The First Epistle of John

Main Idea and Outline
1 John 5:13-21: John concludes his letter with a few parting thoughts on the faith of the believers and the confidence they should have in God, as well as encouragement to avoid sin and idolatry, pray for sinners, and flee the world, which is ruled by the devil, and be a true Son of Jesus Christ.
I. John describes why he wrote the epistle (v. 13)
II. John explains why his audience should have faith (vv. 14-15)
III. John urges his audience to pray for sinners that they might convert and identifies a difference between two types of sin (vv. 16-19)
a. the Sin that leads to Death (v. 16)
b. the Sin that does not lead to Death (v. 17)
c. John also alludes to life of grace that exists in the soul when one is faithful to God (vv. 18-19)
IV. John concludes with words of encouragement to his audience that be convinced of the truth that is Christ and flee idols and the devilry of the world (vv. 19-21)
Introduction
1 John 5:13-21 serves as the conclusion of John’s first epistle, which is written to his audience to strengthen them in their faith and to remind them that Christ is not of this world—i.e., that this world is ruled by the anti-Christ, Satan, who works to oppose God through idols and sinfulness. John’s audience had been tempted with false teachings and they were in danger of being led astray. John refers to some who had left the faith (1 John 2:19) and he states that these were never really confirmed in the faith in the first place—i.e., they were not true children of God but seducers only. John, therefore, set out in his first epistle to remind them of the truth of Jesus Christ as the salvation of souls and the importance of fleeing sin and maintaining the life of grace in one’s soul.
To this end, John continuously juxtaposes the life that Christ gives with the death that the world and Satan offer. John urges his audience to remember that Christ is of God and so too are all those who believe in Christ. John also distinguishes between two types of sin—mortal or grievous sin that leads to the death of sanctifying life in the soul, and venial or less serious sin that does not cause the loss of sanctifying life in the soul but rather makes one less than perfect. This is an important distinction in the teaching on sin and John urges his audience to pray for sinners all the same because even those who commit lesser sins may end up falling into grievous sin. For that reason John urges them all to remain committed to Christ and to avoid idols, which are false gods that lead one to Satan, the Father of Lies. Satan is Death, and Christ is Life. That is the ultimate message John delivers in his closing.
Context
Historical-Cultural Context of the Book
Tradition holds that John is the author of this epistle, though authorship is contested by some scholars.[footnoteRef:2] The style of the epistle is similar to the Gospel of John and thus John is traditionally accepted as its author. John was said to have been the only one of the 12 Apostles to be with Jesus Christ at the crucifixion and was especially loved of Jesus[footnoteRef:3]—“the beloved disciple”[footnoteRef:4]—and his gospel depicts this love as it focuses on the loving aspect of God.[footnoteRef:5] His first epistle is also testament to this love by serving as a reminder that those who love, love fully and truly and are not led astray.[footnoteRef:6] Though it is written to a specific audience and is believed to have been written in Ephesus,[footnoteRef:7] it is also meant for all of the faithful everywhere and not just one church.[footnoteRef:8] John’s epistle is thus born out of the same spirit of love that animated his relationship with Christ and that animates his gospel. [2: Wilson, W. G. "An Examination of the Linguistic Evidence Adduced against the unity of Authorship of the First Epistle of John and the Fourth Gospel." The Journal of Theological Studies 49, no. 195/196 (1948): 147-156.] [3: Thomas. Commentary On the Gospel of John. Translated by Fabian R. Larcher and James A. Weisheipl.Thomas Aquinas in Translation Series. (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2010), 6.] [4: Balz, Horst and Gerhard Schneider, eds. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990-93), 212.] [5: Akin, Daniel L. 1, 2, 3 John (NAC) (Nashville: Broadman& Holman, 2001), 25.] [6: Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible (Palo Alto: Mayfield, 1985) "1 John," p. 355–356.] [7: Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible (Palo Alto: Mayfield, 1985) "1 John," p. 355–356.] [8: Parker, D. C. An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008), 252.]
At the time the epistle was written, John was concerned about his readers being swayed by a false teaching that Christ was not in the flesh but rather only God in spirit. This idea was known as docetism and was considered a heresy as it denied that God was really in human form and asserted instead that his human form was merely a mirage or a trick. Thus, it is believed that John wrote this epistle with the intention of countering this false belief,[footnoteRef:9] and those who adhered to this belief are called by John the unfaithful who were never really sons of God and therefore should not be followed after (1 John 2:19). John gives special attention in the epistle to reminding his readers that Satan is the evil one who seduces by deception. He exhorts them to remember that Christ was true God and true man and that He is the truth. His conclusion to the epistle reiterates these points vehemently. [9: Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible (Palo Alto: Mayfield, 1985) "1 John," p. 355–356.]
