied both Jesus' deity and His humanity. John also had a wider view in mind that takes in all Christendom, and he knows that a Christian must believe in eternal security, for it is the only correct doctrine, giving God and Christ their just honor as the Ones who not only save us, but They also keep us from falling, and Christ will present us as trophies of His wonderful grace.
"If you have the Son, you have life - John wants you to know that, and you honor God when you know it (And I might add, you dishonor both Christ and God when you deny this wonderful doctrine). That simply means that you are not making God a liar, but you're trusting Him. It is not a matter of how much faith you have or how you feel about it, it is whether or not you trust Christ. That's all-important. Having this assurance of eternal life will do something for our Christian life here and now" (T.T.B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 14, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us."
LGT "And this is the confidence (boldness) which we are having before Him, that whatever we may be asking according to His will, He will be hearing us."
"And this is the confidence that we have in Him,"
The first phrase of this verse starts with having boldness before God, or in God's presence. John says the only way you will be able to have this boldness, is through eternal security, that is, to have assurance that you are a child of God.
"That, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us."
This last phrase has really been abused by the Pentecostals; however, they leave out four little words, 'according to His will.' Do you realize how utterly harmful it would be if we were to receive from God everything we were to ask for. God knows our hearts, and He also knows what is the best for us. The word 'ask' in Greek is 'aitometha' which is in the middle voice. Now we do not have a middle voice in English, but in N.T. Greek it meant 'ask for your own self', that is, the subject acted upon itself, or the subject participated in the action and also received the benefits of the action. So, it would be easy to see how the Pentecostal people would get the idea that God would give them their every wish, if it weren't for those four words, 'according to His will.' I believe we can use the same grace deduction that we used earlier in regard to loving one another, which was, how we treat one another is how we treat a 'joint heir' with Christ, and in turn it is how we treat Christ himself. Now we should never ask anything for our selves that would not be beneficial to our Lord Jesus Christ, our big Brother. We are joint heirs with Christ, and we have not a need that he hasn't already taken care of.
Calvin writes:
"According to His will. By this expression he meant by the way to remind us what is the right way or rule of praying, even when men subject their own wishes to God. For though God has promised to do whatsoever His people may ask, yet He does not allow them unbridled liberty to ask whatever may come to their minds; but He has at the same time prescribed to them a law according to which they are to pray. And doubtless nothing is better for us than this restriction; for if it was allowed to everyone of us to ask what he pleased, and if God were to indulge us in our wishes, it would be to provide very badly for us. For what may be expedient we know not; nay, we boil over with corrupt and hurtful desires. But God supplies a twofold remedy, lest we should pray otherwise than according to what His own will has prescribed; for He teaches us by His Word what He would have us to ask, and He has also set over us His Spirit as our guide and ruler, to restrain our feelings, so as not to suffer them to wander beyond due bounds. For what or how to pray, we know not, says Paul, but the Spirit helpeth our infirmity, and excites in us unutterable groans. (Rom. Viii. 26) We ought also to ask the mouth of the Lord to direct and guide our prayers; for God in His promises has fixed for us, as it has been said, the right way of praying" (John Calvin's Comm. on First John).
Verse 15, "And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
LGT "And if we are knowing that He is hearing us whatever we may be asking, we will be knowing that we are having the things asked for which we have asked from Him."
First off, we must know that He is hearing us, and then we examine to see if we are receiving what we are asking. The only way to be assured to receive what we ask is to walk in the light of His fellowship, and if we are in fact walking in the light, we will be asking the right things. We are so often taken in by the hardships of this world, and it would be so easy to ask that God would have us avoid all the displeasure and sail along on a serene lake of happiness. This is not going to happen, for God is working out His will in our lives, and this means we have to endure pain as well as pleasure, and only God knows what we need, for Him to complete His work in us, otherwise we should just go to sleep and forget all this mess. Because we don't see the answer to our prayers, doesn't mean God doesn't hear our prayers.
