Knowing About Eternal Life Review - 1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. There are distinct differences in the degrees of sin, and there are sins which are not of such a serious nature as to result in death. 1 John 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. Beginning with verse 18, John brings his Epistle to a majestic close by reiterating the great certainties of the Christian Faith. We know that whoever is born of God does not sin. Of this we can be sure, that one who has the divine nature does not go on practicing sin. The reason follows: He who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. As in 3:9, this refers to the true believer who perseveres or keeps himself through his divine nature. It is only such a person who remains unscathed by the wicked one. 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. With John, there is no mincing of words. He sees only two spheres—in Him or under the sway of the wicked one. All people are either saved or lost, and their position depends on their relationship to Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may 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. The third great truth is that of the Incarnation. We know that the Son of God has come. This is the theme with which John opened his Epistle and with which he is now about to close it. The coming of the Lord Jesus revealed to us Him who is true, that is, the true God. God the Father can only be known through the Lord Jesus Christ. “The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Then John adds: and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. Again the emphasis is that it is only as we are in Jesus Christ that we can be in God. “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is the true God and eternal life. In other words, John is teaching what the Gnostics denied, namely, that Jesus Christ is God, and that eternal life is found only in Him. 1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. The apostle is saying in effect, “Beware of any teachings which are opposed to these realities.” He wants believers to guard themselves from any ideas concerning God, other than those which have been handed down to us by the apostles. Jesus Christ is God. Any other thought is idolatry. Here John is not speaking primarily of idols carved out of wood. An idol is a substitute or false god taking the place of the true. Here an idol is not so much a material thing as a false teaching. 2 John Overview: John writes again about the importance of love in a Christian’s life. He points out that truth and love must go together. We must also believe that Christ was truly human, and we must love each other. THE APOSTLE’S SALUTATION: GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE 2 John 1 The Elder, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth, The elder may refer to age or official position in the church. As to age, John was the last of the apostles who had companied with the Lord Jesus. As to official position, he surely was a bishop or overseer. “To the elect lady” has three commonly held interpretations. (1) Some believe that the elect lady is the church, elsewhere referred to as the Bride of Christ, or a particular local church. (2) Others think that the Letter was addressed to “the elect Kyria”—her name being Kyria. This name could be the Greek equivalent to the Aramaic name Martha (both mean “lady”). (3) Others feel that John is writing to an unnamed Christian lady, who with all other believers is among the elect of God—chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. John states that he loves this elect lady and her children … in truth. *** MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) . Nashville: Thomas Nelson.***