Understanding Assurance

1 OTHER BOOKS TELL US WHAT MEN SUPPOSE; • THE BIBLE TELLS US WHAT GOD KNOWS. • OTHER BOOKS TELL US WHAT OTHER MEN, • ALMOST AS FOOLISH AS OURSELVES, SPECULATE; • THIS BOOK TELLS US WHAT AN INFINITELY WISE GOD, • WHO MADE US AND ALL THINGS, • AND CONSEQUENTLY, KNOWS ALL THINGS, • HAS INHERENTLY REVEALED. • THIS BOOK MAKES MEN WISE WITH THE WISDOM THAT IS GOLDEN, • THE WISDOM THAT BRINGS ETERNAL SALVATION. • THE BIBLE IS AN UTTERLY AMAZING BOOK • IN IT WE FIND EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW • ABOUT GOD AND MAN, ABOUT SIN AND SALVATION • ABOUT HOW WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…. • GOD PROVIDED THE BIBLE TO REVEAL HIS WILL TO US • IN THIS LIFE WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE THE BIBLE • GOD’S WORD, GOD’S TRUTH • I NEED TO TRUST WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS • WE NEED TO LET OUR TRUST IN WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS • CHANGE US, HOW WE LIVE, HOW WE PRAY • TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT JOHN • ASSURING HIS READERS OF THEIR SALVATION • AND DESCRIBING HOW THIS ASSURANCE SHOULD • CHANGE HOW WE PRAY • TURN TO 1 JOHN 5:13 • JOHN HAD JUST TOLD THEM • THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US ETERNAL LIFE • AND THAT THIS LIFE IS IN THE SON • HE TOLD THEM WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS THE LIFE • AND WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE THE SON DOES NOT HAVE THE LIFE • HE CONTINUES IN 1 JOHN 5:13 THESE THINGS I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD, SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. THE BIBLE GIVES ASSURANCE • SOMETIMES IN THE BIBLE WE FIND STATEMENTS • WHERE THE AUTHOR TELLS US WHY HE WROTE SOMETHING • THESE ARE CALLED PURPOSE STATEMENTS • HERE JOHN IS TELLING US WHY HE HAD WRITTEN SOMETHING • THESE THINGS I HAVE WRITTEN • THE QUESTION IS, WHICH THINGS IS JOHN TALKING ABOUT (PAUSE) • NOW WHEN HE SAYS THESE THINGS HE COULD MEAN THE WHOLE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN • BUT IT DOES NOT HAVE TO MEAN THAT • IT COULD MEAN JUST THE THINGS HE HAD JUST SAID • I THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE THAT JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT • WHAT HE HAD JUST TOLD THEM • THAT WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS THE LIFE • NOTICE WHO HE WROTE THESE THINGS TO • TO YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD, • JOHN HAD SAID BACK 1 JOHN 5:1 WHOEVER BELIEVES THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST IS BORN OF GOD, • SO, JOHN IS WRITING TO THOSE THAT HAVE BELIEVED THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST • AND HE GIVES THE REASON HE HAS WRITTEN THEM • HIS PURPOSE IN WRITING TO THEM, HIS GOAL • HE SAYS SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • HIS PURPOSE FOR WRITING “HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS THE LIFE” • WAS SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • THIS WAS ALL ABOUT ASSURANCE OF SALVATION (PAUSE) • NOW, WHEN JOHN SAYS HE WROTE SO THAT THEY WOULD KNOW • HE USES A VERY SPECIFIC WORD FOR KNOW • MOST OF THE TIME IN THIS BOOK WHEN JOHN TALKS • ABOUT KNOWING SOMETHING HE USES A WORD THAT MEANS • KNOWING FROM EXPERIENCE, KNOWING BY DOING • BUT THIS TIME HE USES A WORD THAT MEANS • KNOWING IN YOUR HEAD, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE • MENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF SOMETHING (PAUSE) • JOHN WROTE WHAT HE WROTE SO THAT THEY WOULD • HAVE THE MENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACT OF THEIR SALVATION (PAUSE) • KNOWLEDGE FROM EXPERIENCE IS POWERFUL STUFF • WE CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE FROM EXPERIENCE ABOUT GOD • WE WANT TO KNOW THAT WE KNOW HIM • CAUSE WE HAVE WALKED WITH HIM (PAUSE) • HOWEVER, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT • OF OUR SALVATION IS