One who professes to love God whom he hasn’t seen but doesn’t love Christians disobeys God’s command, thus proving his profession of salvation to be a lie. Those who are born again become God’s children and God’s children love their Father and one another and obey him (4:20-5:5).
True believers believe that Jesus was fully God and fully man (5:5-12). “Water” refers to Jesus’ baptism, and “blood” refers to his death. “Water” and “blood” are mentioned because Jesus’ ministry began at his baptism and ended with his death. Both symbols testify that Jesus was fully human and God. This is essential truth, because if Jesus had died only as a man his death would not provide atonement for sinners.
When Christians pray to God according to his will as stated in Scripture, they confidently pray that God will answer (vv. 14-15) Christians must pray that believers would persevere in the faith and thus not continue in sin. If a professing Christian leaves Christ and returns to a life character by sin, there is no longer a need to pray for perseverance as he did not.
Unbelievers are under Satan’s control, live lives characterized by sin, and worship and serve idols. Believers are the exact opposite because God gave them new life (“born again,” v. 18), and rightly see and discern truth from error (v. 20).
Truths to Nail Down and Meditate On
- John wrote this letter so that believers would know that they had eternal life (v. 13). Believers can—and should—know that they have eternal life. This is called assurance of salvation and considers God-given salvation from the believer’s perspective. Eternal security considers salvation from God’s perspective. The believer’s experience and assurance of his salvation may not be strong because of sin. John’s letter gives clear truth from God whereby believers can know. Do you?
- While living in a sin-cursed, Satan dominated, idolatry filled and devoted world, Christians must keep themselves from such and devote themselves entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ (vv. 18-21).
