“What Every Believer needs to Know”

Text: 1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13–21 NIV

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also 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 by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Introduction: As we close this first Epistle of John, He gives us some constant reminders for living out our faith. It is a strange day in which we live, where doubt is deemed a virtue, where skepticism is hallowed as humility, and where absolute truth is viewed as absolutely false. John writes to Christians who had witnessed a departure from the truth in some of the people who were meeting with them, and resulting in an exodus from the truth. It was, in a sense, devastating the church at that time, because so much false doctrine had been introduced.

John's focus is to urge members of God's church to refine their biblical understanding, so that they are not led astray. They are to deepen their moral steadfastness, so that they are not enticed by the world, and to intensify their dedication, so that they are not neglecting their worship of God. John was a mature man, probably in his 90's or close to it, and he was giving the church exactly what it needed at that time out of the wisdom that he had accumulated over the decades. So the question for us today is, Is there anything that we can place absolute confidence in? John reminds us of three things that are important to our faith.

What is it that I need to Know? (1 John 5:13)

John wrote: These things  I write to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. The words “these things” are often wrongly taken to refer to the whole epistle. But similar expressions in 2:1, 26 refer to the immediately preceding material and the same is true here. What John had just written about God’s testimony (5:9–12) aims to assure his readers that, despite anything the antichrists have said, believers do indeed possess eternal life. It may be pointed out, in fact, that the assurance of one’s salvation always rests fundamentally and sufficiently on the direct promises that God makes to that believer. In other words, one’s assurance rests on the testimony of God. Also notice the phrase “that you may know” is used in v.13 and the phrase “that we may know” in v.20. That’s seven ‘knows’ in nine verses! So, if there is one thing we are to know about this passage it is that we are to know! We are to know Jesus protects us from sin and the evil one. And we are to know Jesus is the true God and in Him we have eternal life. Listen saints our salvation is secured in Christ. Stop letting folk make you doubt your salvation. If you don’t take anything away from the message today, This you need to know, your salvation is secure in Christ and your faith in Him assures you eternal life. Christianity is not an “I hope so” or “I think so” faith. It is an “I know so” faith because what has been revealed in the Bible was given to us by God, a God who speaks and a God who speaks only truth

How do I know it’s True? (1 John 5:14-15)

Human experience confirms that we do not always receive all of the things that we ask from God, even things that seemingly agree with His revealed will. This phrase 'whatever we ask' must be understood in light of other passages of Scripture which show that praying according to God's will includes praying in faith, with patience, in obedience, and in submission to God's greater wisdom. I know it to be true because the bible tells me so. Christianity is not an “I hope so” or “I think so” faith. It is an “I know so” faith because what has been revealed in the Bible was given to us by God, a God who speaks and a God who speaks only truth. Listen because I believe the testimony about God’s Son I am save based on my acceptance of the testimony and Christ saves me. Now because I am saved verse 14 says I can have confidence to approach Him, knowing that whatever I ask of Him according to His will He hears me. Here is the mindset that I must have. God is going to give me whats best for me so that I can be efficient in doing His will. So things like steadfastness, increasing faith, learning to love as He says I should love. having a fervent prayer life and being committed are some essential things that I am going to need. Money, power, and fame are secondary things and they should not consume my journey, because if they do, I’ll take my eyes off of the higher calling which is in Christ Jesus.

Why do I need to Believe it? (1 John 5:18)

John tells us it is possible to have eternal life, the very life of God, and yet have doubts. And, he does not want us to have doubts. He wants us to have assurance. Therefore he provides multiple tests throughout the book (“These things” in verse 13 refers specifically to 5:1-12, but in general they refer to the entire book) revolving around the three themes of belief, obedience and love. Doubting God’s testimony of Jesus must not exist in the believer. Doubting the validity of His revealed Word must not exist in a believer. The Bible is God’s instruction and God commands that you and I live according to it. We struggle because we constantly think we are smarter than God and when that happens humans error from the path of God’s perfect way. I can believe it because, believers in Jesus have a certain and settled knowledge that they are from God, literally “we know that of God we are.” The NIV says, “We know that we are children of God.” Eugene Peterson in The Message says, “We know that we are held firm by God.” Here is confidence, an inner assurance, that spiritual death has no claim on me. Here is a certainty of the soul that sin cannot dominate me (5:18) and the evil one cannot harm me (v. 18). Norman Clayton lyrics in the hymn “Now I belong to Jesus, Jesus belongs to me; Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity”, encourages me to believe it

Conclusion: (1 John5:20-21) Not surprisingly, John ends the letter like he began it, talking about Jesus! He affirms again the reality of the incarnation (“we know the Son has come”). He also affirms that it is Jesus who gives us understanding so that we may know him who is true, that is God Himself, in and thru Jesus Christ. These words echo Luke 10:22 where Jesus said, “no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 2) Because of our union with Christ, we understand the truth of the gospel, we are safe from the claws of the evil one, we know the Father and we abide “in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.” Of Christ it can be said, “He is the True God and eternal life.” Here is truth. Here is life. Here is knowledge and understanding. All of this is ours by virtue of our union with Christ, because “we are in him who is true.” This is what every believer needs to know!