God's Love Known and Shown (1 John 5:1–21)

Not long ago one of my sons was given a remote-control drone as a birthday present. While he had fun almost immediately, mastery of the device alluded him as he chose to ignore the instruction manual and, instead, was content to repeatedly crash it into walls, into the ceiling, and into his siblings. As soon as my son unwrapped that toy he became a boy who owned a drone and, while he enjoyed it to a degree, his experience of that gift was limited by ignorance to its capabilities and proper use.  Christians, likewise, have been given a great gift, that of eternal life. Unfortunately, not all believers read the instruction manual and, thus, fail to learn the extent of this gift and how best to enjoy it. Instead, we can become a people who haveeternal life but who fail to experience and express that life to the extent God desires. The Holy Spirit, speaking through John, wants to help us avoid that tragedy in this closing and cumulative chapter.