IMPORTANT TOO • BOTH ARE HELPFUL, BOTH ARE PROVIDED BY GOD… • AS WE WALK WITH GOD, WE GO THROUGH THINGS • THAT HELP US DEVELOP EXPERIENTIAL ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION • AS WE READ GOD’S WORD, WE CAN DEVELOP • OUR MENTAL, INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE • OF THE ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION • WITHOUT BOTH WE DO NOT HAVE THE FULL PICTURE OF OUR ASSURANCE • WITHOUT BOTH WE MAY NOT LIVE LIFE THE WAY GOD CALLS US TO LIVE IT… • WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO DEVELOP BOTH • TO LOOK AT ALL THAT GOD PROVIDES TO GIVE US ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION A TRAVELER, AS HE PASSED THROUGH A FOREST • SAW A PART OF A HUGE OAK, WHICH APPEARED MISSHAPEN, • AND ALMOST SEEMED TO SPOIL THE SCENERY. • "IF, I WAS THE OWNER OF THIS FOREST,” SAID HE, • I WOULD CUT DOWN THAT TREE." • BUT WHEN HE HAD ASCENDED THE HILL, • AND TAKEN A FULL VIEW OF THE FOREST, • THIS SAME TREE APPEARED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE LANDSCAPE. • "HOW ERRONEOUSLY I JUDGED WHEN I SAW ONLY A PART!" SAID HE, • "THE FULL VIEW, THE HARMONY AND PROPORTION OF THINGS, • ARE ALL NECESSARY TO CLEAR UP OUR JUDGMENT • WHEN WE HAVE BOTH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES FROM EXPERIENCE • AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT COMES FROM INTELLECTUALLY • UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WORD • WE HAVE A FULLER PICTURE OF THE CERTAINTY OF OUR SALVATION • IF WE ARE LACKING EITHER WE MAY HAVE A TWISTED VIEW, A MISSHAPEN VIEW • OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SAVED (PAUSE) • WHEN SOMEONE TEACHES THAT WE HAVE TO EARN SALVATION • BY DOING GOOD WORKS • THIS MEANS THEY DO NOT MENTALLY KNOW, UNDERSTAND INTELLECTUALLY • THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE WHEN WE TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVOIR • JOHN HAS MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT ALL • WHO BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THIS, BOTH MENTALLY AND BY EXPERIENCE • IT WILL CHANGE HOW WE APPROACH GOD 1 JOHN 5:14–15 THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE WHICH WE HAVE BEFORE HIM, THAT, IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARS US. AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEARS US IN WHATEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE REQUESTS WHICH WE HAVE ASKED FROM HIM. ASSURANCE GIVES US CONFIDENCE • KNOWING WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • CHANGES HOW WE PRAY • JOHN SAYS • THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE WHICH WE HAVE BEFORE HIM • THAT WORD THIS POINTS BACK TO THE PHRASE • YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • THE RESULT OF US KNOWING WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • IS CONFIDENCE BEFORE GOD… • TO HAVE CONFIDENCE WHEN WE COME BEFORE GOD • MEANS TO HAVE BOLDNESS • AND IN THIS CASE JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT HOW WE PRAY • WHEN WE COME BEFORE GOD IN PRAYER • WE CAN DO SO WITH BOLDNESS • BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • WE ARE NOT COMING BEFORE GOD AS ONE • CONDEMNED BUT AS ONE OF HIS CHILDREN ROMANS 8:1 THEREFORE, THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. • THIS IS WHY WE CAN BOLDLY PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE • OUR ETERNAL DESTINY IS SET, WE ARE GOING TO HEAVEN (PAUSE) • NOT ONLY CAN WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR PRAYER • WE CAN BE CONFIDENT GOD HEARS • JOHN ASSURES HIS READERS THAT GOD HEARS THEIR PRAYERS • IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARS US. • DID YOU NOTICE THAT CONDITION? • IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL • NOW, THE TRUTH IS GOD “HEARS” EVERY PRAYER • THERE IS NOTHING THAT GOD DOES NOT HEAR • BUT THE WORD JOHN USES WHEN HE SAYS HE HEARS US • REALLY MEANS PAYS ATTENTION