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Scott's Reference Library
1 John 5:9 through 1 John 5:13 (NIV)
9We accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the
testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10Anyone who believes in the
Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has
made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has
given about his Son. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son. 12He who has the Son has life; he who does not have
the Son of God does not have life.
13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that
you may know that you have eternal life.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 9-12
Nothing can be more absurd than the conduct of those who doubt as to the truth
of Christianity, while in the common affairs of life they do not hesitate to
proceed on human testimony, and would deem any one out of his senses who
declined to do so. The real Christian has seen his guilt and misery, and his
need of such a Saviour. He has seen the suitableness of such a Saviour to all
his spiritual wants and circumstances. He has found and felt the power of the
word and doctrine of Christ, humbling, healing, quickening, and comforting his
soul. He has a new disposition, and new delights, and is not the man that he
formerly was. Yet he finds still a conflict with himself, with sin, with the
flesh, the world, and wicked powers. But he finds such strength from faith in
Christ, that he can overcome the world, and travel on towards a better. Such
assurance has the gospel believer: he has a witness in himself, which puts the
matter out of doubt with him, except in hours of darkness or conflict; but he
cannot be argued out of his belief in the leading truths of the gospel. Here is
what makes the unbeliever’s sin so awful; the sin of unbelief. He gives God the
lie; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son. It is in vain
for a man to plead that he believes the testimony of God in other things, while
he rejects it in this. He that refuses to trust and honour Christ as the Son of
God, who disdains to submit to his teaching as Prophet, to rely on his atonement
and intercession as High Priest, or to obey him as King, is dead in sin, under
condemnation; nor will any outward morality, learning, forms, notions, or
confidences avail him.
VERSES 13-17
Upon all this evidence, it is but right that we believe on the name of the Son
of God. Believers have eternal life in the covenant of the gospel. Then let us
thankfully receive the record of Scripture. Always abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. The Lord Christ
invites us to come to him in all circumstances, with our supplications and
requests, notwithstanding the sin that besets us. Our prayers must always be
offered in submission to the will of God. In some things they are speedily
answered; in others they are granted in the best manner, though not as
requested. We ought to pray for others, as well as for ourselves. There are sins
that war against spiritual life in the soul, and the life above. We cannot pray
that the sins of the impenitent and unbelieving should, while they are such, be
forgiven them; or that mercy, which supposes the forgiveness of sins, should be
granted to them, while they wilfully continue such. But we may pray for their
repentance, for their being enriched with faith in Christ, and thereupon for all
other saving mercies. We should pray for others, as well as for ourselves,
beseeching the Lord to pardon and recover the fallen, as well as to relieve the
tempted and afflicted. And let us be truly thankful that no sin, of which any
one truly repents, is unto death.