1 John 5 - Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Bible Comments
  • 1 John 5:1-20 open_in_new

    1 John 5:1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:

    These are very simple words, but they contain a great depth of meaning. The teaching conveyed by this Epistle is very profound, though the language is such as even a child can understand. There must be faith in Jesus Christ as the anointed Son of God; otherwise, there is no new birth, no regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

    1 John 5:1. And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

    If we love the Father, we love the Son. If we love God, we love all his people; all who are born into the divine family are the objects of our affection.

    1 John 5:2-3. 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:

    Not that we talk about our experience; not, that we use endearing expressions concerning the Saviour; not, that we are attentive to outward religious ordinances; but «this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.» A holy life is the best possible proof of true love to God.

    1 John 5:3. And his commandments are not grievous.

    To his people, they are charming; not grievous. They delight themselves in the law of God; and they only wish that they could be perfectly conformed to the divine will.

    1 John 5:4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

    And the apostle gives a description of what kind of faith it is that overcometh the world.

    1 John 5:5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

    So that, it is faith in Jesus which is, first of all, the evidence of the new birth, and which is, afterwards, the weapon wielded by the new-born soul, with which it fights till it gains the victory over the world.

    1 John 5:6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only,

    Cleansing us as to our lives: «not by water only,»

    1 John 5:6. But by water and blood.

    The blood which takes away the guilt of our offences. There is a double cure for us in Christ Jesus our Lord; first, the putting away of all our past guilt; and, then, the delivering of our hearts from defilement, so that we live after a holy fashion.

    1 John 5:6-7. And if it the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

    For there are three that bear record in heaven, Or, «witness in heaven,»-

    1 John 5:7-8. 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.

    Blessed is the man who has that threefold witness, the Spirit of God quickening him, the water cleansing his daily life, and the blood delivering his conscience from trouble, because he is delivered from sin by the atoning sacrifice of Christ.

    1 John 5:9. If we receive the witness of men,

    And we are constantly obliged to do that, for we could not get on at all if we did not believe Our fellow men; yet

    1 John 5:9-12. 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. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and that life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life, Ah, then, my soul, if thou hast, by faith, embraced the Son of God, thou hast a life which can never die! Thou hast the life of God within thee; thou hast heaven begun within thee; and thou hast it now. Dear hearer, hast thou the Son of God? Hast thou taken him to thyself by a distinct believing grasp, saying, «This Christ shall be mine, this blessed Jesus shall be my Saviour»? Then, you have the apostle's inspired declaration, «He that hath the Son hath life;» and his other declaration is equally true, «He that hath not the Son of God hath not life.»

    1 John 5:13. 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.

    The apostle said that they did believe, yet he wrote to them that they might believe on the name of the Son of God; because, he that believeth needs to believe more, more as to matter, and more as to the firmness of the grip of his faith. There are some who do really believe on Christ who do not know that they have eternal life. They have it, but they scarcely realize that they have it; they are afraid to believe that it is theirs. But, here, the Holy Ghost assures us, through the apostle, that those who believe on the name of the Son of God have eternal life. Oh, what a comfort this is! Then, you can never perish. There are some who say that you can fall from grace; but how can that be? What kind of life would that be? It would be temporary life. But the Scripture saith, He that believeth On the Son hath everlasting life.» Then, if it be everlasting, it is everlasting, and there cannot be any end to it. Our Lord Jesus Christ said to the woman at the well of Sychar, «Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.»

    1 John 5:14. And this is the confidence that, we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:

    We do not wish to have a more unlimited promise than that; we do not ask God to hear our prayer if it is not according to his will. The true child of God does not wish to have his own will; but he says, «No, Lord; thou knowest much better than I do what to grant; so, when my will is contrary to thy will, thy will, not mine, be done! This is as gracious an assurance of answers to prayer as the true children of God wish to have: If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.»

    1 John 5:15. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

    That is, before we actually receive the answers to our petitions. After the prayer of faith, we know that our request has been granted, and we act upon the belief that we have already received what we asked of God. A true man's promise is as good as the performance of it; we unhesitatingly take a note of hand, or a promise to pay, when we know that it is drawn upon a reliable firm. We treat it as money; it passes from hand to hand, through the bankers, and is regarded as if it were the coin itself;-then, shall we not treat our God in this fashion when we have his promise to pay or to give? We have pleaded it in prayer; so, let us rise from our knees, not merely hoping that we shall receive what we have asked, but believing that we shall surely have it: «If we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.»

    1 John 5:16-17. 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.

    There, are multitudes of such sins; but there is a place, beyond which, if a man, passes in sin, he becomes henceforth dead, and utterly insensible; and he will never be quickened, and never be saved. If we knew a man to be in such a condition as that, the apostle's words would apply to such a case. «I do not say that he shall pray for it» But, as we cannot tell that any man is in that condition, it is well for us to ask for grace to be able to pray for every sinner, however great his sin may be. We know that «all unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death:»

    1 John 5:18. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not;

    That is to say, that is not the bent and current of his life. He makes mistakes, and he falls into errors, and he sins; but that is not the habitual description of his life.

    1 John 5:18-21. But he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we knew that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 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.

    At the time of the Reformation, there was a general order that this text should be put round the communion tables. I think it is time that it was put round the communion tables again. «Little children, keep yourselves from idols;» for that is one place where idols are often found, though not by any means the only one.

    1 John 5:21. Amen.

    And we say, «Amen; so let it be.»