TO, LISTENS CLOSELY TO • AND FOR GOD TO CLOSELY PAY ATTENTION TO OUR PRAYER • WE HAVE TO PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL • THAT MEANS WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IN OUR PRAYER • NEEDS TO BE INLINE WITH WHAT GOD WANTS TO SEE HAPPEN…. • JOHN HAS BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD • ABOUT ABIDING IN CHRIST, WALKING WITH HIM • PART OF THIS ABIDING, THIS FELLOWSHIP • IS HAVING WHAT WE WANT, OUR WILL, OUR PLAN LINE UP WITH GOD’S • WHEN WE ARE WALKING IN THE LIGHT, ABIDING IN CHRIST • DOING ALL THE THINGS JOHN HAS TALKED ABOUT • CONFESSING OUR SINS, REPENTING, LOVING ONE ANOTHER • THEN THE THINGS WE WILL BE PRAYING FOR WILL BE • ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL AND HE WILL HEAR, PAY ATTENTION TO, OUR PRAYERS GOD’S HEARING = US HAVING • JOHN TELLS HIS READERS THEY CAN TRUST • THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY REQUEST ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL • DID YOU NOTICE THE ORDER OF THINGS HERE • FIRST, WE HAVE TO ASK ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL • THEN WE HAVE TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND, THAT GOD DOES HEARS US • AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEARS US IN WHATEVER WE ASK, • IF BOTH OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN, IF WE ASK ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL • AND IF WE KNOW THAT GOD DOES HEAR US, THEN • WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE REQUESTS WHICH WE HAVE ASKED FROM HIM. • IT IS REALLY INTERESTING HOW JOHN DOES NOT SAY • WE WILL HAVE… HE SAYS WE HAVE AS IN WE HAVE THEM NOW • I THINK JOHN TELLS THEM WE HAVE BECAUSE HE IS POINTING THE CERTAINTY • OF GOD ANSWERING THE PRAYER (PAUSE) • EVEN THOUGH THE ACTUAL EVENT OF THE PRAYER BEING ANSWERED • HAS NOT HAPPENED… IT IS JUST AS CERTAIN THAT IT WILL HAPPEN • THAT WE CAN CONSIDER IT A DONE DEAL…. • WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THE CERTAINTY OF GOD • HEARING AND ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS • IT SHOULD CHANGE HOW WE THINK ABOUT PRAYER A FISHERMAN WAS AT SEA WITH HIS GODLESS COMPANIONS • WHEN A STORM CAME UP AND THREATENED TO SINK THEIR SHIP. • HIS FRIENDS BEGGED HIM TO PRAY; • BUT HE SAID, “IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE DONE THAT • OR EVEN ENTERED A CHURCH.” • AT THEIR INSISTENCE, HOWEVER, HE FINALLY CRIED OUT, • “O LORD, I HAVEN’T ASKED ANYTHING OF YOU IN 15 YEARS, • AND IF YOU HELP US NOW AND BRING US SAFELY TO LAND, • I PROMISE I WON’T BOTHER YOU AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 15!” • UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE VIEW PRAYER • AS AN ESCAPE MECHANISM • RATHER THAN A CONSTANT LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH GOD. • AND THIS COMMUNICATION WITH GOD NEEDS TO BE ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL….. • PRAYING ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL REQUIRES KNOWING GOD’S WILL • THIS STARTS WITH KNOWING OUR BIBLES • UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN FOR SALVATION • BUT THAT IS JUST THE START • WE NEED TO LET GO OF OUR EGO AND PRIDE…. • PRAYING GOD’S WILL MEANS LETTING GO OF OUR WILL • WHEN WE PRAY FOR A SPECIFIC SOLUTION TO A SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCE • “GOD FIX THIS PROBLEM THIS WAY” • AT BEST WE ARE TRYING TO TELL GOD HOW TO DO HIS JOB • AT WORST WE ARE PUTTING OUR WILL ABOVE GOD’S • WHEN OUR PRAYERS LINE UP WITH GOD’S WILL • THEY ARE FILLED WITH HUMBLE WORDS OF COMPASSION • BRINGING THE PROBLEM, THE SUFFERING, THE TRIAL • AND LAYING IT AT GOD’S FEET AND LONGING FOR HIS SOLUTION, NOT OURS (PAUSE) • JUST SO YOU KNOW, I STRUGGLE WITH THIS • I HAVE A HARD TIME NOT COMING TO GOD • WITH MY PLAN, HOW I THINK HE SHOULD FIX • WHATEVER IT IS I AM PRAYING FOR HIM TO FIX • I HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD TO NOT EVEN • COME UP WITH MY PLAN AND JUST TAKE THE PROBLEM TO HIM • AS IT IS, WITHOUT A SOLUTION IN MIND, AND LAY IT AT HIS FEET • THIS IS A CHALLENGE WHEN IT IS YOUR OWN PROBLEM • BUT IT CAN BE EVEN HARDER WHEN YOU GO TO GOD IN PRAYER FOR SOMEONE ELSE 1 JOHN 5:16–17 IF ANYONE SEES HIS BROTHER COMMITTING A SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH, HE SHALL ASK AND GOD WILL FOR HIM GIVE LIFE TO THOSE WHO COMMIT SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH. THERE IS A SIN LEADING TO DEATH; I DO NOT SAY THAT HE SHOULD MAKE REQUEST FOR THIS. