1 John, verse-by-verse

Session 16 | 1 John 5:10-15

1 John 5:10-13 | Believing The Record

Verse 10 --
In verses 6-9 the epistle testified about two witnesses, that in heaven (v. 7) and that in earth (v. 8), with the former being the greatest (v. 9). Now the writer adds a third witness that is only known by those that believe, this is the witness in himself. That is, for those who believe, there is a conviction of the truth from within.
But those who do not believe simply make God a liar because they do not believe the record that God gave his Son “concerning His Son" (YLT).
Those who hear the testimony of God and reject it are not simply choosing not to receive it but are choosing to make God a liar“take it or leave it" category.
Verse 11 -
The record that God gave of his Son (v. 10) is spelled out in verse 11 and is this: eternal life is given by God through God's Son.
To what eternal life does the verse refer? Is it the life offered by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9), or the promises of eternal life in the Kingdom? The Old Testament is filled with Kingdom promises to the Jewish people which refer 
Clearly the context of the book is eternal life in the Messianic age. This is a case in which things that are similar are not the same.
Verse 12 --
As in the previous verse, this statement is true regardless of the pattern (1 Tim. 1:16) by which one receives eternal life. This is consistent through Scripture, that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
It is interesting that the author spoke of having the Son. That terminology is only used in Hebrew contexts (of the Kingdom pattern rather than the Pauline pattern). And in each of these Hebrew references we find, as expected, works-based promises rather than faith alone promises. See, for example, Hebrews 3:14 and 2 John 9. For those under the Pauline pattern, the wording is of being in Christ rather than having Christ.
Verse 13 --
The phrase believe on the name or even simply on the name is perplexing to most westerners, who mostly put little meaning in names beyond being a sound by which one knows he or she is being addressed. In Jewish thought, the name captured the whole essence of the being.
“on the name" appears 13 times. Eight are in the Old Testament and five in the New Testament. Those in the New Testament are always in a Jewish context (Acts 2:21, 22:16, 1 John 3:23, 5:13 (twice). In is interesting that this phraseology is only used of the Lord“calls upon the name of Abraham" or “the name of David." Every other use of name in the Bible is in the western sense (928 times total), as in Genesis 11:29. Even today, practicing Jews will use the phrase HaShem“the name") when referring to God.

1 John 5:14-18 | Manifestations of Belief

Verses 14-15 --
“to spiritualize is to make spiritual lies"), I know of no Christian today who can claim the confidence that they have the petitions which were desired of him“yes, no, maybe" drivel of evangelicalism when it comes to prayer. Such promises were given to the Apostles (John 14:13). They were also given to faithful Israel concerning the Temple (2 Chr. 7:15).
Most often, the way the church will mitigate its horrible record in prayer is by claiming that the prayer must not have been according to his will But with right division, this claim belongs to Israel when faithful to the Lord (that is, when Israel hath the Son (v. 12)).
The confidence of Israel when she calls on the Lord will be that she gets whatever she asks for. Compare Psalm 37:4 (prophetically speaking of Israel).
Here is an example of applying the verse to the body of Christ:
“If a prayer request is not granted in the life of a believer, that request was not part of God's plan or will. This may involve pain, suffering, sadness, or hardship, yet God can and does use pain to accomplish His ultimate purposes. The conclusion is that believers do not need to fear whether their prayers will be heard. Whether or not they are "answered," in the sense of being granted, is something we need to trust God to decide. We can take confidence that God will respond to every prayer of a believer, in a way that's in harmony with His perfect will." [emphasis mine].
Note how this is watered down from what the text says (we have the petitions that we desired“we need to trust God to decide." Such treatment of the Word should, honestly, not be tolerated by the church.