1 João 5
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 5:1
MacArthur writes that the perfect tense of born signifies that "Those who possess the life of God have the capacity and the experience of loving. In contrast, the one who does not love does not know God. Those whose lives are not characterized by love for others are not Christians, no matter what they claim. The Jewish religionists (scribes, Pharisees, and other leaders) of Jesus’ day, as well as the false teachers in the church of John’s day, knew a lot about God, but they did not really know Him (cf. 1Ti 6:20; 2Ti 3:7). The absence of God’s love in their lives revealed their unregenerate condition as conclusively as did their aberrant theology." (MacArthur Commentary) "In essence, faith and love are inseparable. In God’s family, faith in God and love for Him and His children are totally integrated." -- Simon Kistemaker MacArthur adds that "The new birth brings people not only into a faith relationship with God, but also into a love relationship with Him and His children. John has emphasized that principle throughout this epistle: 1Jn 2:10-11+, 1Jn 3:10+, 1Jn 3:14+, 1Jn 3:17+, 1Jn 3:23+, 1Jn 4:7-8+, 1Jn 4:12+, 1Jn 4:20-21+. (SEE 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 180) “Since God regenerates us by faith, He must necessarily be loved by us as a Father; and this love embraces all His children.” --John Calvin W E Vine- Since every believer has part in the gift of divine life (cp 2Pe 1:4), by which he is born of God, it is inevitable that this life will be manifested in love to those who likewise are born of God…In 1Jn 4:7-21 stress was laid upon the outward expression of brotherly love, as the effect of the inward experience of the love of God; here the stress is laid upon the outward expression, as the effect of the inward experience of the new birth. In the former passage the truth set forth was that every believer has experience of God’s love and therefore shows it in love to others. Here what is set forth is that every believer shares the gift of life in Christ, and this again involves the manifestation of love to those who likewise are blessed. None of this is possible apart from faith in Christ, but, on the other hand, faith inevitably leads to the exercise of love. The whole of this passage teaches, not that in loving our brother we rise to the love of God, but that, on the contrary, God Himself is the Source of all the love that we can and do show." (The Collected Writings) Paul defined this supernatural love in his first letter to the Corinthians writing "Love (agape) is patient (makrothumeo = has a "long fuse" so to speak! And present tense = continually!), love is kind (present tense), [and] is not jealous (present tense); love does not brag (present tense) [and] is not arrogant (present tense), (13:5+) does not act unbecomingly (present tense); it does not seek (present tense) its own, is not provoked (present tense), does not take into account (present tense) a wrong suffered (it does not keep books on evil. You never "keep books" do you?), (13:6+) does not rejoice (present tense) in unrighteousness, but rejoices (present tense) with the truth; (13:7+) bears (stego [great verb for husbands to understand!] present tense) all things, believes (present tense) all things, hopes (present tense) all things, endures (present tense) all things. (1Cor 13:4-7+) THOUGHT - Notice that love is not a one time act but an ongoing process as emphasized by the repeated use of the present tense. Don't dare try to love like this by relying on yourself. This "present tense love" clearly calls for continual reliance on the Spirit, not on the self!! The two loves are inseparable (1Jn 4:12); we are to love others in God, and God in others... We can recognize that we love God’s children properly by loving God Himself obediently --Stephen Smalley Matthew
1 João 5:2
MacArthur writes that 1Jn 5:2 "is the corollary to the truth John expressed in 1Jn 5:1. Just as it is impossible to love God without loving His children (v1), so also is it impossible to truly love His children apart from loving Him (v2). Those twin priorities of loving God and other Christians mark all who have been born again. W E Vine explains that "What was stated in 1Jn 4:20-21, is purposely put in the opposite way in this verse. In the former passage love to God is the fulfillment of His commandments, which are shown to have their evidence in the love of His children. This same truth is stressed by being put in the converse way in the present passage. In other words, if we want to know whether we love our brother, it is necessary to ask if we love God, for the motive cause of love lies in God Himself, for “God is love.” Here the test of our love to God is the doing of His commandments, that is to say, in loving our neighbor. Taken together, then, the two passages show that love to God and love to one another are essentially associated and mutually evidential." (The Collected Writings) Trust and obey, love and obey: for John these partners are never to be separated. -- Daniel Akin Colin Kruse - One cannot love God and keep his commands without loving the children of God, and one cannot love the children of God without loving God and keeping his commands (cf. 2:7–8; 3:22–24; 4:21). (See The Letters of John - Page 172) Simon Kistemaker asks "What evidence is there for combining faith and love? John provides a ready answer. He writes, “This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.” Actually these words are almost a verbatim repetition of an earlier verse, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands” (1Jn 2:3)." (Baker NT Commentary) It is by our love for one another that we are assured of our love for God J M
1 João 5:3
MacArthur writes that "agapē (love) is the love of self-sacrificing service (Phil. 2:2–5; Col. 3:12–14; cf. Rom. 14:19; 1 Cor. 10:23–24; 13:4–7), the love granted to someone who needs to be loved (Heb. 6:10; 1 Peter 2:17; cf. Rom. 12:15), not necessarily to someone who is attractive or lovable." Agape love does not depend on the world’s criteria for love, such as attractiveness, emotions, or sentimentality. Believers can easily fall into the trap of blindly following the world’s demand that a lover feel positive toward the beloved. This is not agape love, but is a love based on impulse. Impulsive love characterizes the spouse who announces to the other spouse that they are planning to divorce their mate. Why? They reason “I can’t help it. I fell in love with another person!” Christians must understand that this type of impulsive love is completely contrary to God’s decisive love, which is decisive because He is in control and has a purpose in mind. There are many reasons a proper understanding of the truth of God's word (and of the world's lie) is critical and one of the foremost is Jesus' declaration that "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love (agape) for one another." (John 13:35+). Agape in 1 John - 1 John 2:5, 15; 3:1, 16-17; 1Jn 4:7-10, 12, 16 (3x), 1Jn 4:17, 1Jn 4:18 (3x) 1Jn 5:3 (Also in 2John 1:3, 6; 3John 1:6) Keep (5083) (tereo from teros = a guard or warden - this should help give you an idea of the sense of the verb tero) means to keep an eye on, to keep something in view, to hold firmly, to attend carefully or to watch over (Jesus' ask His Father for His watchful care for His disciples in Jn 17:11). Tereo speaks of guarding something which is in one’s possession. It means to watch as one would some precious thing. The idea is to observe attentively, to heed, to keep watch over and to retain in custody. Tereo with the meaning of obey - Mt 19:17, Mt 23:3 (tereo = observe), Mt 28:20, Jn 8:51, 52 (one who keeps Jesus' Word = a believer = one who will never see the second death in hell), Jn 9:16 (keep = observe the Sabbath), Jn 14:15 (description of a genuine disciple - love is not just with one's lips but is validated by one's life lived in loving obedience to God), Jn 14:21, 23, 24 (no love = no obedience = not a believer - Note Jesus is not talking about legalistic obedience but Spirit enabled obedience which is the only obedience that pleases the Father!), Jn 15:10 (used twice), Jn 15:20 (used twice), Jn 17:6 (the 11 disciples), Acts 15:5, 1Ti 6:14, James 2:10, 1Jn 2:3, 4, 5, 3:22, 1Jn 3:24, 1Jn 5:2, 3, Rev 1:3 (heed), Rev 2:26, 3:3, 3:8, 3:10, 12:17, 14:12, Rev 22:7 (heeds), Rev 22:9. Tereo with meaning of keep watch or guard - Mt 27:36, 27:54, Mt 28:4 (guards = tereo), Jn 17:11, 12, Jn 17:15 (with nuance of protection from Satan), Acts 12:5, Acts 12:6 (watching), Acts 16:23, Acts 24:23, 25:4, 25:21 (held in custody), 1Jn 5:18, Jude 1:1, 6, Keep (5083)(tereo from teros - a guard or warden) means to keep an eye on, to keep watch over or or to attend carefully. The idea is guarding something which is in one’s possession, watching as one would some precious thing. Jesus uses tereo in his "job description" of a genuine Christ follower (disciple) in Mt 28:20 ("teaching them to observe all that I commanded you"). Paul uses tereo in charging Timothy "in the presence of God, Who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, Who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep (tereo) the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1Ti 6:13-14-note) In some of Paul's last written communication he uses tereo when he says "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept (tereo) the faith." (2Ti 4:7-note) James says "This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep (tereo) oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:27-note) Jude