John ties true faith to new birth, love for the Father, love for God’s children, and obedience to God’s commands.
1 John 5:1-5
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.
3 For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.
Victory over the world belongs to those born of God and is exercised through faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Jesus came by water and blood, and the Spirit testifies to him. The testimony is unified and truthful.
1 John 5:6-12
6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
7 For there are three who testify:
8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
God testifies concerning his Son, and his testimony is that eternal life is given in the Son. Having the Son means having life.
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
11 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
John’s purpose is that believers in the name of the Son of God may know they have eternal life.
1 John 5:13-17
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
Believers have confidence that God hears them when they ask according to his will.
14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
John calls believers to intercede for a brother or sister whose sin does not lead to death while soberly acknowledging sin that leads to death.
16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.
17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
John gives final certainties about new birth, protection, the world’s bondage under the evil one, and the Son’s coming to give understanding of the true God.
1 John 5:18-21
18 We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
20 We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
The final command warns believers to guard worship, loyalty, doctrine, and affection from every rival to the true God revealed in his Son.
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.