Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the father loves [also] the one begotten by him. 2 In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith. 5 Who [indeed] is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 7 So there are three that testify, 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. 9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
The First Letter of John emphasizes living in God's light through faith in Jesus Christ, love for God and others, and obedience to His commandments. It combats false teachings by affirming Christ's full divinity and humanity, and it assures believers of eternal life through fellowship with God.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ) becomes a child of God, born anew through the transformative grace of faith and baptism (John 3:3-5). True love for fellow believers is rooted in obedience to God’s commandments as fulfilled in Christ (John 14:15). The love of God is expressed through active obedience to His commandments. The Law of Moses could feel burdensome due to its detailed stipulations (Acts 15:10), but the New Covenant instituted by Christ offers grace through the Spirit to fulfill God's will joyfully (Mt. 11:28-30; Rom. 8:4). Through belief in Christ, the divine Son of God, Christians share in His victory over sin, death, and the devil (John 16:33; Rev. 12:11).
In the late 1st century AD, Docetism was a heresy that denied the full humanity of Jesus Christ, claiming that He only appeared to be human and was not truly incarnate. Around the same time, the heresy of Gnosticism also emerged, teaching that salvation comes through secret knowledge (gnosis) and often portraying the material world as evil, created by a lesser deity. 1 John 5:6-8 counters these errors by emphasizing the reality of Jesus' humanity and mission. The references to Jesus' baptism ("water") and crucifixion ("blood"), along with the Spirit's truthful testimony (John 15:26), affirm both His divinity and humanity. Together, the Spirit, the water, and the blood fulfill the Jewish legal requirement for valid testimony (Deut. 19:15) and bear unified witness to the salvific work of Christ.
God’s testimony is greater than human testimony, as He testified on Jesus’ behalf at His baptism (Matthew 3:17) and His resurrection (Acts 2:32-36). Whoever believes that Jesus is the Son of God receives God’s testimony within themselves through faith. Conversely, rejecting Christ means rejecting God’s self-revelation, effectively calling God a liar. This testimony provides personal assurance of salvation (Rom. 8:16) through union with Christ, the sole mediator of salvation (John 14:6). Eternal life is granted to those who have faith in Jesus as the Son of God, obey His commandments, and participate in His life. However, those who reject the Son cannot attain eternal life, as salvation is available only through Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
Almighty God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, through whom we have eternal life. Strengthen our faith, deepen our love, and guide us to walk in obedience to Your commandments. May the Spirit, the water, and the blood continually testify in our hearts to the truth of Your salvation. Keep us ever united with Christ, so that we may live in Your light and share in Your eternal joy. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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