Chapter 6

 

"5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

 Dan was insistent that everyone who loves in a certain way is "born of God", yet John seems to disagree, at least to the extent that loving as Dan demands is the only/primary way to be "born of God".   FYI, children are "born of".   Strangely enough we "know" that we love by being those who "keep His commands", not give stuff to the "poor/oppressed".   It could be argued that ONE OF God's commands is to give stuff to the "poor/oppressed", but it seems clear that "commands" is plural and includes all of YHWH's commands.  Big emphasis on Jesus being the "Son of God". 

^"6 This 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. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the^[a] Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Back to the whole importance of "blood" in YHWH's covenant and Jesus' role in fulfilling that covenant. More about the importance of truth.     "¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.".  I don't know but that seems pretty straightforward and direct.  It never mentions the poor/oppressed, does it? 

Concluding Affirmations

^"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. ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

 

"Son of God", check, Jesus' authority, check.  Direct access to petition YHWH for ANYTHING, check. 

^"16 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. ¹⁷ All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."

 

Correct our brothers and sisters who sin, check.  "ALL WRONGDOING IS SIN", check. 

^"18 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. ¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. ²⁰ 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."

 

Stop sinning, check.  Truth, check. Eternal life, check.

^"21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."

 

Kind of random, but good advice.