Literary Context of the Passage
The author’s flow of thought in the book is very circular and repetitious—almost hypnotic. John creates a very rhythmic approach to communication, using the language in such a way that he continuously reiterates the same words, phrases and ideas so that they become ingrained in the minds of his readers. One can draw a parallel between what John is doing here and the way a modern pop song works when it is considered to be “catchy” and easily recalled: John is not only messaging an intellectual message to his readers but also using the language itself to embed his words into their consciousness so that they can be recalled all the more easily when they are faced with the temptations of the evil one. In this epistle, John is like the fishermen reeling in the fish, his reader, and reassuring them with calm words. His conclusion is the moment when he firmly has his reader in his hands and removes the hook that he has used to catch them and with a gentle kiss he releases them back into the water with the simple reminder to flee idols.
The epistle as a whole is reflected in the final closing points of the conclusion: 1) to remind his audience that Jesus Christ is true God and true Man (and that those who would teach otherwise are anti-Christ (1 John 2:18-19); 2) that those who are Sons of God must remain faithful and show their love for sinners by praying for them; 3) that there are grievous and non-grievous sins, and that those who deny a doctrine of the true faith are in grievous sin because they cut themselves off from Christ; 4) that faith is aligned with grace and leads to life in the soul; and that 5) Satan seeks to destroy that life through lies and idolatry.
Exegesis
John Describes Why He Wrote the Epistle (v. 13)
“I 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.”
What is John’s purpose in opening up his conclusion with this line? It is an affirmation that faith is rewarded with life everlasting. It is confirmation of faith. It is a reminder that if they remain true to Christ, Christ will be true to them and remember them when they pass over from this world to the next. John emphasizes the importance of their “knowing” that they have eternal life because of their belief in the Son of God. He does not want there to be any doubt on this matter. He wants them to be confident and to be solidified—not shaken. He notes that his entire aim has been for this point that they may know and be united in the love that Christ has for them.
This love that is embodied by Christ is also embodied by John in his selfless words that open up this conclusion. He is not writing them for his own sake or to justify some proposition that he himself has put forward. He is writing them to bolster them, to support them, the shore up their faith, and to make them feel confident. This is what love does and John’s loving act, which is this epistle, is a demonstration of the reality of the love that flows through Christ through the church to those who believe.[footnoteRef:10] [10: Derickson, Gary W. 1, 2 and 3 John (EEC) (Bellingham, WA: Lexham and Logos Bible Software, 2014), 3.]
It is also helpful to point out here that John is not repeating a proof of Christ’s divinity and humanity but rather showing them that his own devotion to them is a sign of the power of the love of God—for God’s love is animating him to reach out to them, to succor them with these words, and to show them that God’s love is manifested through human acts, which can be inspired by God. John is basically saying that his epistle is a proof in and of itself and because they have it they should know that so long as they receive these words they will be welcomed into eternal happiness with God in heaven forever.
John Explains Why His Audience Should Have Faith (vv. 14-15)
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
In these two verses, John explains the will of God: whatever happens in this life is the will of God for us and it is to be accepted and embraced as such. There is to be no questioning or doubting, no second-guessing, no coming back to ask why. One who has faith should know that God gives what one truly asks for, but while God knows what one asks for people do not always know what they are asking for. They may see some immediate gain but they do not have the long view that God has, which is that all things must lead to Him or they lead away from Him. God is the ultimate either/or. So if one is united to God and asks for some good if it be His will to give it, one should accept whatever comes knowing that it comes from God. Whether it has the appearance of that which one asked for or if it appears in a different package it does not matter, for in the end it is all God’s will and one must conform one’s will to God’s will. Thus, these two verses are a further extension of the idea of being confident in God, knowing that God is always listening, always watching, always loving, and always listening. God has the good end in mind for all His children, so there is to be no worry on that matter.