commands believers "keep (tereo - aorist imperative = conveys a sense of urgency! Just do it! Don't delay!) yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously (prosdechomai) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life." (Jude 1:21-note) Later James adds "whoever keeps (tereo) the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all." (James 2:10) In the Revelation John writes "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed (tereo in the present tense = as our general practice) the things which are written in it; for the time is near." (Revelation 1:3-note, cp Rev 22:7-note) Note that the blessing is not hearing the word but heeding (doing) the word (cp James 1:22-note). God always blesses obedience! John writes "Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep (tereo in the present tense) the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus." (Revelation 14:12-note) John uses tereo several times, some describing the marks of authentic Christianity (that we truly know Him) and once the condition of answered prayer… "And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep (tereo in the present tense = as our general practice) His commandments." (1Jn 2:3-note) "The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep keep (tereo in the present tense = as their general practice fails to guard) His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1Jn 2:4-note) "but whoever keeps (tereo in the present tense = as one's habitual practice) His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him." (1Jn 2:5-note) "and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep (tereo in the present tense = as our general practice) His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. (1Jn 3:22-note) "And the one who keeps (tereo in the present tense = as our general practice) His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." (1Jn 3:24-note) If you struggle with the doctrine of eternal security, take some time today and study John's uses of tereo which frequently are used in the description of a genuine follower of Christ. TEREO is translated continue(1), guard(1), guards(1), heed(2), heeds(1), held in custody(1), keep(27), keep watch over(1), keeping(1), keeping guard over(1), keeps(9), kept(12), kept in custody(3), observe(3), preserve(1), preserved(1), reserved(4), watching over(1). Jn 8:51,55, Jn 14:15, Jn 14:21, Jn 14:23, 24, Jn 15:10, 20, Jn 17:6], 1Jn 2:3, 4, 1Jn 3:22, 24, 1Jn 5:2, 1Jn 5:3, 6 in the Revelation Rev 1:3, Rev 2:26, Rev 3:3, Rev 3:8, Rev 3:10, Rev 12:17, Rev 14:12, Rev 22:7 Commandments (instruction, order, requirement)(1785) entole rom en = in, upon + téllo = accomplish, charge, command) - Entole refers to some type of demand or requirement. A general injunction, charge, precept of moral and religious nature. Commandments are those given by our Lord either personally while on earth or through His apostles in the New Testament Books. Of the 67 uses, all but three (Lk 15:29; Col 4:10; Titus 1:14) refer specifically to divine commandments. Keeping God's commandments is the way we show that we love Him (we can say it, but our actions need to authenticate our words. (Jn 14:15, 21, 1Jn 2:3). Commandments (instructions, orders, requirements)(1785)(entole) from en = in, upon + téllo = accomplish, charge, command) refers to some type of demand or requirement. A general injunction, charge, precept of moral and religious nature. Of the 67 uses, all but three (Lk 15:29; Col 4:10-note; Titus 1:14-note) refer specifically to divine commandments. The New Testament repeatedly commands believers to love like Jesus loved (Eph 5:2-note, Eph 5:25-note) -- John 13:34–35; 15:12, 17; Gal 5:13; 1Th. 4:9-note; Heb 13:1-note; 1Pe 1:22-note. Commandment (Webster) - a law, edict, or statute; authoritative directive; a mandate; an order or injunction given by authority; charge; precept. ENTOLE USES BY JOHN - Jn. 10:18; Jn. 11:57; Jn. 12:49; Jn. 12:50; Jn. 13:34; Jn. 14:15; Jn. 14:21; Jn. 15:10; Jn. 15:12;1 Jn. 2:3; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:7; 1 Jn. 2:8; 1 Jn. 3:22; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 4:21; 1 Jn. 5:2; 1 Jn. 5:3; 2 Jn. 1:4; 2 Jn. 1:5; 2 Jn. 1:6; Rev. 12:17; Rev. 14:12 Burdensome (926)(barus from baros = weight, something pressing on one physically or emotionally) literally means heavy but in the NT is used figuratively of rules and regulations that are difficult to obey and thus are burdensome or oppressive (Mt 23:4, 1Jn 5:3) or of sins likened to a heavy burden (ever felt that weight? I have!!!)(Ps 38:4). The idea of burdensome is that the keeping of the laws is grievous. In Acts 25:7 the idea is "weighty and serious" charges.
1 João 5:3
MacArthur writes that "In these five verses (1Jn 5:1-5), John weaves faith, love, and obedience all together inextricably. They exist mutually in a dynamic relationship, i.e., as the genuine proof of love is obedience, so the genuine proof of faith is love. The word keep conveys the idea of constant obedience (cf. John 8:31, 32; 14:15, 21; 15:10). When the world knows for Whom we stand, they watch how we walk! Does our life match our lips? The call for saints to keep God's commandments permeates the entire Bible - see Deut 13:4, 1Sa 15:22, Eccl 12:13, Jer 7:23, etc. John repeatedly mentions the idea of obedience - Jn 14:21, 14:23-24, 15:10, 15:14. Jesus taught that "whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” (Mt 12:50) and "blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it." (Lk 11:28) John MacArthur has an excellent pragmatic summary statement noting that "The obedience that characterizes a true child of God is not external, ritualistic, legalistic compliance. Nor is it unwilling, partial, inconsistent, or grudging. Loving obedience is from the heart (Dt. 11:13; 30:2, 10; Ro 6:17), willing (Ex. 25:2; 1Pe 5:2; cf. Lev. 26:21), total (Dt. 27:26; Gal. 3:10; James 2:10), constant (Phil. 2:12), and joyful (Ps. 119:54; cf. 2Cor. 9:7). The commands of God become burdensome only when we desire to do something else -- James Montgomery Boice Timothy Peck - "You see, John knows that disobedience to God’s commands is a far more crushing weight than obedience is. Christians often talk about the cost of discipleship, how following Jesus Christ does indeed cost us. But people rarely talk about the cost of non-discipleship, that a Christian who chooses a path of disobedience to God chooses a much more painful and difficult path, because the weight of disobedience is a crushing weight." (Sermon Central) Every commandment that is laid upon us provides another chance to show our love. William
1 João 5:6
MacArthur explains - John the Baptist knew that as the spotless "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), Jesus had no sin to repent of and hence no need to be baptized. Therefore "John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?'" (Mt. 3:14). John was shocked by the reversal of what he knew to be true. He was the sinner, Jesus the sinless one; he was the lesser, Jesus the greater (cf. John 1:27; 3:30). Although He was without sin (2Cor 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1Per 2:22; cf. Jn 8:46), it was still necessary for Jesus to be baptized. By doing so, He publicly identified with sinners. Therefore He told John, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Mt. 3:15). Jesus always performed what God required of His people; He claimed no exemption here, just as He claimed no exemption from paying the temple tax (Mt 17:24-27). His perfect obedience (cf. John 4:34; 8:29; 14:31; 15:10) made Him the sinless sacrifice whose death made atonement for sin. (See The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Mk 1:9-11+ - And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.” Jn 1:31-34+ “And I did not recognize Him, but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” And John bore witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” Comment - The physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit's presence provided visible evidence of the Father's testimony to the Son. Peter associates the beginning of Jesus' ministry with His baptism in water writing "you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. “[You know of] Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and [how] He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him." (Acts 10:37-38+) The point of "you yourselves know" indicates that this Jesus' water baptism was something even the Gentiles (Cornelius a God fearing Gentile was with his relatives and close friends - Acts 10:22, 24) aware and with therefore served as a clear testimony (witness) of the beginning of His ministry. BY BLOOD: JESUS' CRUCIFIXION At the termination of the earthly ministry of Jesus the Father testified of His Son in several miraculous events. While the Father did not literally speak He did act and these miracles associated with the crucifixion gave clear testimony that Jesus was the Son of God (e.g., in Mt 27:54 There was an unbelieving roman soldier at the cross when Christ died who said, "Truly this was the Son of God." The cross witnessed to the deity of Jesus Christ.), the Messiah about whom the OT prophesied that He must suffer and die (see Isaiah 53:2-9). Matt 27:45-46+ Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?” Comment - This supernatural darkness in the middle of the day came symbolized the Father's forsaking of the Son as bore the sins of the world. As a result, Jesus cried out quoting Ps 22:1.n. Matt 27:51-53+ And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook; and