Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of I John Chapter 5
Metaphysically Interpreting I John 5:1-5
5:1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 5:2Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments. 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 5:4For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. 5:5And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Metaphysically Interpreting I John 5:6-12
5:6This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. 5:7And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 5:8For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one. 5:9If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son. 5:10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son. 5:11And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 5:12He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.
Metaphysically Interpreting I John 5:13-21
5:13These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.
5:14And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 5:15and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. 5:16If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request. 5:17All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
5:18We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not. 5:19We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one. 5:20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
5:21My little children, guard yourselves from idols.
December 30, 1934: John 5:1-12
What is the first proof of man’s divine sonship afforded in this lesson? The Golden Text affords the first proof: Only the spiritual recognizes that which is Spirit. He who believes that the perfect manifest man is sprung from the one source thereby proves himself to be divine.
How can we be sure that we love God? If we keep His commandments, this is a sure sign of our love for Him.
Name some of the commandments that we are to keep. Chief among these are the commandments of Jesus: “Be of good cheer,” “Be not afraid,” “Let not your hear be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me,” “Have faith in God.”
How can we overcome the world? Through faith that the divine idea has been perfectly expressed, and that we are capable of expressing it perfectly again. This perfect expression is Jesus Christ.
Explain the teaching concerning the blood of Christ. The “blood of Christ ... through the eternal Spirit” cleanses man. Christ is the Word of God, and the life of the Word must he a form of energy far transcending any life current that inheres in blood. Blood represents life, but it is only the vehicle that carries life through the body, not the life itself.
Define the word “Spirit,” used in this lesson. The word “Spirit” is a name for God. Spirit is synonymous with Mind; therefore we know God, Spirit, as Mind, the one Mind or intelligence of the universe.
How does a person have the witness in himself that he is a son of God? The knowledge or conviction that one is a son of God furnishes the inner witness or proof of one's divine nature.
How does eternal life witness for God? Eternal life is founded in principle, and is therefore changeless as God is changeless.
Is the power of desire a proof of the divinity of man's nature? In the sense that desire, rightly directed, is an indication of man's manifest destiny, it forms another proof of man's divine sonship.
Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” What does this commandment prove in regard to eternal life for man? Only that which is perfect endures. Since Jesus commanded His followers to be perfect, He recognized their capacity for eternal life.
November 30, 1947: I John 5:10-13
What is meant by the statement “He that hath the Son hath the life”? “He that hath the Son” (a person who realizes the presence of the indwelling Christ) has all the qualities of the ideal, including the will, patience, vision, intelligence, faith, and courage to express the will of the Father in his daily thought and conduct.
Can anyone have positive proof that he has entered into eternal life? To express perfect love proves that one has entered into eternal life, since whatever is perfect is destined to endure.
January 4, 1948: I John 5:1-5
Why is it normal for us to love God? Because our soul faculties have their inception in spiritual being and rest in it. In the same way we love our parents, because of the care they have given us in infancy. This care arouses trust in us for our parents.
Is it also normal for us to love our fellow men? It is, because they also, in their true nature are divine. “Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments.”
What final victory is it possible for us to win? The victory of faith in the Christ, which enables us to overcome the world. “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
March 28, 1948: I John 5:11-12
What form does faith in God finally take? The form of life that is of God or eternal.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-18-2013