One should not expect one’s life to be all roses, however; for the will of God is replete with self-sacrifice and duty to the will of God. If God’s will for His own Son was a sacrifice on the cross, one should not be looking for an easy road to heaven. Rather, one should recognize that sacrifice is entailed and should be united to the kind of love displayed by Christ towards the will of God the Father when Jesus took up His own cross out of love for the will of God. It is this love for one another and for God that will enable one to be with God in Heaven.[footnoteRef:11] Every person should be able to understand that idea and see how in his own life he can conform his will to that kind of love and devotion shown by Jesus.[footnoteRef:12] [11: Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible (Palo Alto: Mayfield, 1985) "1 John," p. 355–356.] [12: Duvall, J. Scott, and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God's Word: A hands-on approach to reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible. (Zondervan Academic, 2012), 85.]
John Urges His Audience to Pray For Sinners That They Might Convert and Identifies a Difference between Two Types of Sin (vv. 16-19)
“If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
What John is saying here is that there are two types of sin—grievous sins and non-grievous or venial sin. Grievous sin kills the life of God—the grace, the sanctifying life—in the soul. Those who walk away from Christ and who refuse the faith are like those who are dead as a result of sin. But there is another type of sin, which is lesser, and which does not uproot the faith or kill the life of grace that God puts in the soul. These sinners may be in danger of spiritual death, but prayer can help to revive them just as belief in the power of Christ is what saves the Centurion’s servant (John 4:46-54). John relates the story in the Gospel of the Roman pagan who confesses to belief in the power of Christ and as a result of his faith, God heals his servant in that hour. So too will God heal the soul of those who are in danger of spiritual death if the faith of others and the prayers of others are made purely and without doubt. The Centurion is to be an example, and it is fitting since John describes this very episode in his Gospel.
The Sin That Leads to Death (v. 16)
On the sins that leads to death, John is referring to two types: sin not unto death (mh pro qanaton) is different from sin unto death and contrasts with amartia pro qanaton (sin unto death). Sin that is mortal is that which prevents one from being united to God.[footnoteRef:13] Yet, God can make all things new again (Rv 21:5), so there is always hope and this is what John is indicating and why he urges them to pray for those who sin. Most sins, he is saying, are not mortal sins, there are some that lead to the death of the union with God in the soul. These are serious sins and John does not elaborate on them here, but he has discussed them in the epistle and in his Gospel. One important note her is that “sub-final use of ina with the first aorist active subjunctive of erwtaw, used here as in John 17:15 John 17:20 (and often) for request rather than for question” means that “John does not forbid praying for such cases; he simply does not command prayer for them. He leaves them to God.”[footnoteRef:14] [13: Thomas. Commentary On the Gospel of John. Translated by Fabian R. Larcher and James A. Weisheipl.Thomas Aquinas in Translation Series. (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2010), 134.] [14: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: New American Standard Bible. Updated ed. La Habra: Lockman Foundation, 1995. https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/robertsons-word-pictures/1-john/1-john-5-16.html]
The Sin That Does Not Lead to Death (v. 17)
Sin that leads not unto death may also be defined as sin that is committed in ignorance. For a sin to be a serious sin, it first of all has to be a grave and serious sin. Secondly, the individual has to know it is serious and grave. Thirdly, the individual has to deliberate do the sinful deed knowing that it is damnable and will cast the individual out into the darkness where the Light of God does not shine. It is essentially a serious choosing of the self over Christ, similar to what Judas did when a) rejected Christ and sold him out to the Pharisees, and then b) when he despaired of God’s forgiveness and hanged himself. Thus “there is a distinction in Hebrews 10:26 between sinning willfully after full knowledge and sins of ignorance (Hebrews 5:2).”[footnoteRef:15] [15: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: New American Standard Bible. Updated ed. La Habra: Lockman Foundation, 1995. https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/robertsons-word-pictures/1-john/1-john-5-16.html]
The life of grace that exists in the soul when one is faithful to God (vv. 18-19)
When John asserts that those born of God do not sin, he means that there is a distinct reference here to the reality that the blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed man from sin. However, there is also the acknowledgement that the world is still possessed of the devil and so for as long as people are living in this world there is going to be a tension between God and the devil because the world is pulling one way for souls to go to Hell, while God is offering Himself to souls for them to go to Heaven.
Through faith, one is brought to life. Just as the Centurion’s servant is brought to life through the soldier’s faith in Jesus, so too is the sinner brought back to life either through his own act of faith or through the prayers and faith of another. The sinner must make an act of faith, however—just as those who belief should continuously make acts of faith so that they are never shaken by the evil one who prowls about the world that he rules seeking souls that he might devour and drag into Hell.