the rocks were split, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Comment - The tearing of the veil symbolized the Father's acceptance of His Son's atoning sacrifice, and the opening of the way into His (the Father's) very presence, the tearing of His Son's flesh symbolizing by the tearing of the veil (Heb 10:19-20). MacArthur on saints raised - Their appearance in bodily form testified to Christ's resurrection as the "first fruits of those who are asleep" (1Cor. 15:20). So overwhelming was God's miraculous testimony to Jesus that a battle-hardened Roman centurion who witnessed it cried out in terror, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Mt 27:54+; cf. Mk 15:39). (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Not with the water only but with the water and with the blood - At first reading this seems to be redundant but as John MacArthur points out this phrase "is not redundant, but addresses an important theological point. The Father did not, as the false teachers whom John was combating insisted, affirm Jesus at His baptism, but not at His death. Those heretics, purveyors of an incipient form of Gnosticism, taught that the "Christ spirit" descended on the man Jesus at His baptism, making Him the anointed One of God. According to this heresy, Jesus, under the control of the "Christ spirit," gave valuable ethical teachings during His ministry. But the Christ spirit left Him before the crucifixion and, the false teachers further claimed, He died as a mere man, not the God-man whose sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who would ever be justified. Like any teaching that denies the efficacy of Christ's substitutionary atonement, that teaching was a satanic lie, since "Jesus Christ the righteous… is the propitiation for our sins" (1Jn 2:1-2; cf. 1Jn 4:10; Ro 3:25; Heb 2:17). If He did not possess His divine nature on the cross, Jesus could not and did not conquer sin and death for believers. But the glorious truth is that "He… who knew no sin [became] sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2Cor. 5:21+)." (See The MacArthur Commentary) What was the testimony by they blood, assuming that was in fact at this crucifixion and death? Recall that there were several clearly supernatural events associated with His crucifixion and these would have objective witnesses, and one (#5) was actually verbal: (1) supernatural eclipse of the sun (Mt 27:45) (2) an earthquake (Mt 27:51); (3) the temple veil was rent in two (Mt 27:51); (4) There was partial resurrection of saints (Mt 27:52-53) (5) There was non-Jewish witness, a Roman soldier (Mt 27:54) crucifying Jesus, who acknowledged Jesus declaring "Truly this was the Son of God!” A TRUE WITNESS: THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH It is the Spirit (pneuma) Who testifies (martureo present tense - stresses His continuing activity), because (hoti) the Spirit (pneuma) is the truth (aletheia) - The Spirit continually (present tense) gives evidence, affirming the truth that Jesus is the Messiah (1Jn 5:1HCSB), the Son of God (1Jn 5:5). He continually, supernaturally brings the truth about Jesus to the light, with a testimony based not on opinion but based upon historical facts. His testimony can be believed beloved! But remember Paul's words in 1Cor 2:14+ that "a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." Believers should be thankful that the Spirit of truth is with us, in us, and upon us. For, without His guidance and light, we could not distinguish truth from error. -- Gotquestions.org ESV Study Bible (borrow) on Spirit Who testifies - The structure of the verse emphasizes that it is the characteristic work of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the fact that Christ came (see 1Jn 5:6a). It is the inward work of the Spirit in the heart of the believers to convict of sin and to open their eyes to see the truth of who Christ is and to understand the meaning of his atoning death for their sins (cf. 1Jn 5:10). Likewise, the indwelling presence of the Spirit is given to teach believers the truth of God’s Word and to abide in them (1Jn 2:27; 4:13). How did the Holy Spirit testify that Jesus is the Son of God? In Jn 1:32-34) the Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism. Now the Spirit continues (present tense) to affirm and confirm in the hearts of believers that Jesus' baptism and death verify that He is the Messiah, the Son of God (see 1Jn 2:27; 1Co 12:3, Ro 8:16). Because (hoti) the Spirit (pneuma) is the truth (cf "Spirit of truth" = Jn 14:17, 15:26, 16:13, 1Jn 4:6) - The because is a term of explanation which always begs the question "What is being explained?" In this case the reason that the Spirit is a witness and a trustworthy one is because the Spirit is (present tense - continually) the truth (aletheia). Aletheia is that which is seen or expressed as it really is. In other words truth is the correspondence between a reality (of Jesus) and the Spirit's descriptive declaration about Him. To say it another way, words inspired by the Spirit in the Scripture (2Pe 1:21+, 2Ti 3:16+) about Jesus are true because they correspond with objective reality of the Person of Jesus. Colin Kruse on the Spirit is the truth - At a minimum this constitutes a guarantee of the truthfulness of the Spirit as witness to Jesus, but it may also imply that, as truth is personified in God elsewhere in 1 John (5:20) and in Jesus in the Fourth Gospel (John 14:6), so also it is personified in the Spirit in this verse.(See The Letters of John - Page 177) Everything the Spirit says is truth. No exceptions! And all spiritual truth is from Him (2Pe 1:21+, 2Ti 3:16+). It is only as He teaches us that we come to know truth (Ps 143:10+, Lk 12:12+, Jn 14:26). When He testifies or bears witness about Jesus, what He says is true and we do well to receive this truth and live by it! God has given us the witness of His Spirit of Truth to guide us through the treacherous paths of this world's lies and darkness! Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, For Thou art the God of my salvation; For Thee I wait all the day. Ps 25:5+ Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is the Source and Revealer of divine truth (1 Peter 1:12; cf. Acts 1:16; 28:25; Heb. 3:7; 10:15-17), MacArthur adds "Apart from Him, people cannot know God’s truth (1Co 2:12-16+; 1Jn 2:20, 27+)." Vine makes an interesting observation that with the statement the Spirit is truth John basically confirms "the deity of the Holy Spirit. (David writes) “God is true” (Ps. 31:5). Christ is “the truth” (John 14:16). and “the Spirit is the truth.” He is one in divine nature with the Father and the Son." HOW DOES THE SPIRIT TESTIFY? So how did the Spirit bear witness that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God? Here are a few of the manifold ways the Spirit gave a true testimony of Jesus. (1) The Spirit bore witness of Jesus at His baptism, when Jesus willingly identified with sinners, although He Himself did not need to be cleansed. Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." (Lk 3:21-22+, cp Mt 3:16-17+) John testified saying, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.' "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God." (Jn 1:32-34+) (2) The Spirit bore witness of Jesus throughout His earthly ministry, through Spirit empowered ministry, miracles, teaching, and obedience. And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, (full of = controlled by) returned from the Jordan and was led about by the Spirit (implying willing submission and surrender) in the wilderness. (Lk 4:1+) And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. (Lk 4:14+) Comment: Jesus always did the will of the Father in the power of the Spirit. And beloved this is the ONLY WAY we can do the will of our Father in Heaven - energized and empowered by the same Holy Spirit Who enabled Jesus! Amazing truth! Amazing grace! (See The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked!) THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.” (Lk 4:18-19+) “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. (Mt 12:28+) Peter declared "You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing (His miracles) all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38+) MacArthur comments - The Holy Spirit remained fixed on Christ and controlled His human nature. When Jesus--God in human flesh-- came into the world, He did not cease to be God, but restricted the use of His divine powers to what the Holy Spirit wanted to accomplish. He simply became a Son, a servant through whom the Holy Spirit worked. Jesus restricted the use of His divine powers and became a living illustration of obedience through which the Holy Spirit took control. (The Witness of God) (3) He bore witness to Jesus as the Lamb of God, initially through John the Baptist’s Spirit filled witness (Lk 1:15+). The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29+) Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" (Jn 1:35-36+) (How did John know Jesus was the Lamb of God? Read Jn 1:32-34+). (4) He bore witness to Jesus was the satisfactory sacrifice for sins on the Cross by resurrecting Him from the dead. Paul writes He was "declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord." (Ro 1:4+) (5) The Spirit bore witness to Jesus’ promise to send another Helper, the Holy Spirit. “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another (not heteros but allos = just like Him) Helper, that He may be with you forever; (Jn 14:16) "And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. He