1 John 5:13-21

13 I write “these things” to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

“These Things” … The Epistle of 1st John and the assurance of salvation...

Notice there is a continuing theme with John that extends from his gospel to the epistle.

We have said throughout this study that the major purpose of 1st John is to assure believers of their salvation

A purpose that mirrors the purpose statement of His gospel:

John 20:31 (ESV) “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

Not only can a believer have assurance in their salvation, but can be confident that God hears and answers their prayers.

The term “confidence” speaks to the believers status before God.

John has told us that a believer can boldly come before the Lord both in prayer and at the final judgment and because of the confidence of their salvation.

“If we ask anything”… God is able to answer our prayer when we live in obedience...

1 John 3:22 - And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

John 15:7 - If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Again…this passage comes with a condition - our prayers will be answered when we remain in the Lord and in His Word.

“The fundamental characteristic of all truly Christian intercession is that the will of the person who offers prayer should coincide with God’s will.” -Danny Akin

15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or for bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating our will to his. It is by prayer that we seek God’s will, embrace it and align ourselves with it. Every true prayer is a variation of the theme “your will be done.” - John Stott

James 4:3 - You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

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.

John does not strictly forbid prayer for such a person, but it is clear that he is in doubt about its efficacy

A sin that leads to death is found in the lives of those not given over to Christ.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 3:9 - No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.

Anyone who has been born of God will not continue to sin!

John affirms that “New conduct should follow from New Birth!”

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

John ends with a stern warning!

There is no doubt that John has “False Teachers” on His mind when he pens verse 21.

Remember…Any form of Gospel that deviates from Christ or makes Christ less than He is.... is Heretical.