John Concludes with Words of Encouragement to His Audience That be Convinced of The Truth That is Christ and Flee Idols and the Devilry of the World (vv. 19-21)
“We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”
John asserts that those who believe know that they are not for this world but rather for the next one (v. 19). He further asserts that faith is a gift from God because it is knowledge of Him given by Him “to us.” The evil one is the “ho poneros”[footnoteRef:16] and is a reference to Satan who even tries to tempt Jesus Christ, such is his arrogance and pride and vanity—but Christ dismisses him swiftly and shows how easily the spiritual bully can be defeated so long as one’s soul does not give in to the pleasures and soft life that the devil offers (Matthew 4:1-11). [16: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: New American Standard Bible. Updated ed. La Habra: Lockman Foundation, 1995. https://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/evil-one.html]
When John closes his conclusion with the words, “Dear children, keep yourselves form idols,” he is expressing such love and devotion that can only be expressed from a father who loves those he has been given to look over. Just as Christ gave His Mother to His disciple John at the foot of the cross (John 19:26-27), so too does God give to John the faithful to whom he is now writing. John knows, moreover, how easy it is for the chosen to wander astray. Even when Christ was not two days gone from them after the crucifixion, the disciples were hiding and wandering astray already. They had lost their sense completely. John now speaks lovingly and generously, calling them affectionately his children and in doing so he is calling them to God. He is reminding them that God loves them always and they must respond with love for Him not for idols.[footnoteRef:17] He shows them that they are like children, bumping into things, going this way and that impulsively. He summarily dismisses all the distractions of the world as idolatry, serving the interests of Satan, and with a flash causes the fog to lift and the light of God to shine through. [17: Akin, Daniel L. 1, 2, 3 John (NAC) (Nashville: Broadman& Holman, 2001), 25.]
Application and Conclusion
This passage has several applications to contemporary audiences. First of all, it can be said that this is a post-Christian world. The world has finally it seems turned away from Christ and His name is hated. It cannot be talked about with any validity in public schools or in places of work. Christ is mocked by the world, which has turned to a new kind of paganism in which there is worldly pleasure but ultimately nothing but despair. One who reads this passage can see that this is true and that with God there is love but with the world there is only scorn and mockery and hate.
Secondly, it can remind one in this utterly hopeless world to never give up hope, especially for loved ones who are caught up in sinful habits, such as drug abuse. The opioid crisis has wrecked many lives and drug addiction destroys the will and causes many to become helpless slaves to sin. Pornography addiction is another issue that has come about because of the prevalence of pornography on the Internet and the ease with which one can find it. It robs souls of their will and makes them slaves. Yet those who believe in Christ must pray for them because they are dead like the Centurion’s servant and only Christ’s grace can bring them back to life. It is a show of faith that one must have.
Thirdly, one must remember that though there are many attractions in this modern world—toys, gadgets, money, fame—all of it is empty like the meaningless idols that John speaks of so simply. “Dear children, do not keep with idols,” he says. These words should echo in the hearts of every modern soul and should make one think who one is hanging out with for the company one keeps is a reflection of the state of one’s soul most likely. In keeping with idols, one is laying down with dogs and will come up with flees and only the grace of God will ever make him clean and whole again. For that grace to get through, one must pray.
Bibliography
1 John 5:13-21
Akin, Daniel L. 1, 2, 3 John (NAC). Nashville: Broadman& Holman, 2001.
Balz, Horst and Gerhard Schneider, eds. Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 3 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990-93.
Derickson, Gary W. 1, 2 and 3 John (EEC). Bellingham, WA: Lexham and Logos Bible Software, 2014.
Duvall, J. Scott, and J. Daniel Hays. Grasping God's Word: A hands-on approach to reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible. Zondervan Academic, 2012.
Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible (Palo Alto: Mayfield, 1985) "1 John," p. 355–356
Parker, D. C. An Introduction to the New Testament Manuscripts and Their Texts. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: New American Standard Bible. Updated ed. La Habra: Lockman Foundation, 1995. http://www.biblestudytools.com/concordances/strongs-exhaustive-concordance/
Thomas. Commentary On the Gospel of John. Translated by Fabian R. Larcher and James
A. Weisheipl.Thomas Aquinas in Translation Series. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 2010. http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3135045
Wilson, W. G. "An Examination of the Linguistic Evidence Adduced against the unity of
Authorship of the First Epistle of John and the Fourth Gospel." The Journal of Theological Studies 49, no. 195/196 (1948): 147-156.