descended on the church at the Day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:3-4+) (6) The Spirit further affirmed the witness to Jesus through the apostles' bold preaching and teaching, through miracles He did through them and supremely in the written testimony they were inspired to write, the New Testament. Saul (Paul) "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17+)… began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God." (Acts 9:20+)… increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 9:22HCSB+). "Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people… let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that by the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead-- by this Name this man stands here before you in good health. He (Jesus) is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone (quoting the Messianic Prophecies in the Scriptures [= Old Testament] - Ps 118:22-23, Isa 28:16). And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:8-12, 13+) "No prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2Pe 1:21+) “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you." (Jn 16:7) Comment: The testimony of the first disciples was enabled by the Spirit (cp Acts 4:31+, Acts 6:8-10+) sent to them by the “absent,” though present, Jesus. Indeed, the Spirit has continued to testify throughout this present evil age (Gal 1:4+) through the witness of His Spirit filled disciples (that is us beloved) for we have the absent Jesus' sure promise "lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mt 28:20, cp our charge in Mt 28:18-19+). Vine adds that the Holy Spirit "bears witness through the Holy Scriptures, which are God-breathed (2Ti 3:16), and through testimony in accordance with them the Scriptures constitute the truth because “the Spirit is the truth.” Ray Pritchard on the Spirit is the truth, the Spirit of truth - Here is a title pregnant with meaning. To call the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth” is to say that His very essence and character is grounded in the Truth. The Holy Spirit speaks only the truth about the Father, the Son, God’s will, sin, and salvation. There are other spirits in the world—evil spirits, lying spirits, spirits of confusion and deception. These spirits (which are really demons) mislead many people by masquerading as the Spirit of God. In 1John 4:1-4, we find a very practical way to “test the spirits.” We are instructed to ask them what they believe about Jesus Christ. Is He really the Son of God? Is He really “the Word made flesh”? Do they believe in the Incarnation? If the answers are no, or if the spirits equivocate, they are not the Spirit of truth. What the Holy Spirit says and does is always in perfect accordance with the Word of God. For that matter, if someone comes to us and claims to have a revelation from God, but the revelation contains falsehoods or untruths of any kind, we can reject it immediately. It did not come from the Spirit of truth. There is another fascinating side of this name. Jesus said that “the world cannot accept Him” because the world neither sees nor knows Him. The Holy Spirit does not operate on the world’s wave-length. That is why many try so hard to explain away the Christian faith. The world doesn’t know God the Father, Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit! Perhaps that also gives an insight into the strange mysticism of these days. When men turn away from God’s truth, they will believe any lie—reincarnation, voodoo, spiritualism, or warmed-over, “all religions are basically the same” propaganda. The Holy Spirit is not involved in any of those untruths. He is the Spirit of truth who teaches no error. Strange things are often done and said in the name of the Holy Spirit. Yet the Spirit of truth never leads anyone to say or do anything that is contrary to the Word of God. God does not contradict Himself. His Word is truth, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. These two must always be held together. One other emphasis should be noted. Since in John’s Gospel, truth is always wrapped up in Jesus Christ, the name “Spirit of truth” points to the Holy Spirit’s role in bearing witness to Jesus. John 16:14 explicitly tells us that the Spirit will bring glory to Christ, not to Himself. The Spirit of truth points people to Jesus. Those who follow the Spirit’s leading will do the same thing. We won’t just argue doctrine or answer hard questions. When the Spirit fills a believer, that person will bear witness to Jesus. Spirit of truth, ground me in the Word of truth that I may bear witness to Jesus Christ who is the Truth. Amen. (Borrow Names of the Holy Spirit) Spirit blest, Who art adored With the Father and the Word, One eternal God and Lord— Hear us, Holy Spirit. Spirit guiding to the right, Spirit making darkness light, Spirit of resistless might— Hear us, Holy Spirit. -T B Pollock QUESTION - Who is the Spirit of truth in John 14:17? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - In John 14:17, Jesus says, “Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you” (ESV). Because the ESV capitalizes Spirit, modern readers can easily infer that the spirit in question is the Holy Spirit. To understand why Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of truth,” let us review the context of John 14. John 14 is part of the Upper Room Discourse (John 13—17), a collection of teachings delivered by Jesus to His disciples on the night before His crucifixion. In these final moments, the disciples were greatly distressed about the impending departure of their beloved friend, Jesus (John 14:1). For this reason, Jesus took an extended moment to calm their troubled hearts and reassure them that “another Helper” was on the way (John 14:16, ESV). The Greek term translated as “Helper” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) is paráklētos. The form of this word is passive and means “one who is called alongside.” At the Son’s request, the Father will send another Helper to encourage and exhort the disciples. John’s use of the term another implies that the disciples already had a helper—the one who would soon depart from the earth. Although the Gospel writers never explicitly refer to Jesus as a paráklētos, the term is applied to Him in 1 John 2:1. Thus, in the context of John 14:16, Jesus promises to send His disciples a helper of the same type, and that helper would continue the ministry that Jesus began. In John 14:17, the identity of the helper is now revealed: He is the Spirit of truth (cf. John 15:26; 16:13). The Spirit of truth is God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. The Father will send the Spirit to come alongside the disciples. He is called the Spirit of truth because He bears witness to the truth of Jesus Christ (see John 14:6). In contrast to the work of the Holy Spirit is the work of the devil, a being who does not hold “to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Because the unbelieving world remains ensnared by satanic falsehoods, they cannot receive the Spirit of truth (cf. 1 Corinthians 2:14). Tragically, unbelievers prefer to walk by sight and not by faith, failing to understand that sight guarantees nothing. At the moment of His baptism, Jesus received the Holy Spirit: John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him” (John 1:32, ESV). So, in a sense, the Spirit of truth was already with the disciples. Following the departure of Jesus, however, the disciples will know the Spirit more intimately because He would be in them (cf. Romans 8:9–11 and Ephesians 1:13–14). Before the disciples began their ministry, Jesus instructed them to remain in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit: “And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’” (Acts 1:4–5, ESV). Once the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were fully equipped to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ (verse 8). Believers should be thankful that the Spirit of truth is with us, in us, and upon us. For, without His guidance and light, we could not distinguish truth from error. Blood (129) haima is literally the red fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins of a vertebrate animal carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from all parts of the body and thus is essential for the preservation of life. Haima gives us English words like hemorrhage (Gk - haimorragia from haimo- + rragia from regnuo - to burst) English derivatives inclue hematology (study of blood) and "leukemia" which is from leuco (white) plus haima (blood), which is fitting as leukemia is a disease that affects the white blood cells. Derivatives of haima are : haimatekchusía (130), shedding of blood; haimorroéō (131), to hemorrhage. Haima was used to describe “descent” or “family” in ancient times. “To shed blood” is to destroy life. