1 John 5:1-12

1 John 5:1-12

John, throughout his letter, emphasizes three tests, or one might say checkups. These helped the early believers see that they were in right standing before God no matter what the Gnostics might say. These same checkups help us properly evaluate where we are in our spiritual condition. These three checkups are faith, obedience, and love. These themes are found throughout First John, and they seem to congregate in this passage.

The one who believes the specific truth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Belief itself is of no value. The value of belief is only as valid as the object of that faith. To place your faith in an idiot is to give yourself an idiotic faith. Belief must be in Jesus as the Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, and God in flesh.

Next, John mentions love. This is the self-giving love of God, who needed nothing but out of love created man to love. Who, after the fall, because of love, becomes part of our human existence. As we accept and understand this love, we develop it and share it with others. This is a great deal more difficult than we might ever imagine. This is love contrary to everything in our fallen human nature. God gives it to us. Correct doctrine without love is mere intellectual assent at best and could become cold or shallow legalism at worst. But the one who loves as God loves is living this checkup.

The third checkup is obedience, or we might say holy living. This holy living is not a burden. The word burdensome at the end of verse 3 literally means heavy and metaphorically means violent or oppressive. The keeping of the Mosaic law was a heavy burden, but holiness in Christ is not. Why is this? The life that a Christian is called to live is a higher life than the law of Moses. Why is it not a burden, not to mention a heavier one? Because in the life of the disciple, our natural motivation and power base have changed. It is neither hard nor impossible to live holy because the old man of sin is now buried, and we are not fighting our inner self. That doesn't mean there is no effort; the habits have to change by practice, but it is now possible. Our motivation for this life is love for Jesus. What it once was is a decision between the pleasure of sin or not. Now it is a decision between the pleasure of sin or the pleasure of the one we love. Finally, it is not a burden because holy living is not dependent on our own strength but on partnership with the Lord Himself.

“Lord, keep me mindful of these check ups in my life. AMEN”