Free Bible Commentary
“First John 5:1-4”
Categories: First John“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”
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The importance of faith in Christ and love for God and His children cannot be overstated as John makes clear by his fervent repetition of these themes. It is the apostle’s writing style in this first epistle to frequently return to points of emphasis to further develop and underscore them. He tells us in today’s verses that a person requires “belief” or “faith” in Christ Jesus to be “born of God” (verse 1). This spiritual rebirth takes place in the waters of baptism (John 3:5), and continues to prevail as we persistently and consistently “keep His commandments” (verse 3) in love for the Lord and His undeserved grace and mercy.
And, if we truly love the Father, we must constantly demonstrate it by loving the people that He loves. Earlier John stated that we can only know that we are keeping God’s commandments when we love our brethren in Christ (4:20-21). In verse 2 He tells us that the converse is true: we can only “know that we love the children of God…when we observe His commandments.” In actuality and unmistakably, the keeping of God’s commands and loving His chosen people are so tightly bound together that they cannot be successfully separated without committing spiritual suicide. Our author stresses unequivocally that Faith and love are infinitely greater than mere belief and emotion. Faith obeys the Father and love supports the brethren.
“This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (verse 3). John goes as far as to say that keeping God’s commandments is synonymous with loving Him. This verse must be particularly bothersome for the “belief only” advocates that insist we can do nothing to affect our spiritual standing with the Lord. Just the opposite is true: we must do everything! That is not to say that God expects us to be perfect because He does not. But we must strive to do all that the Lord commands (Matthew 28:20) just the same, and, fortunately for us, God’s “commandments are not burdensome.” While God’s requirements for us may be demanding, they are not so oppressive that they weigh His children down and crush their spirits. In fact, just the opposite is true. God’s commands are only beneficial for us. When we follow Him in loving, trusting faith, we are liberated from the overwhelming weight of sin and guilt, and the Lord promises to be there by our side to shoulder our burdens with us (Matthew 11:28-30).
Not only is God’s law for us not burdensome, it is very instrumental in our empowerment to “overcome the world” (verse 4). The people who are overly attached to the world and attracted by the pull of its sensuality will likely insist that God expects way too much, and takes all the fun out of life for His followers. But it is our obedient faith in Christ that gives us the “victory” over sin, and Satan and the pull of temptation that he wields against our weak flesh. The strength that garners the victory is not found inherently within us, but as John said in chapter 4 verse 4, “greater is He who is in” us “than he who is in the world.” “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Our obedient faith + God’s amazing power and grace = Eternal victory over Satan, sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:54-58)
Please read 1 John 5:5-8
Have a great day!
-Louie Taylor
