5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments. ³ For this is “loving God” that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith (1Jn5:1-4)

Faith, love and assurance

Before coming to the Christian’s attitude to the world, the opening verses affirm what was considered in the previous post – that love or the lack of it is the primary determinant of our standing before God. Faith alone, if it merely pertains to belief, trust or confidence (as Luther insisted) is incomplete for the purpose of assurance of salvation. In John’s words it is “by this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments (v2). And as that apostle has made clear, if we do not love the children of God we are not one of them. We may claim to love God, but that is to be determined by whether or not we keep His commandments (same verse).

As to what that entails, be assured by Paul:  “the one who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the Law. For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Rom13:8-9). Extraordinarily to some, God per Se is not directly mentioned in this summation of the law. For to Paul it goes without saying that if we keep His commandments, summarized by the apostle as love for neighbour, then we will love God. His Son implied much the same – “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn14:15).

Of course, being fallen human beings, even with the Spirit’s help we cannot fulfil God’s commandments perfectly to the letter, but we can do so in spirit. For the letter kills but the spirit gives life (2Cor3:6KJV not NASB). Contrary to the understanding of many (including the NASB translators who by their casing have taken πνεῦμα to be referring to the Holy Spirit), the correct analogy/dichotomy pertains to on the one hand fulfilling the spirit of God’s law (as did the Mt25 “sheep”) whilst on the other to a slavish obedience to the letter of the law (like the Pharisees Jesus scolded inLk11:42). For the Mt25 “sheep” had obeyed the spirit of God’s law out of compassion for their fellow man whereas the Pharisees had observed its  minutiae for the sake of the Law itself. The “sheep’s” actions pertained to love and therefore faith (previous post), the Pharisees’ to religiosity.

Overcoming the world

So love is a key motif of John’s pastoral teaching, but so also is the Christian’s attitude to the world. As he wrote earlier in this epistle: “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (2:15). Now here in chapter five John describes the world as something the Christian needs to overcome/conquer/subdue (Greek: νενικήκατε) (v4). As explained in a related earlier post, this pertains to  John’s reference to the “world” (κόσμος) as not referring to the material planet but the socio-political-ethical system that resides upon it. The latter is currently under the influence of the devil, albeit not his ultimate authority (Lk4:5-7 cf. Mt28:18).

 That is in view of what Jesus has done and said on the matter. In terms of His actions, it pertains to Calvary, concerning which He declared, “Now is the judgment of this world: now the prince of this world will be cast out” (Jn12:31). By that the Lord meant that as a result of His Passion, the prince of this world can in the future be cast out. Satan’s ultimate defeat has been assured, yet he still holds sway over the world, as Paul later made clear (Eph2:2 &6:12). That is why Jesus had warned His disciples: “In the world you have tribulation but take courage, I have overcome the world.” (Jn16:33).

Prosperity not assured

A key point that follows from what John in particular insists upon is that many of the attitudes, mentalities, not least the material aspirations of the current age are at odds with God’s plans for the people He has chosen for His Son. These driving forces and captivating influences need to be overcome by the Christian (cf. 1Jn2:16) – the caveat being that any rendering of the gospel that denies such a dichotomy (between the path to be followed by His people and the ways of the world) is bound to be false.  Thankfully, Christ added to His warning of earthly tribulations in that same verse: “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace”.  And in terms of John’s concerns, this is (the Christian’s) victory that overcomes the world: our faith (v4).

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