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Online) - Excerpt of 5 page article - The appearance of blood is never a good sign. While blood is natural, the sight of it is not. To the ancients its red color, along with its mystical connection with life and death, made it a powerful and ominous symbol of violence and wrong, guilt and coming punishment. Only in the framework of sacrifice could blood portend good news. HAIMA IN FIRST JOHN 1 Jn. 1:7; 1 Jn. 5:6; 1 Jn. 5:8 Testifies (3140)(martureo from mártus = witness = one who has information or knowledge of something and can bring to light or confirm something. English = martyr) in its most basic sense refers to a legal witness. Thus the verb martureo means to be a witness, to testify, to give evidence, to give testimony, to bear record, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something. The words testified related to fact, not opinion, as in a courtroom setting. A witness is someone who has personal and immediate knowledge of something and gives a true account of what they know by having seen or heard. To confirm or attest something on the basis of personal knowledge or belief. To make a "declaration of ascertainable facts based on firsthand knowledge or experience" (Friberg). To bear witness (Ro 10:2). To confirm. To be a witness. All of the uses of martureo in the Gospel of John fall into this category of meaning. To affirm in a supportive manner. To testify favorably. To speak well of or give a good report (Of Jesus in Lk 4:22). To approve. A description of those who are approved (as here in Hebrews 11:2). Good reputation (Qualification of men who were to serve widows = Acts 6:3, Description of the Gentile Cornelius = Acts 10:22; Acts 22:12). Wayne Detzler notes that… In ancient Greek literature the bearing of witness was related to the confirmation of an event. One bore witness to support the truth of an event. The term was connected to the verb merimnao (that which requires the agreement of many minds). As many minds were brought to bear on a subject, the truth was established. Later on a witness was seen as presenting valid legal evidence. Plato insisted that such evidence must be given freely, without coercion. In the writings of the Stoics, this word came to mean evidence for certain beliefs and convictions. Thus the root of religious testimony was planted. (Borrow New Testament Words in Today's Language page 398) NIDNTT - Classic Use - 1 (a) The noun martyria means making an active appearance and statements as a witness (martys), the earliest form of the basic noun being martyros in Homer, then later Aeolic martyr. martyria, denoting the confirmation of a fact or an event, is attested from Hom. Od. 11, 325 onwards, and cognate with mermēros, that which requires many minds, going back with this word to the common Indo-European root *smer, to be mindful of, from which merimnaō, to be concerned, may also be formed (cf. Lat. memor, mindful of). Its lexical content may be more precisely defined as reflective, interrogative recollection, re-call, i.e. calling up into consciousness something one has experienced which cannot be ignored or forgotten, and which is now in this sense brought to the notice of others, in order to impart to them by means of appropriate statements the content of this experience: that which has been experienced shall become evident by means of the testimony (cf. Plato, Symp. 179b). (Click for full 13 page article) Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (excerpt) - In modern Western societies there are three types of “witness”: (1) a witness to a signature on a will or other document, (2) a witness to a crime or a major event and (3) a religious witness, someone who “testifies” to the truth he or she holds. All three senses are present in the biblical understanding of “witness,” but they converge much more closely with each other. The first (and basic) sense appears in the many passages in which God, other people, written documents, heaven and earth, and a whole range of objects are “called to witness” a commitment or agreement. Human witnesses observe Boaz’s commitment to Ruth (Ruth 4:9—11) and Jeremiah’s purchase of a field (Jer 32:10—12). Similarly, a small flock (Gen 21:30), a heap of stones (Gen 31:48), a specially constructed altar (Josh 22:27—28), a large stone (Josh 24:27; 1 Sam 6:18) or heaven and earth (Deut 4:26; 30:19) can be summoned as “witnesses” to a commitment between people or between God and human beings. God himself is frequently so summoned (e.g. [e.g. e.g.. for example] , Gen 31:50; Judg 11:10; 1 Sam 12:5; 20:23; Ser 42:5). MARTUREO USES BY JOHN - Jn. 1:7; Jn. 1:8; Jn. 1:15; Jn. 1:32; Jn. 1:34; Jn. 2:25; Jn. 3:11; Jn. 3:26; Jn. 3:28; Jn. 3:32; Jn. 4:39; Jn. 4:44; Jn. 5:31; Jn. 5:32; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 5:36; Jn. 5:37; Jn. 5:39; Jn. 7:7; Jn. 8:13; Jn. 8:14; Jn. 8:18; Jn. 10:25; Jn. 12:17; Jn. 13:21; Jn. 15:26; Jn. 15:27; Jn. 18:23; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 19:35; Jn. 21:24; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 4:14; 1 Jn. 5:6; 1 Jn. 5:7; 1 Jn. 5:9; 1 Jn. 5:10; 3 Jn. 1:3; 3 Jn. 1:6; 3 Jn. 1:12; Rev. 1:2; Rev. 22:16; Rev. 22:18; Rev. 22:20 Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is a transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua (Yeshua). NET Note on Jesus - The Greek form of the name Iēsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “LORD” in the OT). (NET Note) IESOUS USES IN FIRST JOHN - 1 Jn. 1:3; 1 Jn. 1:7; 1 Jn. 2:1; 1 Jn. 2:22; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 4:2; 1 Jn. 4:3; 1 Jn. 4:15; 1 Jn. 5:1; 1 Jn. 5:5; 1 Jn. 5:6; 1 Jn. 5:20 Christ (5547)(Christos from chrio = to rub or anoint, consecrate to an office) means one who has been anointed, symbolizing appointment to a task. The majority of the NT uses refer to Jesus (exceptions = "false Christs" - Mt 24:24, Mk 13:22). Christos is translated in the NAS 1995 edition as Christ (516x), Christ's (11x) and Messiah (4x - Mt 1:1, 16, 17, 2:4). The NIV and ESV never translate Christos as Messiah, but always as Christ. The Holman (HCSB) has an interesting approach and translates Christos as Messiah many times depending on the context (see explanatory note) The NLT paraphrase translates Christos as Messiah over 80 times. The NET translates Christos as Messiah in Jn 4:29, Acts 3:20, Eph 2:12. Many interpreters over the ages have commented on a possible wordplay between the Greek words for good (chrestos) and Christ (Christos), which as you note differ by only a single Greek letter. Whether a wordplay is intended or not, every believer can personally attest to the truth that Christos is chrestos! Christos is used 55x in 54v in the Gospels not as Jesus' personal name but as an official designation for the One Whom the Jews were expecting (Mt 2:4, Lk 3:15). Over time as the human Jesus came to be recognized and accepted as the personal Messiah, the definite article ("the") was dropped and the designation Christ came to be used as a personal name. NIDNTT - Christ is derived via the Latin Christus from the Greek Christos, which in the Septuagint and the NT is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic mešîha’. This in turn corresponds to the Hebrew mashiach/masiah and denotes someone who has been ceremonially anointed for an office. The Greek transliteration of mešîhā’ is Messias, which like Iēsous is made declinable by the added -s. (New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology See this page for a few instructions on how to most efficiently utilize this incredible resource. ) Related Resources: Messiah - Anointed One Summary of Messianic Prophecies How a Jewish man Michael Goldstone met Messiah How to Recognize the Messiah as “More Than A Carpenter” Jewish Tradition of Two Messiahs Questions Skeptics Ask About Messianic Prophecy Truth (225) aletheia from a = indicates following word has the opposite meaning ~ without + lanthano = to be hidden or concealed, to escape notice, cp our English "latent" from Latin = to lie hidden) has the literal sense of that which contains nothing hidden. Aletheia is that which is not concealed. Aletheia is that which that is seen or expressed as it really is. Truth then is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set forth or describe the reality. The basic understanding of aletheia is that it is the manifestation of a hidden reality (eg, click discussion of Jesus as "the Truth"). For example, when you are a witness in a trial, the court attendant says "Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" And you say, "I do" and you sit down. The question the court attendant is asking is "Are you willing to come into this courtroom and manifest something that is hidden to us that only you know so that you will bear evidence to that?" Therefore when you speak the truth, you are manifesting a "hidden reality". Does that make sense? An parallel example in Scripture is the case of the woman in the crowd who had touched Jesus (Read context = Mk 5:24-25, 26-27, 28-29, 30, 31-32), but when she became "aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him, and told Him the whole truth " (Mk 5:33) and nothing but the truth. She did not lie. She spoke no falsehoods. ALETHEIA USES BY JOHN - Jn. 1:14; Jn. 1:17; Jn. 3:21; Jn. 4:23; Jn. 4:24; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 8:32; Jn. 8:40; Jn. 8:44; Jn. 8:45; Jn. 8:46; Jn. 14:6; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:7; Jn. 16:13; Jn. 17:17; Jn. 17:19; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 18:38; 1 Jn. 1:6; 1 Jn. 1:8; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:21; 1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:19; 1 Jn. 4:6; 1 Jn. 5:6; 2 Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 1:2; 2 Jn. 1:3; 2 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:1; 3 Jn. 1:3; 3 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:8; 3 Jn. 1:12 Daniel Akin - Jesus the Christ came by water (His baptism) but also by blood (3x). Some believe, putting water and blood together, this refers to: 1) Baptism and the Lord’s supper. 