Text: 1 John 5:1-21

1Jn_5:1-21

We come now to the third test of sonship, the test of truth. “We know” is the key phrase here
(1Jn_5:2, 1Jn_5:15, 1Jn_5:18-20). There are several certainties found in this chapter.

I. We Know What a Christian Is (1Jn_5:1-5)

A. Most people in the world do not know what a Christian is or how they can become
Christians. They trust in religious works and good intentions, depending on the energy of the
flesh. God says that a Christian is someone who has been born again. It is faith in the finished
work of Christ that makes a child of disobedience into a child of God (see Joh_1:12-13; Jas_1:18;
1Pe_1:3).

⦁ Joh 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

⦁ Jas 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.

⦁ 1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead,

B. John uses the phrase “born of God” seven times in his first epistle and describes the
“birthmarks of believers”:

(1) they practice righteousness, 1Jn_2:29;

(2) they do not practice sin, 1Jn_3:9;

(3) they love other Christians, 1Jn_4:7;

(4) they overcome the world, 1Jn_5:4; and

(5) they keep themselves from Satan, 1Jn_5:18.

Again, John emphasizes love, obedience, and truth as the tests of true sonship. If we have
God as our Father and love Him, then surely we will also love His other children.

This love will lead to obedience (see Joh_14:21 and Joh_15:10).

* Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:
and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to
him.

* Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept
my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

1
C. Where there is love, there is a willingness to serve and please others.

⦁ God’s commands are not irksome to us because we love Him.

⦁ There is a law in every city that parents must take care of their children, or else be put in
jail.

⦁ Is it a burden for parents to work and sacrifice to care for their children?

⦁ Or do they care for them only because they fear this law?

⦁ Neither is true! They obey the law because they love their children.

⦁ The Christian who complains that God’s Word is a burden does not know the meaning of
love. See Mat_11:28-30.
Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

⦁ Christians are not to love the world, belong to the world, or yield to the world. They are
overcomers:

⦁ overcoming the world,

⦁ the devil (1Jn_2:13-14), and

⦁ the false teachers (1Jn_4:4).

Transition: They overcome by faith in God’s Word, not by their own power or wisdom. We
overcome because

II. We Know Who Jesus Is (1Jn_5:6-13)

Sinners must believe that Jesus is the Christ and that He died for their sins before they can be
saved and born into God’s family.

1Jn_5:5 stresses the Person of Christ, and

1Jn_5:6-7 His work on the cross. There are several suggested explanations of the phrase “water
and blood.” - We may relate it to Joh_19:34-35, where John saw the blood and water come
out of Christ’s wounded side, thus proving that He had really died.

- Or, it may be that John had the false teachers in mind. Some of them taught that Jesus was
a mere man, but that “the Christ” came upon Jesus at the baptism, then left Him when He died on
the cross. This would mean that we have no Savior at all. No, said John, our Savior Jesus
Christ was declared to be the Son of God at His baptism (Mat_3:17), and proved to be the

2
Son of God at the cross (Joh_8:28; Joh_12:28-33).

The entire Godhead agrees that Jesus is the Christ; and on earth, the Spirit, the Word (water),
and the cross (blood) bear the same witness. God is witnessing to the world that this is His Son —
yet people will not believe. They receive the witness of men, but reject the witness of God. But
when we reject this witness, we make God a liar.

All God asks is that we trust His Word. We can rely on the inner witness of the Spirit (1Jn_5:10,
see Rom_8:16) as He uses the Word. 1Jn_5:11-13 summarize as clearly as possible the
assurance we have in Christ.

Eternal life is in Christ: God has witnessed to this. If we believe God’s witness, then we have this
life within us. Christian assurance is not a matter of “working up” a religious emotion; it is
simply a matter of taking God at His Word.

III. We Know How to Pray with Confidence (1Jn_5:14-17)

Look at Vs 14 this verse speaks of praying in confidence.

Knowing that God hears us, We Know this phrase is used 12 times in 11 verses in 1 Jn. 5 times
in this chapter. V 2, 15, 18, 19, and 20.

Won’t you agree “knowing” is the most important take away from this chapter regarding our lives.

1Jn_5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his
commandments.

1Jn_5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him.

True prayer is much more than saying words to God. It involves searching the Word,
letting the Spirit search the things of God (Rom_8:26-28), and yielding to God’s will as we
share our requests with Him. There is a price to pay in this kind of praying, but it is worth
it.

Additionally,

IV. We Know How a Christian Acts (1Jn_5:18-19)

1Jn_5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God
keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

1Jn_5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

3
The Gk. verb in 1Jn_5:18 means “does not practice sin.” Christians do not keep themselves
saved, but they do keep themselves out of the snares of the devil. “Keep yourselves in the love of
God” (Jud_1:21). “He that is begotten of God” may refer to Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son, or
to the believer; perhaps both are true. We must yield to Christ in order to have victory; but we fight
“from” victory as well as “for” victory.

God’s people must keep their eyes wide open because the whole world “lies in the lap” of the
wicked one. Satan is the god of this age and the prince of darkness. He has blinded millions of
people spiritually and has kept them in bondage.

V. We Know the Truth (1Jn_5:20-21)

1Jn_5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that
we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is
the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

The Spirit and the Word always agree, for “the Spirit is truth” (1Jn_5:6) and God’s Word is
truth (Joh_17:17). The witness of the Spirit within the heart will never contradict the words
of the Spirit in the Bible. The false teachers John was opposing taught that one had to belong to
a special “inner circle” before one could understand spiritual knowledge, but John affirms that any
true believer can know God’s truth.

Conclusion:

The true God is opposed to the false gods, the idols. An idol is man’s conception of god. God
made man is His image; now men make gods in their own image! Read Rom_1:21. Note that
John affirms that Jesus Christ is the true God!

Obedience, love, and truth are the keys to Sonship with God the Father and Fellowship with the
Triune God