Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 5

1 John Chapter 5

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

This chapter covers the following subjects:

1. A continuation of the discussion about love (1 John 5:1–3). These verses should have been attached to the previous chapter.
2. The victory that is achieved over the world by those who are born of God. The primary instrument by which this is done is the belief that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:4–5).
3. The evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, or the means by which that truth is so believed as to secure a victory over the world (1 John 5:6–12). In this part of the chapter, the apostle goes fully into the nature of this evidence, or the ways in which the Christian becomes so thoroughly convinced of it as to give faith this power. He refers to these sources of evidence:
   1. The witness of the Spirit (1 John 5:6).
   2. The record borne in heaven (1 John 5:7)—if that verse is genuine.
   3. The evidence borne on earth by the Spirit, the water, and the blood—all bearing witness to that one truth.
   4. The credit that is due to the testimony of God, or that the soul pays to it (1 John 5:8).
   5. The fact that the one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself (1 John 5:10).
   6. The substance of the record: that God has given us eternal life through His Son (1 John 5:11–12).
4. The reason why all this was written by the apostle (1 John 5:13). It was so that they might know that they had eternal life and might believe in the name of the Saviour.
5. The effect of this in leading us to the throne of grace, with the assurance that God will hear us and will grant our requests (1 John 5:14–15).
6. The power of prayer and the duty of praying for those who have sinned. The encouragement for this is that there are many sins that are not unto death, and we may hope that God will be merciful to those who have not committed the unpardonable offence (1 John 5:16–17).
7. A summary of all that the apostle had said to them, or of the points of which they were sure in the matter of salvation (1 John 5:18–20). They knew that those who are born of God do not sin; that the wicked one cannot permanently injure them; that they were of God, while all the world lay in wickedness; that the Son of God had come; and that they were truly united to that Saviour who is the true God and eternal life.
8. An exhortation to keep themselves from all idolatry (1 John 5:21).

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ. That is, that Jesus is the Messiah; the Anointed of God. On the meaning of the word Christ, see Barnes on Matthew 1:1.

Of course, it is meant here that the proposition, "Jesus is the Christ," should be believed or received in the true and proper sense to furnish evidence that anyone is born of God. Compare to Barnes on 1 John 4:3.

It cannot be supposed that a mere intellectual acknowledgment of the proposition that Jesus is the Messiah is all that is meant, for that is not the proper meaning of the word believe in the Scriptures. That word, in its true sense, implies that the truth which is believed should make its fair and legitimate impression on the mind, or that we should feel and act as if it were true. See Barnes on Mark 16:16.

If, in the proper sense of the phrase, one does believe that Jesus is the Christ, receiving Him as He is revealed as the Anointed of God and a Saviour, it is undoubtedly true that this makes one a Christian, for that is what is required for a person to be saved. See Barnes on Acts 8:37.

Is born of God. Or rather, "is begotten of God." See Barnes on John 3:3.

And every one that loveth him that begat. This means everyone who loves God, who has thus begotten those whom He has received as His children and to whom He sustains the endearing relation of Father. Loveth him also that is begotten of him. That is, such a person will love all the true children of God, all Christians. See Barnes on 1 John 4:20.

The general idea is that, as all Christians are the children of the same Father, as they constitute one family, as they all bear the same image, as they share His favour alike, as they are under the same obligation of gratitude to Him, and are bound to promote the same common cause and are to dwell together in the same home forever, they should therefore love one another. As all the children in a family love their common father, so it should be in the great family of which God is the Head.

By this we know that we love the children of God, etc. This is repeating the same truth in another form. "As it is universally true that if we love him who has begotten us, we will also love his children, or our Christian brethren, so it is true also that if we love his children it will follow that we love him." In other places, the apostle says that we may know that we love God if we love those who bear his image (1 John 3:14).

He says here that there is another way of determining what we are. We may have undoubted evidence that we love God, and from that, as the basis of an argument, we may infer that we have true love to his children. There can be no doubt that we may have evidence that we love God, apart from the evidence we derive from our love to his children.

We may be conscious of it; we may find pleasure in meditating on his perfections; we may feel sure that we are moved to obey him by true attachment to him, as a child may in reference to a father. But, it may be asked, how can it be inferred from this that we truly love his children?

Is it not easier to ascertain this by itself than it is to determine whether we love God? (Compare to 1 John 4:20). To this it may be answered that we may love Christians from many motives: we may love them as personal friends; we may love them because they belong to our church, sect, or party; or we may love them because they are naturally amiable. But the apostle says here that when we are conscious that an attachment exists towards Christians, we may ascertain that it is genuine, or that it does not proceed from any improper motive, by the fact that we love God. We will then love them as his children, whatever other grounds of affection there may be towards them.