2) The water and blood from His side when He was crucified (John 19:34-35). However, the historic context out of which John wrote, and the false teaching that was troubling the church, provides the interpretive key we need. A Gnostic named Cerinthus claimed that the man Jesus was born a normal, ordinary human being, but became God’s special agent when the heavenly Christ descended on Him at His baptism. You might say God adopted Him as His Son at this point. However, the Christ-spirit or heavenly Christ abandoned Him before His death (cf. His cry in Matthew 27:46). Consequently it was only the man Jesus, now forsaken by the Christ-spirit, who died on the cross. His death had no saving, redemptive value. John counters this. Jesus came by the water of His baptism and the blood of His cross. Though modernists might package their rejection of Christ and His atoning death on the cross a bit differently, the bottom line is the same, Calvary and the cross and the Son of God hanging there is not of ultimate significance for my salvation. “Barna Report” (Fall 2002) -- 50 percent of adults embraced a works-based approach to salvation, agreeing that anyone who “is generally good or does enough good things for others during their life will earn a place in heaven.” Surprisingly, some 40 percent of self-professed Protestants also agreed with the statement. -- 51 percent agreed with the Catholic belief that “praying to deceased saints can have a positive effect in a person’s life.” Surprisingly, one out of six evangelicals agreed with the statement. -- A large minority – 42 percent – believed that Jesus sinned while on earth. -- Or to really make the point: “There is nothing divine in the blood of the cross.” (Delores Williams, Sisters in the wilderness, 61) (ED: WOE!!! SHE WILL RUE THE DAY SHE WROTE THIS LIE ABOUT THE PRECIOUS BLOOD AS OF A LAMB - 1Pe 1:18,19+) In contrast to these perspectives, the N.T. scholar I. Howard Marshall says, “As soon as we reduce the death of Jesus to that of a mere man, so soon do we lose the cardinal point of the N.T. doctrine of the atonement, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself; in the last analysis, the doctrine of the atonement means that God himself bears our sins and shows that the final reality in the universe is his sin-bearing, pardoning love, but if Jesus is not the Son of God, His death can no longer bear this significance.” (Borrow The Epistles of John page 232). EXCURSUS ON INTERPRETIVE VIEWS OF THE WATER AND THE BLOOD Steven Cole goes into considerable detail on the interpretative problems in this section of First John - The more difficult problem is to determine what John means by his reference to “the water and the blood” (1Jn 5:6) and to “the Spirit and the water and the blood” (1Jn 5:8). It is certain that John is establishing the historical factualness of the incarnation and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ and citing God’s testimony to substantiate it. In Jewish thought, a point is confirmed in a court of law by the testimony of two or three witnesses. John here brings forth three witnesses that agree that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He also seems to be refuting the false teachers by using expressions that were already familiar to his readers, but which are not so readily understood by us. Hence the difficulty of interpreting these verses. There have been four main interpretations (On views 1, 2, & 4, I’m following John Stott, The Epistles of John [Eerdmans], pp. 177-178; I think he misrepresents Calvin’s view, as does James Boice, The Epistles of John [Zondervan], p. 163). (1) Some understand the water and the blood as a symbolic reference to the sacraments of baptism and communion. This was Luther’s view and several commentators say that it was Calvin’s view. But it is not Calvin’s view, which I will explain in a moment. This view is unlikely for two reasons. First, while water may well stand for baptism, blood would be an unusual symbol for the Lord’s Supper. John would not likely omit a reference to Christ’s body if he meant the Lord’s Supper. Second, John says that Jesus came by water and blood, which points to His past historical coming, not to any ongoing spiritual coming through the sacraments. (2) Some link this passage with John 19:34-35, where John testifies to the blood and water that flowed from the spear wound in Jesus’ side. Augustine and some other ancient commentators held this view. At first glance it seems logical since John wrote both passages. Both texts emphasize the water and the blood, and both emphasize the idea of testimony. But the similarities are not so close upon further examination. In 1 John, Jesus came by water and blood, whereas in the Gospel, it was blood and water that came out of Jesus. In 1 John, the water and blood bear witness to Jesus, whereas in the Gospel, John bears witness to the blood and water. In 1 John, the water and blood seem to bear witness to Jesus’ divine-human person, whereas in the Gospel, the blood and water bear witness to Jesus’ human death, and perhaps to the salvation provided by it. (3) (3) A third approach is that of John Calvin (Calvin's Commentary). C. H. Spurgeon seems to have followed Calvin here (1 John 5:6 By Water and Blood ). Calvin viewed the terms as referring to the Old Testament rites of purification and blood sacrifice, which Jesus Christ fulfilled in His earthly ministry. Thus, as
1 João 5:6
MacArthur - It is best to see the water here as a reference to Christ’s baptism and the blood as a reference to His death. Those two notable events bracketed the Lord’s earthly ministry, and in both of them the Father testified concerning His Son. I Howard Marshall agrees - In all probability he is referring to the water of Jesus’ baptism and the blood of his death. He is claiming that Jesus Christ truly was baptized and truly died on the cross. (Borrow The Epistles of John) Colin Kruse - Of these various suggested interpretations of Jesus’ coming ‘by water’, it is the second, that is, that it refers to Jesus’ baptising ministry, which has the most to commend it....Thus, we may say that Jesus’ coming ‘by water’ and his coming ‘by blood’ both refer to things Jesus did. His coming ‘by water’ refers to his baptising ministry. His coming ‘by blood’ refers to his laying down his life as an atoning sacrifice in order to provide cleansing for the sins of his people. It was the reality and atoning significance of Jesus’ death that the secessionists denied, and that the author felt compelled to assert. (See The Letters of John - Page 177) Simon Kistemaker - scholars generally agree that the phrase relates to the history of Jesus. That is, the terms water and blood refer respectively to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry marked by his baptism in the Jordan River and to his death on Calvary’s cross....“He did not come by water only, but by water and blood.” John may have written these words to combat the heretical movement known as Gnosticism. One representative, Cerinthus, taught that the divine Christ descended upon Jesus at the time of his baptism and left him before he died on the cross (see the comments at 2:22).14 The Gnostics claimed that Christ did not experience death. In opposition to this Gnostic heresy, which presumably had just begun to exert itself when John wrote his epistle, John teaches the historical veracity of Jesus Christ: the Son of God began his earthly ministry when he was baptized; he completed this ministry when he shed his blood and died. (New Testament Commentary: James and I-III John) ESV Study Bible (borrow) - Water most likely refers to Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. Blood signifies Christ’s atoning death on the cross. the Spirit is the one who testifies. In summary Jesus' baptism (water) marked the inception of His ministry and the crucifixion (blood) marked the accomplishment of His ministry. While this is the interpretation I favor, the reader needs to be aware that the interpretation of water and blood is not straightforward. For a more detailed discussion of some of the interpretative views read Steven Cole's note below. By (dia) is a preposition which is used to describe intermediate agency.
1 João 5:10
MacArthur adds that making God a liar "is the severest of all blasphemies since God is perfect truth and cannot lie (cf. Nu 23:19; 1Sa 15:29; Titus 1:2; Heb 6:18). Rejecting God’s witness concerning His Son is not a misfortune to be pitied, or overlooked in the name of tolerance. It is a heinous, damning sin and an affront to God’s holy nature. Those guilty of it must not be patronized, comforted, or reassured, but confronted and called to repentance. This is no trivial issue; the integrity of God is at stake. (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 198) People who reject the Son of God as Savior, or are indifferent to the Son, are provoking God to His face! -- ESV Study Bible David Jackman writes that "The only alternative (to believing what God says about His Son) is actually to make God out to be a liar (1Jn 5:10b). That is how clearly the Bible draws the line between faith in Jesus and unbelief. This is not surprising when we consider how strong is the evidence for faith that has been presented to us. There is an element of unwillingness to believe, seen in the rejection of the witness which God has given and is still giving, through the activity of His Spirit, concerning His Son. There is ample evidence for faith, but mankind’s problem is not ignorance, so much as rebellion; not that we cannot believe but rather that we will not." (Borrow The Message of John's Letters) Unbelief is the giving of God the lie, and what can be worse?