Verse 16, "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 he shall pray for it."
LGT "If anyone might see his brother sinning a sin not toward death, let him ask and He will give him life, the ones who are sinning not toward death: there is a sin toward death; not concerning that I am saying that he might be making an inquiry"(concerning the sin toward death).
This entire verse has caused a great deal of difficulty among the commentators. Is John speaking of a sin that has the death penalty attached to it, or is He speaking of the unpardonable sin, which is, 'attributing to Satan the works of the Holy Spirit' that is, rejecting Christ's work on the Cross. For sure John has the Gnostic heretics in view, for they certainly committed the unpardonable sin, in rejecting the deity of Christ, and saying that Christ was only human, the offspring of Joseph and Mary, and not conceived of the Holy Spirit. We must set one thing straight, John could not be talking about a believer sinning an unpardonable sin. So, now, we must use the context and the context alone to figure out exactly what John is teaching here.
The context of the entire epistle is that we are to love one another, and as we do, we are concerned about our brothers and sisters. If we see our brother or sister sinning in a way that we believe they are tempting God with their way of life, that is, we fear that if they continue in this life style God may take them home, that is to sin unto death, that is, physical death. We know a believer cannot sin unto spiritual death and lose their salvation. So in this case we are to pray for their salvation. Remember salvation means 'to deliver.' So it is proper that we pray for the deliverance of our brothers or sisters. It would be completely a waste of time to pray for the ones who have committed the unpardonable sin. So by keeping everything in context we see that John is saying that if we see a brother or sister ruining their life, and worst of all, not caring about their eternal rewards, we should pray that God might deliver them from their folly, and then go to them and try to win them back to God's wonderful grace.
Verse 17, "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death."
LGT "Every unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not toward death."
We all commit sin, but we do not all commit 'the sin that is toward death.' We all die in our ordered time because of sin, but we don't all die the sin unto death. I believe what John is saying is that all sin is unrighteousness, but all sin is not lawlessness. The believer commits unrighteousness, while the unbeliever commits lawlessness. When a believer gets into the habit of sinning, and like the world, takes it as the world takes it, that is, that its natural, and should be tolerated by God, then look out, God will not wink at this.
A.T. Robertson has an interesting note on this verse:
"The world today takes sin too lightly, even jokingly as a mere animal inheritance. Sin is a terrible reality, but there is no cause for despair. Sin not unto death can be overcome in Christ" [first John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"]. (WPNT A.T. Robertson)
I also like what J.Vernon McGee said, "If God would take home believers every time they sinned, He would have taken me home a long time ago."
Verse 18, "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."
LGT "We are knowing that everyone who has been born out of God is not sinning, but the One who was born out of God is keeping him, and the evil one is not able to fasten him, or lay hold of him."
"We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not."
John has pointed out throughout this epistle that there are two terms used for sin, unrighteousness, sins believers commit, and lawlessness, sin all unbelievers commit. The difference in the two terms is all in God's perspective. When a believer sins, Christ is pleading for us based on His shed blood on the Cross, and we are forever forgiven. When an unbeliever commits sin, that is lawlessness, he has no Christ interceding on his behalf, therefore, He is not forgiven. Paul in the epistle to the Romans states it another way, and that is, we have two natures, the carnal nature, that is, the flesh, can't help but sin, but the believers new nature cannot sin.
"But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself,"
This rendering 'himself' is an unfortunate translation, for it should read 'him,' not 'himself.' It is Christ that is keeping us, and not that we are keeping ourselves. The fact that we are God's children is a fact that keeps us in Christ, and hid in God. This is another grace deduction that will keep us on the straight and narrow.
"The Received Text obscures the sense by reading 'himself' (Greek - heauton or hauton) after 'keepeth' instead of 'him' (auton); hence the misleading rendering of the KJV, 'he that is begotten of God keepeth himself', as though the subject of 'keepeth' were the child of God (as at the beginning of the verse) and not (as in fact it is) the Son of God. (The NEB makes the meaning equally clear by rendering more freely, 'We know that no child of God is a sinner; it is the Son of God who keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot touch him'.) (The Gospel and Epistles of John F.F. Bruce)
"And that wicked one toucheth him not."
