1 John 5
Before I start the answer is YES!! The Bible is clear and absolute, we just have to discover that interpretation.
John has always been one of absolutes, not much wiggle room in his writings. Verse 5:1 is a perfect example:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
This is almost comical when you look at the history of the church and how many have died in bitter disputes over what the Bible means. If you think about it the United States many came here seeking religious freedom. Sure one of the main battle cries of all war was taxation without representation, but the roots of the uprising were “religious oppression”. The same underlying reasons are the root cause for the conflict in Ireland.
Look at local churches and internal squabbles, how many times have I heard this and that about this church or that one. If this statement were true NONE of this would happen. We would love everyone who confessed his sins. Heck we don’t even need to look at the local level, just search your heart! How many “Christians” do you avoid, not get along with or down right dislike? I hang my head in shame because I can name a few.
Verse 5:6 interests me since it talks about more than just a water baptism:
This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth
Initially I read this and thought we needed to be baptized in water and blood, but as I often do I found the true meaning on a reread. I had developed an awesome paragraph tying in the absolutes that John wrote verses how we actually believe salvation is obtained. When I read it this morning, it became clear the Jesus was baptized in water and then was sacrificed in his blood. We come to the spirit by water only, where Jesus was the spirit in water and blood.
Verses 5:16 & 17 starts asking the question of when do we “call a brother out”:
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.
Although it’s still not clear if we are to intervene in this instance, I find it interesting that “there is sin that does not lead to death.” I can only assume that means physical death and not spiritual death. One of the most over used verses on correction is Matthew 7:1 saying “judge not, that ye will not be judged.” We either use it to avoid pointing out the problem or we throw it back on others when being corrected.
It’s a difficult matter since none of us are “perfect”. In many “discussions” over matters I get this “thought” thrown back in my face where it’s either being put before the family or just a “routine” trying to buy brownie points with God. As you see most often it’s done early before anyone gets up, so I try not to put it before family. It often becomes a routine ritual that does not include prayer, reflection or anything else beyond reading and writing. I am currently in one of those times, but God still opens my eyes just reflecting over writing this daily “though”.