1 John 5 reminds me of the coaches warning that “Good is the enemy of great”. We can become complacent with minor success and lose the desire to do the things necessary to be great. Today’s lesson is about not settling for good enough. The primary purpose of the letter was to correct corruption being taught within the church. John begins the last chapter by defining “believing” as believing that Jesus is “the Christ”. This word comes from the Greek “christos”, meaning “the anointed one of God.” It is equivalent to the Hebrew word “Messiah”. These Jewish converts understood Jesus to be the promised King and Deliverer of Israel. John repeats his assertion that love must be expressed through our actions. He explains that we love God’s people “by loving God and carrying out His commands”. He defines love: “this is love for God: to keep His commands.” And he tells those set free from the law that “His commands are not burdensome.” These two concepts cannot be separated. Jesus fulfilled the Law to set us free. The law is good because it provides God’s standard of perfection. John asks and answers the question: “Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Forgiveness is great because we do not rely on our own feeble efforts. John says to believe, and then live out that faith with gratitude for all to see.
Next, he makes a reference to Deuteronomy 19, which establishes the precedent that “One witness is not enough to convict anyone… A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” He relates this to confirmation we receive that Jesus was born in the flesh to pay the penalty for our sin. God cannot ignore the sin that separates us from His presence. Jesus paid our debt. John says that: “there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.” I believe the Holy Spirit confirms God’s acceptance in our heart. The Water is the literal birth of the babe in Bethlehem. And the Blood is the Lamb of God, shed for the forgiveness of sin. Today we also have confirmation in the written Word of God. John writes: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life.” This is John’s message to the church. This is the unchanging gospel that applies to every human soul.
John closes the letter with several exhortations. First: “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.” The expectation of eternal life changes our perspective on everything. The highs and lows are less dramatic with an eternal timeline. Trauma and disease become momentary afflictions, knowing a greater reward awaits. Unity with God trivializes minor disagreements. John adds that we also have a perfect “confidence” as we approach God in prayer. Our access is through the righteousness of Christ. We trust: “that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” When we study His Word, we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit. We desire God’s mercy for others. Our responsibility is to extend the same grace God has given to us. An eternal perspective gives us patience for those with enmity toward God: “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.” We are to offer hope to those in pain. John explains: “All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.” Every one of us will miss the mark. John reminds us that this is the day of man: “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” On our own we will be corrupted. John encourages the church: “We are in Him… Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” Our best is not good enough. Will you put your trust in Christ for eternal life?