HOW TO BE SURE YOU’RE ON THE WINNING SIDE
1 John 5:2-10
Everybody wants to be on the winning side!
In the theological world, a major discussion revolves around John’s statement in his letters to the seven churches:
“To him who overcomes, God will . . .”
He will be identified with God in His victory over the world.
The big theological discussion revolves around whether WE will overcome.
It’s often used in discussions about security. “You must be an overcomer!”
John Himself explains how you “overcome” in the final chapter of 1 John.
Let’s see what John says about how we can be sure WE’re on the winning side.
GOD’S HOLINESS 1:5-3:10
God is holy. 1:5
To enjoy fellowship with a holy God, we must be holy! 1:6-3:10
GOD’S LOVE 3:11-5:10
God is love. 4:8
To enjoy fellowship with a God who IS love, we must love one another.
Summary 3:11
Contrast Between the World and the Christian 3:12-4:6
The world doesn’t love God’s children.
Members of the family love other members of the family.
God’s children love God’s children.
Exhortation to Love 4:7-11
Results of Love 4:12-18
Reasons for Love 4:19-5:2
1. God’s compassion 4:19-20
We love because God loved us first.
This love reproduces and flows over into our love for one another.
2. God’s command 4:21
We love others because God has commanded us to love one another.
3. God’s concern 5:1-2
We love one another because our brother is the child of the One we love.
If we truly love Him, we will love His children also.
He cares about them because He gave (new) birth to them.
If we care about Him, we care about those He cares about.
COMPANIONS OF LOVE 5:2b-10
Two things accompany genuine love for God and for one another:
1. OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS 5:2b-3a
John has been showing the relationship between love and obedience to God’s commands.
Love and obedience to God’s commands go together.
His concluding statement is logical:
when we love one another, we are obeying God’s commands.
When we truly love God and keep His commands,
we love His children.
If we’re not loving God’s children,
we can’t claim to love Him, nor to be keeping His commands!
So, the first traveling companion to our love for one another is obedience to God’s commands. They go together. They are integrally related to each other.
A second logical companion of the love God produces in those who walk in fellowship with Him is . . .
2. VICTORY OVER THE WORLD 5:3b-10
People who love God keep His commands (such as “love one another). 3
For such people, His commands aren’t a burden.
BECAUSE everyone born of God is on the winning side–the one that overcomes the world (which hates God’s children! 3:12-18)
Refers back to the conflict in 3:12-18:
The world hates God’s children.
Those who are God’s children, love His children!
His commands aren’t “burdensome.” lit., “heavy”
Little girl carrying her baby brother.
Observer was concerned about the load she was carrying:
“Little girl, isn’t he awfully heavy for you?”
She replies: “He isn’t heavy; he’s my brother!”
God’s commands aren’t “heavy”–they’re motivated by love for Him.
They aren’t heavy because they call us to love the family too.
In this conflict between the world and God’s family,
those born of God are on the winning side.
People who trust Jesus win!
People who are born of God overcome the world! 4-5
Two things are true of people who are truly born of God . . .
They love God’s kids 5:1-2
They are on the winning side 5:4-5
Who is able to “overcome?
People who are born of God 5:4 People who trust Christ are “world-conquerors.”
They believe that Jesus is the Son of God 5:5
Our faith is the basis of our victory–but it isn’t just faith!
It isn’t faith in faith–some mystical belief we hold on to.
It isn’t faith in ourselves–trusting ourselves–that gives us victory.
It’s faith in Jesus that gives us victory!
This doesn’t satisfy the post-modern view that every faith is the same!
–that any old faith will do–you have yours and I have mine
–as long as we believe in something!
It’s exclusive! “ONLY he who believes that Jesus is God’s Son!”
Only he who trusts JESUS!–He’s the ONLY way to the winning side!
They receive the testimony God has given concerning His Son. 5:6-10
That testimony demonstrates that He is the source of eternal life.
He who has the Son has eternal life.
Our faith (trust in Him) is the victory that overcomes the world. 5:4
What does that tell us about the promises in Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21?
(Transition to life in Jesus 5:11-21)
Who will overcome?
Only those who trust in JESUS are on the winning side!
[ You may be getting lost about now as to where John is going!
Let’s go back and pick up the flow:
God is holy (1:5-3:10);
God is love (3:10-5:10)
He has begun a . . . ]
Transition to 3rd major premise of book:
Since God (Jesus) is life, (5:20),
to enjoy fellowship with God, we must have life. (5:11-24)
Transition: He is moving from love to life.
The transition goes from 4:13 to 5:10 4:13-16
He concludes the transition with a word about God’s testimony concerning His Son.