Satan has no power over the believer because Christ keeps him, it could not be otherwise. Christ said unto his disciples, "All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me' and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me. And this is the Father's will who hath sent Me, that of all that He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise Him up at the last day." (John 6:37-40)
Verse 19, "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness."
LGT "We are knowing that we are out of God and the whole world is situated (is under the influence) in the evil one."
John is writing about the Greco Roman world that was in horrible shape in his day. Paul also gives a very vivid description of this world in Romans 1 and 2. It is this knowledge that we have that we are born again by God's Spirit that separates us from the allurements of the evil one. If anyone tries to convince you that Satan is not alive and well on planet earth, have them read First John. I believe our whole world today is under the influence of Satan, and that we are to come out and separate ourselves from the world as Saint Paul tells us in Romans 12:1,2. Every time the world hears about Christ and Christ crucified, they have to wake up out of their slumber and see that they are heading to hell, and they really do not want to be awakened. John is bringing this great Epistle to a close with added assurance for each and every one of his dear children.
Verse 20, "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."
LGT "Moreover, we are knowing that the Son of God has arrived and has given to us understanding in order that we may be knowing the true One, and we are in the truth which is His Son Jesus Christ. This One is the true God, even life eternal."
"And we know that the Son of God is come,"
John is saying that the entire basis on which these believers were to gain victory is in the fact that Christ has come, and that He has gained the victory for them, for the whole world is lying in the grips of Satan.
"And hath given us an understanding, that we know Him that is true."
Thank God He is indwelling every one of us. The truth of God's Word cannot be understood outside the understanding Christ has given us. No one has ever accepted Christ or understood His Word outside of faith. God can only be perceived by faith, 'because, the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto them." No man can find God by natural means, because all natural means are at enmity with God. 'Let God be true, and every man a liar.'
"And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ."
Some commentators have trouble with the wording of this phrase, but keep in mind that Christ is in God and we are in Christ. Also, God indwells every believer as well as Christ, and as well as the Holy Spirit, so there really isn't any problem, unless you want to make one. John is giving this as a comfort to us, that we have the full assurance that we are hid in Christ in God.
"This is the true God, and eternal life."
Jesus Christ is a person, much to the chagrin of those nasty Gnostics that were trying to convince the Church that Christ was an apparition. John is saying to his children, you have put your trust in the true Word of God.
Verse 21, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen."
LGT "My little children, start defending yourselves from the idols."
John had just made the statement 'this is the true God', and now he is telling them to defend themselves against the idols of the world. Idols in John's day were the same as they are in our day. After studying the history of the Church extensively, this verse has a lot of meaning. The organized Church began as early as the third century to worship the bodies of the martyred Apostles and Saints.
"The Apostle at the same time does not only speak of statues, but also of altars and includes all the instruments of superstitions. Moreover, the Papists (the Roman Catholic Popery) are ridiculous, who pervert this passage and apply it to the statues of Jupiter and Mercury and the like, as though the Apostle did not teach generally, that there is a corruption of religion whenever a corporeal form is ascribed to God, or whenever statues and pictures form a part of his worship. Let us then remember that we ought carefully to continue in the spiritual worship of God, so as to banish far from everything that may turn us aside to gross and carnal superstition" (John Calvin's Comm. on First John).
We know that John is referring to any false teaching that is deviant from the Word of God, as idolatrous. The first step in idol worship is listening to false teachers. Look what happened when Adam and Eve lent their ears to Satan; that sure did start quite a commotion. We are all in the same boat because of their first sin of idolatry. John gave his little children all they needed to keep them from idolatry, and now he closes with this admonition, 'Start defending yourselves from the idols.'
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