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Scott's Reference Library
1 John 5:1 through 1 John 5:6 (NIV)
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone
who loves the father loves his child as well. 2This is how we know that we love
the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3This is love
for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4for
everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome
the world, even our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
6This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by
water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because
the Spirit is the truth.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 1-5
True love for the people of God, may be distinguished from natural kindness or
party attachments, by its being united with the love of God, and obedience to
his commands. The same Holy Spirit that taught the love, will have taught
obedience also; and that man cannot truly love the children of God, who, by
habit, commits sin or neglects known duty. As God’s commands are holy, just, and
good rules of liberty and happiness, so those who are born of God and love him,
do not count them grievous, but lament that they cannot serve him more
perfectly. Self-denial is required, but true Christians have a principle which
carries them above all hinderances. Though the conflict often is sharp, and the
regenerate may be cast down, yet he will rise up and renew his combat with
resolution. But all, except believers in Christ, are enslaved in some respect or
other, to the customs, opinions, or interests of the world. Faith is the cause
of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armour by which we
overcome. In and by faith we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and in opposition
to the world. Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual
lusts by which the world obtains sway and dominion over souls. It has the
indwelling Spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world.
The real Christian overcomes the world by faith; he sees, in and by the life and
conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth, that this world is to be renounced and
overcome. He cannot be satisfied with this world, but looks beyond it, and is
still tending, striving, and pressing toward heaven. We must all, after Christ’s
example, overcome the world, or it will overcome us to our ruin.
VERSES 6-8
We are inwardly and outwardly defiled; inwardly, by the power and pollution of
sin in our nature. For our cleansing there is in and by Christ Jesus, the
washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Some think that the
two sacraments are here meant: baptism with water, as the outward sign of
regeneration, and purifying from the pollution of sin by the Holy Spirit; and
the Lord’s supper, as the outward sign of the shedding Christ’s blood, and the
receiving him by faith for pardon and justification. Both these ways of
cleansing were represented in the old ceremonial sacrifices and cleansings. This
water and blood include all that is necessary to our salvation. By the water,
our souls are washed and purified for heaven and the habitation of saints in
light. By the blood, we are justified, reconciled, and presented righteous to
God. By the blood, the curse of the law being satisfied, the purifying Spirit is
obtained for the internal cleansing of our natures. The water, as well as the
blood, came out of the side of the sacrificed Redeemer. He loved the church, and
gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of
water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church,
Ephesians 5:25-27. This was done in and by the Spirit of God, according to the
Saviour’s declaration. He is the Spirit of God, and cannot lie. Three had borne
witness to these doctrines concerning the person and the salvation of Christ.
The Father, repeatedly, by a voice from heaven declared that Jesus was his
beloved Son. The Word declared that He and the Father were One, and that whoever
had seen him had seen the Father. And the Holy Ghost, who descended from heaven
and rested on Christ at his baptism; who had borne witness to Him by all the
prophets; and gave testimony to his resurrection and mediatorial office, by the
gift of miraculous powers to the apostles. But whether this passage be cited or
not, the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity stands equally firm and certain. To
the doctrine taught by the apostles, respecting the person and salvation of
Christ, there were three testimonies. 1. The Holy Spirit. We come into the world
with a corrupt, carnal disposition, which is enmity to God. This being done away
by the regeneration and new-creating of souls by the Holy Spirit, is a testimony
to the Saviour. 2. The water: this sets forth the Saviour’s purity and purifying
power. The actual and active purity and holiness of his disciples are
represented by baptism. 3. The blood which he shed: and this was our ransom,
this testifies for Jesus Christ; it sealed up and finished the sacrifices of the
Old Testament. The benefits procured by his blood, prove that he is the Saviour
of the world. No wonder if he that rejects this evidence is judged a blasphemer
of the Spirit of God. These three witnesses are for one and the same purpose;
they agree in one and the same thing.