God’s Saving Word: Love
Introduction
1 John 5:1-21: Faith in Jesus as the Son of God is what gives God’s children victory over the world. Believers are assured of the promise of eternal life and encouraged to live in union with God.
Scripture Reading
Our Victory over the World
5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Messiah is a child of God; and whoever loves a father loves his child also. 2 This is how we know that we love God’s children: it is by loving God and obeying his commands. 3 For our love for God means that we obey his commands. And his commands are not too hard for us, 4 because every child of God is able to defeat the world. And we win the victory over the world by means of our faith. 5 Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
The Witness about Jesus Christ
6 Jesus Christ is the one who came with the water of his baptism and the blood of his death. He came not only with the water, but with both the water and the blood. And the Spirit himself testifies that this is true, because the Spirit is truth. 7 There are three witnesses: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and all three give the same testimony. 9 We believe human testimony; but God’s testimony is much stronger, and he has given this testimony about his Son. 10 So those who believe in the Son of God have this testimony in their own heart; but those who do not believe God, have made a liar of him, because they have not believed what God has said about his Son. 11 The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Eternal Life
13 I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life—you that believe in the Son of God. 14 We have courage in God’s presence, because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will. 15 He hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he gives us what we ask from him.
16 If you see a believer commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray to God, who will give that person life. This applies to those whose sins do not lead to death. But there is sin which leads to death, and I do not say that you should pray to God about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which does not lead to death.
18 We know that no children of God keep on sinning, for the Son of God keeps them safe, and the Evil One cannot harm them.
19 We know that we belong to God even though the whole world is under the rule of the Evil One.
20 We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we know the true God. We live in union with the true God—in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this is eternal life.
21 My children, keep yourselves safe from false gods!
Today’s Key Verse: 1 John 5:20b
We live in union with the true God—in union with his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and this is eternal life.
Reflect
Reread verses 1-5. How are believers admonished to live? What is the role of faith? Verses 13-21 provide a comprehensive summary of the key points the writer of the letter sought to convey. Some translations describe these verses as the epilogue to the letter. What is your understanding of these key points?
Pray
Loving God, give me courage in your presence. I trust that you hear me when I pray and that you are with me in the midst of all my joys and my sorrows. Empower me with your Holy Spirit, that I may be filled with your light and love and remain in union with you. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
2 John: The writer warns believers about those who seek to deceive them.