1 John 5
This devotional is written by Matthew Crawford.
1 John 5
Faith in the incarnate Son of God
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Concluding affirmations
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Concluding affirmations
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: 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 what we asked of him.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Reflection
In John 1:5, the writer clearly outlines the beauty of the gospel and who the person of Jesus really is. Fully God, yet fully human. He is writing to a community who have forgotten, or intentionally changed their view of Jesus- denouncing that he was divine. In this text, John is succinctly writing about Jesus' full incarnation and how that has a significant affect on our faith. So what effect does this have for us today?
Firstly, we have the firm reassurance of the forgiveness of the wrong things we do. (Verse 18). John doesn't shy away from talking about the toxicity of sin. This is something that we don't really talk about today. We live in a world of pluralism and different ideas about 'truth' But as followers of Jesus one thing we can be certain of is the Father's unending delight and devotion for us. God's hand is firm as it is as gentle. There's a big difference between condemnation and conviction.
Secondly, we have the full confidence that God listens to every word we say (Verse 14). God delights in hearing our joys and our woes. Just look at the psalms! We can pour our hearts out to him and know that he already hears us.
And finally, we have a hope that is steadfast for the future (Verse 11). Through life's mundanity we can grasp onto the hope that Jesus has promised to us. Through the most difficult of times, the jobs that we hate, difficult relationships, financial struggles, mental health struggles- we can dare to grasp onto the hope that Jesus gives us. The hope of an eternity spent with him.
Today let's dare to grasp onto the truth of who Jesus is and let that shape our everyday lives.
Firstly, we have the firm reassurance of the forgiveness of the wrong things we do. (Verse 18). John doesn't shy away from talking about the toxicity of sin. This is something that we don't really talk about today. We live in a world of pluralism and different ideas about 'truth' But as followers of Jesus one thing we can be certain of is the Father's unending delight and devotion for us. God's hand is firm as it is as gentle. There's a big difference between condemnation and conviction.
Secondly, we have the full confidence that God listens to every word we say (Verse 14). God delights in hearing our joys and our woes. Just look at the psalms! We can pour our hearts out to him and know that he already hears us.
And finally, we have a hope that is steadfast for the future (Verse 11). Through life's mundanity we can grasp onto the hope that Jesus has promised to us. Through the most difficult of times, the jobs that we hate, difficult relationships, financial struggles, mental health struggles- we can dare to grasp onto the hope that Jesus gives us. The hope of an eternity spent with him.
Today let's dare to grasp onto the truth of who Jesus is and let that shape our everyday lives.
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