By Al Johnson
John begins the final chapter of his letter by calling us back to the basics of Christianity: faith in Jesus Christ. Once again John can’t help but talk about Jesus and share what he’s done. His excitement is contagious. Is there something in your life that you can’t stop telling people about? Maybe it’s a favorite show you just binge-watched, a restaurant that serves the best tacos in town, or an new hobby you want others to join you in. When we’re passionate about something, it naturally spills over into our conversations. John’s enthusiasm reminds us that when something truly changes our lives, we can’t help but share it.
ONLY JESUS SAVES
Jesus saves sinners. This is the heart of John’s message and the heart of the entire Bible. John wants people to experience real salvation: burdens lifted, sin forgiven, freedom, and abundant life—all of it. In 1 John 5:1, we see that belief in Jesus as the Christ is the foundation of salvation. The invitation is for everyone. Anyone who believes can be saved. You don’t have to clean yourself up before coming to Jesus, just come as you are. When we encounter Jesus, everything changes. We go from lost to found, from broken to restored, from sinners to sons and daughters of God. Salvation isn’t just a one-time, one moment experience, it’s the beginning of forever with Jesus. The beauty
of the gospel is that no one is too far gone, too messed up, or too broken to be redeemed. Jesus came to save sinners, to set its captives free. If we truly grasp this truth, it should stir something in us. Just like John, we should long for others to know the hope, freedom, and forgiveness that can only be found in Jesus.
KEEPING CHRIST’S COMMANDMENTS
A natural result of knowing Jesus and experiencing new life in him is a desire to obey him. In 1 John 5:2-3, John teaches that being a child of God means loving our fellow brothers and sisters in th faith, and that love is demonstrated in real time by keeping Jesus’s commandments. When we truly understand what Jesus has done for us, obedience stops feeling like a burden and becomes a joy. Moreover, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience is the overflow of a heart that belongs to him. The more we walk with Jesus, the more our desires align with his. We follow Christ’s commands out of love and devotion to Jesus. Keeping his
commandments is evidence of a transformed heart. In Ma”hew 22:37-40, Jesus was asked which commandment in the law was the greatest. He responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus made it clear that loving God is the foundation of God’s law. Loving God with everything we have, and with that same priority, loving others as ourselves, fulfills the purpose of the entire Old Testament law. The Ten Commandments, given in Exodus 20, serve as practical guidelines for how to live out this love in everyday life. The first four focus on loving God, while the last six teach us how to love one another.
ALL OF LIFE IS WORSHIP
The first four commandments—(1) Have no other gods, (2) Do not make idols, (3) Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, and (4) Keep the Sabbath holy—show us how to love God as he has commanded. Loving God means pu”ing him and his ways first in our lives, worshiping him alone, and not allowing anythin to take his place. It means not swearing by God’s name falsely and se”ing aside time to worship, rest and focus on God. When we obey these commands, we express our devotion and worship
for God, acknowledging him as our Lord, savior, and sustainer. The last six commandments—(5) Honor your father and mother, (6) Do not murder, (7) Do not commit adultery, (8) Do not steal, (9) Do not bear false witness, and (10) Do not covet—teach us how to love one another. Honoring parents fosters respect and unity in families. It reminds children that their parents have a responsibly to raise them according to God’s ways, and that they should respect and follow as they do. Loving others means an
outright refusal to murder, adultery, and theft. This ensures that we value and protect others’ lives, relationships, and property. Speaking the truth builds trust and reflects God, whereas lying reflects Satan. Refusing to envy keeps our hearts pure and being
grateful for what we have and what God has blessed others with. When we obey these commands, we actively choose to honor God and treat others with a true kindness, integrity, and respect that God has called us too. Essentially, what we are called to do
is worship God in all our lives, to obey him, honor him, and glorify him in every sphere and domain we occupy. In 1 John 5:3, John emphasizes that God’s commandments are not burdensome. Obedience to Jesus is not meant to weigh us down. Instead, they are life-giving, designed for our good and human flourishing.
OVERCOMERS
By the time we get to 1 John 5:4-5, the focus shifts to overcoming; victory through faith in Jesus. Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This victory is not through our strength but through the blood of the Lamb and the word o our testimony (Rev 12:11). Jesus’s sacrifice has already won the battle, and as believers, we walk in that victory by trusting in him and his goodness for us and by proclaiming what he has done in our lives. Our testimony, our personal story of redemption, becomes a powerful weapon against doubt, fear, and opposition. It also becomes a light shining forth that bids others to come experience freedom in Christ themselves. As those who have been redeemed, we are called to live as ambassadors of Christ, demonstrating to a watching world the great salvation found in him (1 John 5:1). An ambassador represents the interests of their king, and as followers of Jesus, we are to reflect Christ’s character, love, and truth in everything we do. Our lives should testify to the transforming power of Jesus. As overcomers, we do not shrink back in fear or compromise with the world. Instead, we boldly proclaim the gospel, showing others that Jesus is the only way to true freedom and victory.
Want to dig deeper into this passage and read the full commentary? Read more from our 1 John 5 commentary here