  • 1 John 5:1-21 open_in_new

    1 John 5:1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.

    Take comfort, believer, from that declaration. You have accepted Jesus as the Christ the anointed of God, so the apostle affirms that you are «born of God.» It may be only lately that you have been born again, you may be only a babe in grace; but if you have a true faith in Christ as God's anointed, you are «born of God.»

    1 John 5:1. And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

    If you truly love God, you also love his well-beloved and only-begotten Son, and you also love all his children. There cannot be a true love to the Father and a hatred to his family, that is impossible. Judge therefore by this test whether you love God or not.

    1 John 5:2-3. 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.

    Love is a practical thing; love without obedience is a mere pretense. True love shows itself by seeking to please the one who is loved. May God the Holy Ghost work in us perfect obedience to the commands of God, that we may prove that we really do love him!

    1 John 5:4. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

    This is the conquering weapon; he who truly believes in Jesus cannot be overthrown by the combined forces of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Remember the lesson that Haman learned when he contended in vain against Mordecai because Mordecai was of the seed of the Jews, and learn that they who belong to Christ shall, like Christ be more than conquerors.

    1 John 5:5. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus the Son of God?

    Let that truth be firmly fixed in your mind, and nerve you in your conflict with the world. The old cry, Athanasius contra mundum, «Athanasius against the world,» may be uttered by every believer in Jesus into Christianus contra mundum.» Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?»

    1 John 5:6-7. 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.

    Thus all the Persons in the blessed Trinity confirm the faith of the Christian; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear united witness to the faith which God himself gives us.

    1 John 5:8. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

    Three candles in the room, but the light is one, three witnesses to our heart, but the witness is the same. If we have the witness of the Spirit, the water, and the blood, we know that we have received the truth.

    1 John 5:9-10. 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:

    What better witness than this could he have?

    1 John 5:10. Because he believeth not God hath made him a liar;»-

    He need not actually say that God is a liar; the fact that he does no believe him has practically made out that God is a liar. How many of us are there to whom this passage applies?» He that believeth not God hath made him a liar;»-

    1 John 5:10. Because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

    Is this true concerning anyone here! If so, perhaps if you have not been aware of the extent of your guilt. You have remained unbelievers out of sheer carelessness, out of neglect of the Word. I pray you, rest not in such a state of mind and heart now that you are informed by the Spirit of God that, by your unbelief, you are making God a liar. Who would willfully commit that great sin? Let us shudder at the thought of the bare possibility of such guilt as this.

    1 John 5:11. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

    Our only hope lies in Christ; but there is life for Us in Christ and life eternal, if we do but believe in him.

    1 John 5:12. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

    You exist, and you always will exist, but true life is not yours if you have not Christ as your Saviour. Life is something infinitely superior to mere existence: «He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.»

    1 John 5:13-15. 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 knew that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

    A very wonderful thing is prayer, yet it is not every man's prayer that is heard, but he that hath the life of God within him shall have his petitions granted because the Holy Spirit will move him to ask in accordance with the will of God.

    1 John 5:16-18. 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 whatsoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

    He who has committed the sin which is unto death have no desire for forgiveness, he will never repent, he will never seek faith in Christ but he will continue hardened and unbelieving; he will henceforth never be the subject of holy influences, for he has crossed over into that dark region of despair where hope and mercy never come. Perhaps some of you think that you have committed that unpardonable sin, and are at this moment grieving over it. If so, it is clear that you cannot have committed that sin, or else you could not grieve over it. If you have any fear concerning it, you have not committed that sin which is unto death, for even fear is a sign of life. Whoever repents of sin and trusts in Jesus Christ is freely and fully forgiven, therefore it is clear that he has not committed a sin which will not be forgiven. There is much in this passage to make us prayerful and watchful, but there is nothing here to make a single troubled heart feel anything like despair. He that is born again, born from above, can never commit this unpardonable sin. He is kept from it; «that wicked one» cannot even touch him, for he is preserved by sovereign grace against this dreadful damage to his soul. You need not be curious to enquire what this unpardonable sin is. I will give you an old illustration of mine concerning it. You may sometimes have seen a notice put up on certain estates in the country, «Man-traps and spring guns set here,» but, if so, did you ever go round to the front door of the mansion, and say, «If you please will you tell me where the man-traps are, and whereabouts the spring guns are set?» If you had asked that question, the answer would have been, «It is the very purpose of this warning not to tell you where they are, for you have no business to trespass there at all.» So, «all unrighteousness is sin,» and you are warned to keep clear of it.» There is a sin unto death,» but you are not told what that sin is on purpose that you may, by the grace of God, keep clear of sin altogether.

    1 John 5:19-21. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 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 true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

    After the Reformation in England, there was a certain part of the church, called the rood-loft, where the crucifix had to be, and it was ordered by the Reformers, when «the holy rood» was taken away, that these words should be printed in capital letters in its place,-« LITTLE CHILDREN KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.» This was an admirable arrangement, and this text might very profitably be put up in a good many Ritualistic churches now, instead of the Agnus Dei and the crucifix,-«Little children, keep yourselves from idols.» Might we not also say to many a mother and many a father concerning their children, and to many a lover of money and hungerer after gold, «Keep yourselves from idols»? Idolatry will intrude itself in one form or another. Some idolize themselves; they look in the glass, and there see the face of their god. O beware of all idolatry!» Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.» We may very well say «Amen» to that.