And keep his commandments. See Barnes on John 14:16.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. This constitutes true love; this furnishes the evidence of it. And his commandments are not grievous. Greek, heavy—bareiai; that is, difficult to be borne as a burden . The meaning is, that his laws are not unreasonable; the duties which he requires are not beyond our ability; his government is not oppressive.

It is easy to obey God when the heart is right; and those who endeavor in sincerity to keep his commandments do not complain that they are hard. All complaints of this kind come from those who are not disposed to keep his commandments. They, indeed, object that his laws are unreasonable; that they impose improper restraints; that they are not easily complied with; and that the Divine government is one of severity and injustice.

But no such complaints come from true Christians. They find his service easier than the service of sin, and the laws of God more mild and easy to be complied with than were those of fashion and honor, which they once endeavored to obey. The service of God is freedom; the service of the world is bondage.

No man ever yet heard a true Christian say that the laws of God, requiring him to lead a holy life, were stern and "grievous." But who has not felt this in regard to the inexorable laws of sin? What devotee of the world would not say this if he spoke his real sentiments? (Compare to Notes, John 8:32).

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. The world, in its maxims, and precepts, and customs, does not rule him, but he is a freeman. The idea is that there is a conflict between religion and the world, and that in the heart of every true Christian, religion secures the victory, or triumphs. In John 16:33, the Savior says, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (See Barnes on John 6:33).

He obtained a complete triumph over him "who rules the darkness of the world," and laid the foundation for a victory by His people over all vice, error, and sin. John makes this affirmation of all who are born of God. "Whatsoever," or, as the Greek is, "Everything which is begotten of God," (pan to gegennēmenon); meaning to affirm, undoubtedly, that in every instance where one is truly regenerated, there is this victory over the world. (See Barnes on James 4:4; 1 John 2:15; 1 John 2:16).

It is one of the settled maxims of religion that every man who is a true Christian gains a victory over the world; and consequently, an equally settled maxim that where the spirit of the world reigns supremely in the heart, there is no true religion. But, if this is a true principle, how many professed Christians are there who are strangers to all claims of piety—for how many are there who are wholly governed by the spirit of this world!

And this is the victory. This is the source or means of the victory which is thus achieved. Even our faith. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 John 5:5. He overcame the world, John 16:33, and it is by that faith which makes us one with Him, and that imbues us with His Spirit, that we are able to do it also.

(Note: For "whatsoever," an alternative is "whosoever." For "overcometh," compare 1 Corinthians 15:57.)

Who is he? Where is there one who can pretend to have obtained a victory over the world, except the one who believes in the Saviour? All others are worldly and are governed by worldly aims and principles.

It is true that a man may gain a victory over one worldly passion; he may subdue some one evil propensity; he may abandon the frivolous social circle, may break away from habits of profanity, and may leave the company of the unprincipled and polluted. But still, unless he has faith in the Son of God, the spirit of the world will reign supreme in his soul in some form.

The appeal which John so confidently made in his time may be as confidently made now. We may ask, as he did, where is there one who shows that he has obtained a complete victory over the world, except the true Christian? Where is there one whose end and aim is not the present life?

Where is there one who shows that all his purposes in regard to this world are made subordinate to the world to come?

There are those now, as there were then, who break away from one form of sin and from one circle of sinful companions; there are those who change the ardent passions of youth for the soberness of middle or advanced life; there are those who see the folly of profanity, frivolity, and intemperance; there are those who are disappointed in some scheme of ambition and who withdraw from political conflicts; there are those who are satiated with pageantry and who, oppressed with the cares of state, as Diocletian and Charles V were, retire from public life; and there are those whose hearts are crushed and broken by losses, and by the death, or what is worse than death, by the ingratitude of their children, and who cease to cherish the fond hope that their family will be honored and their name perpetuated in those whom they tenderly loved—but still there is no victory over the world.

Their deep dejection, their sadness, their brokenness of spirit, their lamentations, and their lack of cheerfulness all show that the spirit of the world still reigns in their hearts. If the calamities which have come upon them could be withdrawn, if the days of prosperity could be restored, they would show as much of the spirit of the world as they ever did and would pursue its follies and its vanities as greedily as they had done before.

Not many years or months elapse before the worldly mother who has followed one daughter to the grave will introduce another into the fashionable world with all the brilliancy which fashion prescribes; not long will a worldly father mourn over the death of a son before, in the whirl of business and the exciting scenes of ambition, he will show that his heart is as much wedded to the world as it ever was.

If such sorrows and disappointments lead to the Saviour, as they sometimes do; if they lead the troubled mind to seek peace in his blood and support in the hope of heaven, then a real victory is obtained over the world; and then, when the hand of affliction is withdrawn, it is seen that there has been a work of grace in the soul that has effectually changed all its feelings and secured a triumph that shall be eternal.