Bishop Youssef
Introduction In chapter 5, St. John started by addressing how we show that we love God Then he spoke about overcoming the world (1-5) He explained God s witness that gives us certainty regarding eternal life in Christ (6-13) After that he wrote about prayer especially for a brother who sins not unto earth (14-17) 17) He concluded by stating that the sure knowledge found in the Son of God (18-21)
Showing the Love of God (5:1-5) This belief, that Jesus is the Son of God, accepted in the heart, confessed with the mouth, and perfected by the obedience of faith makes one a child of God (Romans 1:5; James 2:22) Every one who loves God who begets; has a natural affection to all His children The proof that this love is a pure one is that we love God, and keep His commandments, one of which h is to love our neighbor as ourselves
Showing the Love of God (5:1-5) The only proof of love is that we keep His commandments which are not heavy to any person who is born of God because of His grace Whoever is born of God overcomes the world - Conquers whatever it can frighten the children of God from keeping His commandments The grand means of overcoming the world is seeing all things are possible through faith in God and victory is possible only for those who believe
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) The water and the blood refer primarily to the baptism that revealed Him at the beginning of His earthly ministry and the blood which He shed at the close of his ministry St. John came baptizing in order that Christ should be made manifest (John 1:31) It was while in the waters of the Jordan that Christ was manifested and anointed On the cross flowed water and blood (John 19:34)
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) So, we are baptized into His death (Rom 6:1-3); the Communion points to His shed blood John Baptist came only baptizing with water, and therefore was not the Messiah It was His shed blood which gave water baptism its spiritual significance The Spirit which descended on the apostles and also dwells in our hearts, bore witness with mighty power that Jesus is Lord and Christ
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) It is His truth which gives His witness such infallible authority We do not have only human witness but the divine witness, the witness of the Holy Trinity The Father witnessed on baptism, transfiguration, and before the crucifixion (John 12:28-30) The Word witnessed by His words, miracles, life, and resurrection The Spirit witnesses through OT, descending like dove and tongues of fire
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) We believe in one God who has three hypostases On earth, we have three witnesses, the Spirit who works in church, the water (baptism), and the blood (communion) The testimonies of these three agree that Jesus is the Son of God and we are His children We have human testimony to Christ (Nathanael) but we have also the greater witness of God that Jesus is His son
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in his changed heart and life He who does not believe makes God a liar by rejecting the witness God gives to the Son God gives us eternal life through His Son. If we believe Him, we will have life, and vice versa He who has the Son (abiding in Him) has this life; he who does not have the Son of God has no part or lot therein
The Certainty of God s Witness (5:6-13) I write to show your privileges to show what believing on the Son of God is, by the glorious effects it produces It is not a blind confidence, but an actual enjoyment of salvation by Christ living, working, and reigning in the heart The conclusion of the epistle: that even they who already believe, need to continue and grow in faith in order to have eternal life
Confidence and Compassion in Prayer (5:14-17) We may be assured that our prayers will be granted, if we ask according to his will There is this condition He hear us with open ears, so we know that we have what we ask. It will be granted If you see your brother overtaken by sin, you need to pray for him, not to judge him The wages of sin is death but by repentance, the sentence of death is removed
Confidence and Compassion in Prayer (5:14-17) The sin unto death is when a person dies in his sin with no chance for repentance (suicide) We are instructed not to pray about this All wrong doing is sin, but the condition of soul that sets it against righteousness and against Christ as steel is a sin unto death When a person rejects Christ or righteousness to the end, this is sin unto death Such a soul repels Christ the life
Knowing the True Rejecting the False (5:18-21) Whosoever is born of God does not live a life of sin. He will not sin unto death, though he may be overtaken in a fault The believer keeps himself by taking to him the whole armor of God against sin and he is confident that the wicked one cannot hurt him The church is God's temple in which He dwells, and around it the world of wickedness Here is our faith: the Son of god has come
Knowing the True Rejecting the False (5:18-21) We know this not only by testimony from men but by God's witness He has given us understanding to know the true God and not to be deceived by false gods that we may have life in Christ, and Christ dwells in us In Christ the true God is revealed to us, and in Him we have eternal life So, you need to keep yourselves from all false gods (whatever takes our worship from God)
Conclusion How can we show our love to God? What can overcome the world? What do water and blood refer to? Name the three that t bear witness in Heaven. Give verse that proves the Holy Trinity. What is the condition or guarantee to have life in us? What confidence do we have in God? What is the difference between a sin leading to death and a sin not leading to death?