Whistle-Stop Scripture Study: 1 John 5 (Conclusion)

"God is too good to be unkind, and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart."   - Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

We've now reached the final chapter in this study of The First Epistle of John or 1 John. This session finds us examining 1 John 5 in this initial group of letters; most likely sent to believers among the churches in Asia Minor. 

Up to this point, the main focus of these epistles, or letters, has been on love, and heeding the word of God and carrying it out. Without a doubt, these are important in the life of a believer.

But the glue that holds all of this together is faith. And that's where we find ourselves in this lesson, as we turn to explore the significance of believing in the Son. This is shown here in chapter 5, seven out of ten times in all of 1 John! 

For those who do believe in Jesus Christ, they acquire the assurance of eternal life. Thus, some key points must be called to our attention here.

• that true faith is manifested through our love for God, and everyone else.
• it stresses that one who absolutely believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God has been "born of God" or spiritually reborn.
• they (believers in Christ) gain possession of the power to overcome or defeat the world.

There is something else, however, that must be mentioned before moving on. If one chooses to dismiss or renounce this belief, they have effectively forsaken the word of God. Alas, this is a sad but all too common occurrence around the world.

As we usually do, let's briefly revisit the questions given at the end of 1 John 4. The answers provided are not meant to be regarded as exact, nor as the final word. They have been provided as a comparison and self-evaluation tool only!

Compare your answers below*:

#1. What are the main points of 1 John 4?

• Test the spirits to see whether they are from God 
• God is love.

#2. Why shouldn't we believe every spirit? 

• Owing to the fact that there are many false prophets.

#3. How can one recognize the Spirit of God?

• Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

#4. What did John remark about the coming of  the Antichrist? 

• The spirit of the antichrist, is already in the world. 

#5. What did John write about their ability to overcome?  

• The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

#6.  How can one tell the difference between the spirit of truth and the false? 

• As believers, whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.

#7. Why should we love each other? 

• Because love comes from God and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

#8. How did God show his love for us? 

• By sending His one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

#9. How can we make sure that God will abide or dwell in us? 

• By loving one another.

#10. What do we receive as a result of loving each other as we should? 

• We will have confidence on the day of judgment.

#11. If we say that we love God, but hate our brother or sister, what does that make us? Why? 

• It makes us liars. If we don't love someone whom we've seen, how can we say we love God if we've never seen Him? 

*verses for the questions were provided in the previous lesson.

In 1 John 5, John discusses faith in Jesus Christ, loving God, and surmounting (overcoming) the world (vv. 1-5). Then he comments on God's witness (testimony) that provides assurance regarding eternal life in Jesus Christ (vv. 6-13). He finally concludes with a discourse on prayer (vv. 14-17), and the confidence found in one's knowledge of Him (vv. 18-21).

Objectives of this lesson: 

After completing this lesson (includes reading the selection), you should be familiar with:

• The vital importance of faith, love, and being obedient.
• The character of eternal life in one's current possession.
• The difference between sin that does not lead to death, and sin that does.

Before we start, let us pray: "Dear Lord, send the grace of your Holy Spirit to strengthen me that I may learn well the subject I am about to study. Amen."

The questions below are provided to help you get the most out of the chapter study. The numbers enclosed in parentheses are the verse numbers relating to that particular question. 

I encourage you to first read the chapter thoroughly as many times as needed. Then take your time answering the questions, making sure you understand each one before moving on. 

Reading Questions:

1. What are the main points of 1 John 5? - (vv. 1-5); (vv. 6-13); (vv. 14-17); (vv. 18-21)
2. To be born of God, what must we do? - (v. 1)
3. How can we be certain that we the love the children of God? - (v. 2)
4. How can one defeat (overcome) the world? - (vv. 4-5)
5. What three things gave evidence toward Jesus Christ?  (vv. 6-8) 
6. What does one receive in return for their belief in the Son of God? - (v. 10)
7. What has God given us? Who has this? - (vv. 11-12)
8. Why did John mention these things in his epistle? (v. 13)
9. What confidence do we have in prayer? - (vv. 14-15)
10. What is described as the true God and eternal life? - (v. 20)

This now concludes our study of 1 John. I've purposely created these studies to be concise in order to accommodate most busy daily schedules. Even so, they contain enough content to promote actual learning.

I invite you to join me for our next study of 2 John. Until then, I hope this "whistle-stop" for Scripture study will become an established point of departure as you set out on your journey with Jesus Christ!

Thank you again for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Scripture: Proverbs 8:35; Matthew 25:46; John 6:47; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:13  

Prayer: "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23-24

May God richly bless you always,

Leia