THE DAILY

Genuine Belief Sparks Genuine Love, by Kim [ 1 John 5:1-3 ]

1 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. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Genuine belief in Jesus should radically change everything. Most specifically it should change our hearts and our loves. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, asks the reader many pointed questions throughout this powerful, love-packed letter. He asks a number of them again in our passage this morning. He is asking you and I this morning. How will we answer?

Who do you love? What do you love?  How do you love? Why do we love? Where do you get the power to love? How do your actions reflect what you love? 

John doesn’t give any of us any place to hide. He shines the truth of the gospel into our hearts this morning. Jesus, while we were yet sinners, died for us. He loved us in the midst of our sin. He didn’t ask us to have it all together before he loved us. In love, He laid down His life so we could live. 

Through His sacrifice, He offers a new way to live. A radically new way to look at the world. As we believe what Christ has done for us, we, as God’s child, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can love our neighbor, ourselves, and our enemies. The free gift of grace is available to us and then for us to extend to others. But do we? Will we? Will we repent of our way and turn to Jesus this morning in humility and thankfulness, in prayer and petition, in love? Or will we go our own way in pride? God is giving each of us the freedom to choose this morning. Which will we choose?

- Kim Williams

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ John uses the construction, “Everyone who” as he begins Chapter 5. He has used this same construction in 1 John 2:29, 3:3, 3:4, and 3:15. He will use it again in 5:1, 4, and 18. 

+ What actions spring from one’s belief in Jesus?

+ What does this belief and action demonstrate about the person?

+ How could each of these scriptures give us a clear picture about who we are in Christ and what we are capable of as God’s child and in His power?

+ Our belief in Jesus and our love of God the Father help us love His children. How does verse two tell us that we “know” these things are true about ourselves?

+ How are love and obedience linked according to verse three?

+ What does verse three say about how God’s commands should “feel” to a genuine believer? How do you personally view God’s commands? How does this “feeling” reflect one's walk with Jesus according to the additional scriptures below.

Mat 23:4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to a personal step of action/obedience fueled by the gospel? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ What truth about the Father, the Son, or the Spirit will guide me in how I love today? 

+ What promise will I cling to as I courageously step out in love and humility?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus and what is my next step? (e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join Go! www.estuarygo.org)

+ What truths about God and His Word are we learning first and then helping others remember on our journey. How can we be more intentional about doing so?

+Who am I discipling as I live and grow and learn to obey Jesus? If this hasn’t been a priority, pray today about who God wants you to reach out to in His Name.

+Who and where do I look to know what is true? Who do I trust to hold me accountable to living out this truth?

True Victory, by David [ 1 John 5.4-5 ]

4 Because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. 5 Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Life can feel overwhelming. The pressures, the doubts, and the noise. How do we find victory? John says that if we've been born of God, we have already won! Faith is trusting Jesus fully and completely as the Son of God. And when we trust Him, we share in the victory He’s already won.

– David Bempong

[ WHAT ]  is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ What does this passage say about those who are born of God?

+ What is the “victory” that overcomes the world?

+ What does it mean to “conquer” in the context of this passage?

+ What role does believing in Jesus play in overcoming the world?

[  HOW ]  is the Lord calling me to a personal step of action/obedience fueled by the gospel? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus and what is my next step? [e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join Go! www.estuarygo.org]

+ What is my next step?

Testimony of Jesus, by David [1 John 5.6-8]
5 Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 Jesus Christ—he is the one who came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and by blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify:, 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.

John is pointing us to a powerful truth: Jesus’s identity is backed by strong testimony. First, there is the water, which many believe refers to Jesus' baptism, where He publicly began His mission. Then there’s the blood, which many believe points to His death on the cross, showing the price He paid for us. Both are real, historical events that say, “This is who He is.” The Spirit also testifies. The Spirit gives us a living, ongoing witness inside our hearts, confirming the truth of Jesus. So today, listen for the Spirit’s testimony in your life. Let Him strengthen your trust in Jesus.

– David Bempong

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ What does John mean by “came by water and blood”?

+ How do the water, blood, and Spirit each testify to who Jesus is?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to a personal step of action/obedience fueled by the gospel? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus and what is my next step? (e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join Go! www.estuarygo.org) 

+ What is my next step?