People who trust Jesus have overcome the world. 5:5
People who trust Jesus have accepted (believed/acknowledged as true)
the testimony God has given concerning His Son. 5:6-10
People who trust Jesus (have His Son) have eternal life. 5:11-13
New point: to have fellowship with the living God–with the God who IS LIFE–you must have life.
This life is found in His Son.
Parenthesis: Comments about the testimony concerning God’s Son 5:6-10
Numerous points of view about this section!
I feel strongly about my view, but it’s not what most people believe.
You don’t have to agree with me!
The main point is clear: God has affirmed that Jesus is His Son.
Concept of sonship in Hebrew mind = like the Father
=>He is characterized by the same things that characterize the father.
=> He is GOD!
Those who trust Jesus accept God’s testimony and receive life.
5:6-10 => 5:11-13
Whatever you may do with the rest of the details, that’s the bottom line:
God has affirmed that Jesus is His Son.
Those who trust Jesus acknowledge God’s testimony and receive life.
If you’re not interested in the details take that truth and hang on to it
–the rest really doesn’t change John’s main point!
I’m going to deal briefly with the details, because they’re in the text!
You have to do something with them, whether you agree with me or not.
Jesus is the One who came by water and blood. 5:6a
Three main views:
Whichever view you take, it’s used as evidence to confirm God’s Son.
1. Most common => water = baptism.
God clearly affirmed His Sonship at Jesus’ baptism.
2. Water and blood = 2 agents of cleansing.
Water = Word of God; blood of Christ
–the two agents God has provided for our cleansing.
Neither really explains “He comes through”
Nor do they take John 3 into account: “you must be BORN by water.”
3. Water = incarnation
The witness of the incarnation and death of Christ.
Water –cp. John 3– Water refers to Jesus’ physical birth.
Christ became a man, the same way we become human.
He became one of us.
The circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth demonstrate that He is God’s Son.
This was no normal human birth.
That’s confirmed by the testimony of the shepherds, the angels, and the wise men.
Blood points to Christ’s death.
The circumstances surrounding Christ’s death
demonstrate that Jesus is God’s Son.
This is no normal human death! –much less a normal criminal’s death!
Matt. 27:54 –testimony of a man who knew all about death!
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
(This is no ordinary man–he’s like God!)
Remember John’s introduction: “We’re talking about something we have seen with our own eyes and experienced personally.”
The testimony didn’t end with the evidence from Jesus’ incarnation.
Jesus’ life is important–but it isn’t enough by Himself.
His death is central to the significance of His coming!
The way He died is critical to the testimony that He is God’s Son.
Three bear witness concerning God’s Son:
The Spirit, the water, and the blood. 5:6b-8
[Textual problem–see NIV footnote]
Not found in any Greek manuscript before 14th century.
Not found in the text of any version before the 4th century.
Not even the textual tradition adopted by the textus receptus and the KJV support these lines!
We’ve already considered testimony from the incarnation and death of Jesus, . . .
The Holy Spirit adds His testimony inside our heart,
to the external evidence from the birth and death of Christ.
The three witnesses agree: God has affirmed that Jesus is His Son. 5:9
His birth, His death, and the testimony of the Spirit affirm that Jesus is God’s Son (=God Himself–of one nature with Him)
That testimony should lead us to trust Him and join in His victory over the world.
People who trust in Jesus accept God’s testimony concerning His Son. 5:10
John forces us to make a choice.
It isn’t true that any old view will do.
You must ACCEPT the testimony or REJECT it!
If you accept what God has said, you will trust His Son.
If you reject what God has said, you make Him a liar
–AND you don’t have eternal life.
YOU MUST MAKE A CHOICE!
Anyone characterized by trusting in the Son of God
has the testimony inside him (on the inside).
God’s Spirit causes him to see the light about Jesus and he has internalized it.
Anyone characterized by not trusting in the Son, has made God a liar.
Because he hasn’t believed the testimony
God has testified concerning His Son.
Because He doesn’t believe what God says about Jesus.
WHAT DIFFERENCE SHOULD THIS MAKE IN OUR LIVES THIS WEEK?
What should we DO about it? This is pretty theological stuff!
What’s the practical implication of this passage?
Main issue: What will WE do about the testimony God has given?
What will WE do with Jesus?
5:11 “He who has the Son has life!”
5:13 “I have written these things to those who believe in the name of the Son of God so you may know that you have eternal life.”
Back to John’s point:
This testimony is the basis for our faith,
the faith which overcomes the world.
In the face of the conflict with the world, . . .
We have confidence that we’re on the winning side!
We love people who belong to God’s family.
So how should we live today?
First, we should TRUST HIM!
Then we should have Confidence
That should lead us to Love for one another.