1 João 5:11
MacArthur - The essence of eternal life is the believer’s participation in the blessed everlasting life of Christ (cf. Jn 1:4) through his or her union with Him (Ro 5:21; 6:4, 11, 23; 1Co 15:22; 2Co 5:17; Gal 2:20; Col 3:3-4; 2Ti 1:1, 10; Jude 1:21). Jesus defined it in His High Priestly Prayer to the Father: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). It is the life of the age to come (Eph 2:6-7), which believers will most fully experience in the perfect, unending glory, holiness, and joy of heaven (Ro 8:19-23, 29; 1Co 15:49; Phil 3:20–21; 1Jn 3:2). The eternal life promised by God in the Old Testament (e.g., 2Sa 12:23; Ps 16:8-10; 133:3; Da 12:2) and sought by the Jews of Jesus’ day (Lk 10:25; Jn 5:39) comes only to those who believe God’s testimony and place their faith in His Son. (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 197) REAL LIFE IN CHRIST And this life (zoe) is in His Son - Compare this thought with Paul's phrase In Christ. The only way to obtain this life is by believing in His Son. Jesus is eternal life (1Jn 5:20), the eternal life that was with the Father from the beginning (1Jn 1:2+). Eternal life is not an abstract concept but a very real existence in a Person, “Christ, our life” (Col 3:4+), the One Who is the "Word of Life." (1Jn 1:1+) “It is as impossible to have life without having Christ as it is impossible to have Christ without at the same time possessing eternal life.” -- James Montgomery Boice David Jackman on life in His Son - this is a theme developed very extensively in John’s Gospel (see note), which underlines that only in Jesus can such life be known and experienced. So to the unbelieving Jews who were trying to kill him because ‘he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God’ (Jn. 5:18+), Jesus unambiguously declared, ‘Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it’ (Jn. 5:21+). And again, ‘As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself’ (Jn. 5:26). He concludes, ‘Yet you refuse to come to me to have life’ (Jn. 5:40+). Later, to the crowds still marveling at the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus declares himself to be the bread of life, for which they are craving, and continues, ‘For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day’ (Jn. 6:40+). Speaking of his sheep, as the good shepherd, Jesus promises, ‘I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand’ (Jn. 10:28+). Then, in the very face of death itself, with Lazarus four days in the tomb, he declares to Martha, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die’ (Jn. 11:25–26+). With this dominant theme running through John’s gospel, we are not surprised to find that it recurs in the most intimate chapter of all, chapter 17. Here the Son is reviewing in prayer all that has happened in his ministry before committing himself, his disciples and the future church to the Father. The work he is now about to complete is seen in terms of eternal life. ‘For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent’ (Jn. 17:2–3+). (Borrow The Message of John's Letters) Yes, in me, in me He dwelleth; I in Him, and He in me! And my empty soul He filleth, Here and through eternity. —Horatius Bonar THOUGHT - Since we as believers have eternal life by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, let us live out the new life by the power of the same Spirit not by trying to keep a set of rules of do's and don'ts. Jon Courson - Sorry, Islam. Sorry Watchtower Society. Sorry Salt Lake City. The fact of the matter is this: Life is in the Son. This life is in His Son - a few cross references to ponder our life in Jesus… 1Jn 5:12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 1Jn 5:20+ And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might 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. 1Jn 4:9+ By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. John 1:4+ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 5:21; 26+ “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; John 11:25-26+ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 14:6+ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. Jn 20:31+ but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His Name. Colossians 3:3-4+ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory (cp 1Jn 3:3+). Related Resources : Eternal Life - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Excerpt: The divinely bestowed gift of blessedness in God's presence that endures without end. This relates especially to the quality of life in this age, and to both the quality and duration of life in the age to come. Key to understanding the biblical meaning of these terms is the Bible's use of the word "eternal." Easton's Bible Dictionary Eternal Life Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (borrow) - Excerpt: Eternal life is "a person's new and redeemed existence in Jesus Christ that is granted by God as a gift to all believers. Eternal life refers to the quality or character of our new existence in Christ as well as the unending character of that life." Holman Bible Dictionary Eternal Life - Excerpt: The quality of life including the promise of resurrection which God gives to those who believe in Christ. This important term in the New Testament is emphasized in the Gospel of John, but also appears in the other Gospels and in Paul's writings. Eternal life in the New Testament eliminates the boundary line of death. Death is still a foe, but the one who has eternal life already experiences the kind of existence that will never end. Yet in this expression, the emphasis is on the quality of life rather than on the unending duration of life. Probably some aspects of both quality and duration appear in every context, but some refer primarily to quality of life and others point to unending life or a life to be entered into in the future. Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Eternal Life (2) Eternal Life McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Eternal Life The Jewish Encyclopedia Eternal Life Got Eternal Life? Do you know for sure that you will have eternal life in Heaven with God? How can I gain an eternal perspective on life? Is there life after death? What does John 3:16 mean? See verse by verse commentary on John 3:16 What things in this world have a true eternal value? Excerpt: It goes without saying that the only things of eternal value in this world are those that are eternal. Life in this world is temporal, not eternal, and therefore, the only part of life that has eternal value is that which lasts through eternity. Clearly, the most important thing in this world that has true eternal value is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, as the free gift of eternal life comes only through Him to all those who believe (John 3:16). As Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Everyone is going to live somewhere for all of eternity, Christians and non-Christians alike. And the only eternal destiny other than the one in heaven with Christ is one that provides everlasting punishment for those who reject Him (Matthew 25:46). Testimony (3141)(marturia/martyria related to martureo = to witness <> martus/martys = a witness) is that which furnishes evidence or proof. "According to the Jewish law threefold testimony was valid." (Smith) "The conditions for a legally valid witness are laid down in Dt. 19:15 (cf. Mt. 18:16; Jn 8:17-18.; 10:25; 2Co 13:1)." (Robertson) A testimony is a solemn declaration or affirmation made for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact. As an aside the frequent cost of such a "witness" is pointed up by the fact that we derive our English word "martyr" from this Greek word. MARTURIA - 28V - reputation(1), testimony(30), witness(1). Mk. 14:55; Mk. 14:56; Mk. 14:59; Lk. 22:71; Jn. 1:7; Jn. 1:19; Jn. 3:33; Jn. 5:31; Jn. 5:32; Jn. 5:34; Jn. 5:36; Jn. 8:13; Jn. 8:17; Jn. 21:24; Acts 22:18; 1 Tim. 3:7; Tit. 1:13; 1 Jn. 5:9; 1 Jn. 5:10; 1 Jn. 5:11; Rev. 1:2; Rev. 1:9; Rev. 6:9; Rev. 11:7; Rev. 12:11; Rev. 12:17; Rev. 19:10; Rev. 20:4 Eternal (166)(aionios) is an adjective which means existing at all times, perpetual, pertaining to an unlimited duration of time. Without end, never to cease, everlasting. (Ro 1:20 - God's power, Mt 18:8 - God's place of judgment, Ro 16:26 - God's attribute) Mounce observes that "This adjective typically functions in three settings: the eternity of God and the divine realm; the blessings of salvation; and everlasting conditions that have neither beginning nor end." AIONIOS - 69V - Matt. 18:8; Matt. 19:16; Matt. 19:29; Matt. 25:41; Matt. 25:46; Mk. 3:29; Mk. 10:17; Mk. 10:30; Lk. 10:25; Lk. 16:9; Lk. 18:18; Lk. 18:30; Jn. 3:15; Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:36; Jn. 4:14; Jn. 4:36; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:39; Jn. 6:27; Jn. 6:40; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:54; Jn. 6:68; Jn. 10:28; Jn. 12:25; Jn. 12:50; Jn. 17:2; Jn. 17:3; Acts 13:46; Acts 13:48; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 5:21; Rom. 6:22; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 16:25; Rom. 16:26; 2 Co. 4:17; 2 Co. 4:18; 2 Co. 5:1; Gal. 6:8; 2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Thess. 2:16; 1 Tim. 1:16; 1 Tim. 6:12; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Tim. 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2 Tim. 2:10; Tit. 1:2; Tit. 3:7; Phlm. 1:15; Heb. 5:9; Heb. 6:2; Heb. 9:12; Heb. 9:14; Heb. 9:15; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:10; 2 Pet. 1:11; 1 Jn. 1:2; 1 Jn. 2:25; 1 Jn. 3:15; 1 Jn. 5:11; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:20; Jude 1:7; Jude 1:21; Rev. 14:6 Eternal life occurs 41x in the NAS, most often (21x) in the writings of John - Matt 19:16, 29; 25:46; Mark 10:17, 30; Luke 10:25; 18:18, 30; John 3:15-16, 36; 4:14; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:50; 17:2-3; Acts 13:46, 48; Ro 2:7; 5:21; 6:22f; Gal 6:8; 1Ti 1:16; 6:12; Titus 1:2; 3:7; 1 John 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20; Jude 1:21 Life (2222)(zoe) in Scripture is used (1) to refer to physical life (Ro 8:38+, 1Co 3:22, Php 1:20+, Jas 4:14, etc) but more often to (2) to supernatural life in contrast to a life subject to eternal death (Jn 3:36+). This quality of life speaks of fullness of life which alone belongs to God the Giver of life and is available to His children now (Ro 6:4+,, Ep 4:18+) as well as in eternity future (Mk 10:30+, Titus 1:2+ on Eternal Life). Kenneth
