Eternal Life in Christ.—1 John 5:8-15

Notes

1. Verses 8-10.—Verse 7 of this chapter is omitted from these lessons, as it rests upon insufficient authority, and is not found in the Revised Version. The words "in earth" are also omitted in the Revised Version, thus making the statement of verse 8 general. In ancient times two or three witnesses were required (Deut. 19:15), and this custom is continued by our Saviour's express command (Matt. 18:16), and referred to in other places (2 Cor. 13:1; Heb. 10:28). The Spirit witnesses to our sonship (Rom. 8:16), as it speaks through the word (Acts 28:25; 2 Peter 1:21) (which is represented by the water, Eze. 36:25; John 15:3; Eph. 5:26), of the efficacy of the blood of Christ (Heb. 9:14). Those who bear witness against Christ cannot agree (Mark 14:55, 56), but there is always harmony in the truth. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), even when he calls things that be not as though they were (Rom. 4:17), because his word, when spoken, has power to produce the thing or situation mentioned. "In his dealing with sin God could employ only righteousness and truth. Satan could use what God could not—flattery and deceit." The closing clause of the ninth verse is made clearer by the Revised Version: "For the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son." God has borne witness concerning his Son by audible voice (Matt. 3:17; 17:5) and by the works wrought through him (John 10:37, 38). It is a serious thing to charge God with being a liar; but when he states a thing and we do not believe him, that is what we do, yet he remains the same. 2 Tim. 2:13. Though all men deceive (Rom. 3:4), God does not (Num. 23:19).

2. Verses 11, 12.—The Lord had given the land to the Israelites (Josh. 1:3) as soon as he had made provision for its conquest by them, but not in their own strength (Ps. 44:3); so all blessings (Eph. 1:3), even eternal life, have been bestowed upon us, and it only remains for us to accept them upon the stated conditions. "Prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven's storehouse." "There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before we can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ." "But it is the life of Jesus Christ in the soul, it is the active principle of love imparted by the Holy Spirit, that alone will make the soul fruitful unto good works." "Before works we must have eternal life; but when we are born again, and made children of God by the word of grace, then we perform good works."—Luther.

3. Verses 13-15.—Those who believe "may know" these things (Heb. 11:1), not through faith in a creed, but by receiving Him (John 1:12) who is the life (John 14:6). It is God's will that we should be saved from sin (Gal. 1:4) and be sanctified (1 Thess. 4:3), not that we should perish (Matt. 18:14); and so we know that he hears the requests of his children when they ask for these experiences. So the Christian can wait patiently (Ps. 40:1-3) for the Lord to work in his own way. "But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption." "We should be willing to trust everything to the hand that was nailed to the cross for us." "The prayer of the sincere heart offered in faith will be heard in heaven. It may not be grammatical, but if the heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary, where Jesus ministers, and he will present it to the Father, with the fragrant incense of his own perfection, without our awkward, stammering word, graceful and perfect through his merit, for his righteousness refines and ennobles it, and makes it acceptable before the Father. The Lord accepts the prayer of the sincere heart, and will answer it out of his abundant fullness."