Accepting God’s Testimony, by John [ 1 John 5:9–10 ]

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.

In this set of passages, John makes a simple but profound point. Human testimony about Jesus is good, but God’s testimony is better. Anyone who believes in the Son, by definition, believes in the testimony from God. It is possible to listen to other voices and believe other things, but those other voices will be shown to lie, and those other things will be shown to be fruitless. There is a decent chance that if you are reading this, then you believe “the testimony that God has given about his Son” (verse 10) through the scriptures. This is a good start, but it's just the beginning. As followers of Jesus, our growth hinges upon accepting what God says about every area of our lives. 

Perhaps the most challenging thing for me was accepting God’s testimony that I am an object of value and delight to God. Whether it be the testimony of other people via life experiences, family culture, or direct teaching, I believed that I was not an object of delight or importance to God. But the scripture is clear, we have become “the righteousness of God” through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), and were a joyful prize that Jesus won through his work on the cross (Hebrews 12:2). In fact, the very logic of the gospel ascribes great value to humans. The value of an object is directly related to the price that one would pay. In the Gospel, the God of the universe steps down from his throne into time and pays with his blood and life. Regardless of what others say, the Gospel places value upon you and me. 

Let us search the scriptures and agree with the testimony of God on all matters of life. 

Grace and Peace 

— John Barzal

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ What are the two types of testimony we can listen to? 

+ Is human testimony bad? Why or why not? 

+ What is the most important testimony to receive from God? 

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to a personal step of action/obedience fueled by the gospel? (write in your journal or discuss your group break-outs)

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ What areas of my life do I need to accept God’s testimony? It could be regarding his Son, it could be regarding your identity, or your past. What does scripture say? A good rule of thumb: if there is an area of belief that is not producing life, then it is a lie and is not aligned with scripture. The truth brings freedom and life as we move toward God.

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus and what is my next step? (e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join Go! www.estuarygo.org)

+ What is my next step?

Eternal Life in the Son, by Aaron [ 1 John 5:11–12]

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.

For many modern readers, “eternal life” might sound like a reward for good behavior or a vague, post-death existence in heaven. But John is writing from within a much older story—one deeply shaped by the Hebrew Scriptures. There, chayim olam (חַיֵּי עוֹלָם)—eternal life—means more than living forever. It means a life that is rich with the presence of God. A life aligned with God’s wisdom, rooted in covenant, flourishing in righteousness, and shining with His glory.

The Psalms speak of it as walking a “path of life” (Ps. 16:11), Daniel calls it the reward for those who are raised to everlasting righteousness (Dan. 12:2–3), and Proverbs links it to walking in the fear of the Lord (Prov. 14:27). This life is not a commodity—it is a communion.

And here, John makes an audacious claim: this life is found only in Jesus. He is the source, the shape, and the substance of chayim olam. If you have the Son, you already possess what the faithful of old longed for—a life filled with God, both now and forever.

Let this reframe the way you view your relationship with Christ. It’s not just about where you go when you die. It’s about who you belong to today. To “have” the Son is to be filled with divine life now—a life marked by communion, righteousness, and unshakable hope.

 —Aaron Rosa

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that I/we learn ? (Write in your journal or discuss in your group breakouts)

+ What does John mean by “eternal life”? How does this connect to chayim olam in the Old Testament (see Ps. 16:11; Dan. 12:2; Prov. 12:28)?

+ Why does John use such a definitive contrast, “has life” vs. “does not have life”? What’s at stake?

+ How is this statement a “testimony” (v11)? Who is bearing witness—and why does it matter?

[HOW] is the Lord calling me to a personal step of action/obedience fueled by the gospel?  (Write in your journal or discuss in your group breakouts)

+ Am I living like eternal life is something far off, or something I have now in Christ?

+ In what ways do I look for life (fulfillment, security, or joy) apart from Jesus?

+ Reread Psalm 16:11 and ask: Where am I seeking “pleasures forevermore” outside His presence?

[WHO] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus and what is my next step?  (For example, your family around the dinner table, co-worker or neighbor; for help, join Go! www.estuarygo.org)

+ Who in my life is searching for real life—and needs to know that it’s found in Jesus?

+ How might I bear witness to this eternal life—not just in words, but in the way I live today?