1 João 5:12
MacArthur - Here again the exclusivity of the gospel is evident. Only those who believe the Father’s witness to the Son and acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior have eternal life… the sobering warning to those who reject it is, “How will [you] escape if [you] neglect so great a salvation?” (Heb. 2:3+). (See The MacArthur Commentary) C H Spurgeon on has the Son - we understand possessing the Lord Jesus Christ. There is the finished work of Jesus, and faith appropriates it. We trust in Christ, and Christ becomes ours. As the result of grace in our souls, we chose the Lord Jesus as the ground of our dependence, and then we accept him as the Lord of our hearts, the guide of our actions, and supreme delight of our souls. He that hath the Son, then, is a man who is trusting alone in Jesus, in whom Jesus Christ rules and reigns; and such a man is most surely the possessor of spiritual and eternal life at the present moment. It is not said "he shall have life "—he has it, he enjoys it now, he is at this hour quickened spirit; God has breathed into him a new life, by which he is made a partaker of the divine nature, and is one of the seed according to promise, and this life he has by virtue of his having received the Son of God to be his all. (Sermon Alive or Dead) Other refuge have I none, Hangs my helpless soul on Thee. Steven
1 João 5:13
MacArthur - In 1654 the Puritan Thomas Brooks wrote, "Assurance is the believer's ark where he sits, Noah-like, quiet and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions… [However] most Christians live between fears and hopes, and hang, as it were, between heaven and hell. Sometimes they hope that their state is good, at other times they fear that their state is bad: now they hope that all is well, and that it shall go well with them for ever; [then] they fear that they shall perish by the hand of such a corruption, or by the prevalency of such or such a temptation … They are like a ship in a storm, tossed here and there" (HEAVEN ON EARTH). (A Believer's Assurance- A Practical Guide to Victory over Doubt) John Stott - It is common today to decry any claim to assurance of salvation, to dismiss it as presumptuous, and to affirm that no certainty is possible on this side of death. But certainty and humility do not exclude one another. If God’s revealed purpose is not only that we should hear, believe and live, but also that we should know, presumptuousness lies in doubting His word, not in trusting it. (Borrow (The Letters of John) MacArthur adds "Assurance is an inextricable part of saving faith. The apostle John said, "I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1John 5:13, emphasis added). The Christian faith is a secure faith. As one hymn triumphantly declares, "How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in His excellent Word." (See Saved Without A Doubt: Being Sure of Your Salvation - Page 115) Herbert Lockyer - The assurance of salvation is plainly written over the pages of the New Testament. Christ and His apostles lived in the air of certainty… The epistles glow with the truth that we may know we possess salvation. (See 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart - Page 87) Henry
1 João 5:14
MacArthur - A PRAYER PREREQUISITE (see Truth for Today: A Daily Touch of God's Grace - Page 67) If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 JOHN 5:14 Praying in Jesus’ name is more than a formula. Some people think that they have to close every prayer with the phrase “In Jesus’ name, amen.” But the proper kind of prayer involves much more than a formula. What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? In Scripture, the name of God embodies all that He is. When God told Moses His name, He said, “I am who I am” (Ex. 3:14). Likewise, Jesus’ name embodies all that He is. When you pray in His name, what you ask should be consistent with who He is. Praying in Jesus’ name is praying in accord with God’s will. When our requests are in line with God’s sovereign plan, He will answer them and our faith will increase. Instead of invoking a formula at the end of your prayers, perhaps you could say, “I pray this because I believe it to be the will of Christ.” R A Torrey - Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God’s infinite grace and power. All that God is and all that God has is at the disposal of prayer. But we must use the key. Prayer can do anything that God can do and since God can do anything, prayer is omnipotent. (The power of prayer and the prayer of power page 16) Pray! By Drew Wilkerson SCRIPTURE: 1 John 5:14–15 INTRODUCTION: Abraham Lincoln wrote, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom, and all that about me, seemed insufficient for the day.” Do you feel your prayers are connecting with God? If not, put John’s counsel to work. 1. Be confident when you approach God (v. 14) 2. Ask anything you want of God (v. 14) 3. Seek to know if what you’re asking for is the will of God (v. 14) 4. Believe that you are heard by God (v. 14) 5. Expect that your answer will come from God (v. 15) CONCLUSION: Prayer is a relationship God wants to develop with His children. It needn’t become stale or boring. All we need to do is be intentional and full of assurance. As much as we need to pray, God wants to answer our prayers.
1 João 5:16
MacArthur - At first glance, verse 16 appears to introduce an abrupt change of subject. But upon further consideration, the connection of verses 16 and 17 to verses 14 and 15 becomes clear. By giving one important exception, John illustrates in a contrasting manner the extent of God’s promise to answer prayer. When a believer sees a brother (a real or professing believer) committing a sin not leading to death, the apostle writes, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. On the other hand, there is a sin leading to death, and the apostle did not advise Christians to make request for this sin. (Click for more discussion) Sin is "the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power and the contempt of His love." -- John Bunyan John Stott - Having written generally of answered prayer (1Jn 5:14–15), John now gives a specific illustration and a limitation (1Jn 5:16–17). It is not now a case of petition, but of intercession. The assurance of eternal life which the Christian should enjoy (1Jn 5:13) ought not to lead him into a preoccupation with himself to the neglect of others. On the contrary, he will recognize his duty in love to care for his brother or sister in need, whether the need which he ‘sees’ be material (as in 1Jn 3:17–18) or, as here, spiritual: if anyone sees his brother commit a sin. He cannot say ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ and do nothing. (Borrow The Letters of John page 188) Steven
1 João 5:19
MacArthur has a helpful summary comment on 1 John 5:19 - Despite the existence of countless political, cultural, and social entities in the world, there are in reality only two realms. It is the comforting privilege of believers, in addition to having eternal life, answered prayer, and victory over sin, to know they belong to God.Though they exist in this world, they are not part of it (John 15:19; 17:14); they are children of God (John 1:12–13), “aliens and strangers” (1 Peter 2:11; cf.1 Pe 1:1, 17; 1 Chron. 29:15; Ps. 119:19; Heb. 11:13), whose true citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). On the other hand, the whole world—its politics, economics, education, entertainment, and, above all, its religion—lies in the power of the evil one. The evil world system is hostile to God and believers (John 15:18–19), as John noted earlier in this epistle. It takes its cue from its ruler, Satan (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; cf. Eph. 2:2; 6:12), the archenemy of God and His people. Because the world is completely under Satan’s influence, believers must avoid being contaminated by it (1 Jn 2:15–17; cf. James 1:27). There is no middle ground, no third option. Everyone is part of God’s kingdom, or of Satan’s. In the words of Jesus, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters” (Luke 11:23). Or as James scathingly declares, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). (See 1-3 John MacArthur New Testament Commentary - Page 209) Whereas I was once the victim of sinful habits that were wrecking and ruining my life, now I have found liberty in Christ Jesus H A Ironside on the statement we know that we are of God - Take a young Christian, for instance, who has but lately come to Christ, who is faced by the specious arguments of atheists, agnostics, and other unbelievers. He finds that he is unable to answer their questions, and they say, "Well, you see we have riddled your notions and proven to you that you are all wrong and that God never spoke to men." I have seen these young believers look them full in the face and say, "I cannot answer you, but I know that I have passed from death unto life." I have seen many a man who had lived a life of sin, now transformed by grace divine, and when people said, "Explain it," he would say, "I can't explain it." "Well, then," they would say, "we can't believe, because it is contrary to certain laws, and if you can't show that it is in harmony with these laws, we have to reject it as simply the notions of an overwrought brain." "You may think me crazy if you will," would come the answer; "I cannot explain it. But one thing I know, whereas I was blind now I see, whereas I was once the victim of sinful habits that were wrecking and ruining my life, now I have found liberty in Christ Jesus." Explain that if you can. Every believer as he walks with God has this blessed inward knowledge. The only believer who loses it is the one who is disobedient to God. He loses the sense of this hallowed assurance, but when he comes back to God, makes a frank confession of his failure and is restored, he has once more this blessed inward knowledge by the Holy Spirit. Warren