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN, AND THERE IS A SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH. BECAUSE GOD ANSWERS WE SHOULD PRAY • JOHN HAD JUST TOLD THEM GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS • WHEN WE PRAY ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL • NOW HE IS GIVING THEM AN EXAMPLE • OF SOMETHING WE CAN PRAY THAT IS GOD’S WILL… • BELIEVERS WHO SEE OTHER CHRISTIANS SIN • SHOULD PRAY FOR GOD TO RESTORE THEM • WHEN JOHN SAYS • IF ANYONE SEES HIS BROTHER COMMITTING A SIN • HE USES A WORD THAT REALLY MEANS SEE • AS IN VISUALLY OBSERVES • HE DID NOT SAY IF WE HEAR ABOUT A BROTHER SINNING • OR IF WE THINK THEY ARE SINNING • AND BROTHER HEAR MEANS ANY BELIEVER, NOT JUST THE MEN • AND THEN HE SPECIFIES THAT THIS SIN IS • NOT LEADING TO DEATH, • I’LL TRY TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS IN A MINUTE HERE • BUT IF THE SIN IS NOT LEADING TO DEATH • JOHN GIVES AN INSTRUCTION • HE SHALL ASK • THE WORD ASK HERE IS A PRETTY STRONG WORD • IT MEANS TO ASK FOR WITH URGENCY, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEMANDING • TO PLEAD FOR SOMETHING • NOW, I WOULD NEVER SUGGEST WE SHOULD DEMAND SOMETHING OF GOD • BUT I THINK SOMETIMES I STOP SHORT OF PLEADING WITH GOD • JOHN WANTS US TO STRONGLY REQUEST, PLEAD WITH GOD • FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WHO WE SEE SINNED • HE SAYS IF WE WILL ASK GOD WILL ANSWER GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS • WE KNOW THAT PRAYING FOR BELIEVERS WHO SIN IS GOD’S WILL • BECAUSE JOHN TELLS US THAT IF WE ASK, IF WE PLEAD WITH GOD FOR THEM • GOD WILL FOR HIM GIVE LIFE TO THOSE WHO COMMIT SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH. • WHEN JOHN SAYS GOD WILL GIVE LIFE • HE CAN’T BE TALKING ABOUT SALVATION, ETERNAL • THESE PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBED AS “BROTHERS” • A TERM JOHN USES FOR FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY SAVED • I CAN’T SAY FOR SURE WHAT JOHN MEANS HERE • BECAUSE HE JUST DOES NOT SAY • BUT I THINK IT MAY TALKING ABOUT • GOD RESTORING THEM TO FELLOWSHIP • TO ABIDING IN CHRIST, TO WALKING IN THE LIGHT… • ALL THE THINGS JOHN HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK….. • JOHN HAS TOLD THEM IF THEY BELIEVE IN JESUS • THEY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE • HE TOLD THEM THIS SHOULD GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE • IN THEIR PRAYERS, THEY SHOULD BOLDLY COME BEFORE GOD • JOHN TOLD THEM THAT GOD HEARS, PAYS CLOSE ATTENTION TO • ANY PRAYER THAT IS ASKED IN GOD’S WILL • AND HE HAS GIVEN AN EXAMPLE OF JUST SUCH A PRAYER… • PRAYING FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS THAT WE SEE SIN…. • PRAYING FOR BELIEVERS THAT SIN IS GOD’S WILL • DEALING WITH SIN IS PRETTY IMPORTANT TO GOD • SOMETIMES I THINK WE JUST DON’T TAKE SIN AS SERIOUSLY AS GOD DOES THE EVANGELIST BILLY SUNDAY ONCE SAID • “I’M AGAINST SIN. I’LL KICK IT AS LONG AS I’VE GOT A FOOT, • AND I’LL FIGHT IT AS LONG AS I’VE GOT A FIST. • I’LL BUTT IT AS LONG AS I’VE GOT A HEAD. • I’LL BITE IT AS LONG AS I’VE GOT A TOOTH. • WHEN I’M OLD AND FISTLESS AND FOOTLESS AND TOOTHLESS, • I’LL GUM IT TILL I GO HOME TO GLORY AND IT GOES HOME TO PERDITION.”— • ONE OF THE WAYS WE FIGHT SIN IS BY PRAYING • FOR THOSE WE SEE LIVING IN SIN • WE PRAY, WE ASK AND WE PLEAD WITH GOD • TO SOFTEN THEIR HEARTS, OPEN THEIR EYES • RESTORE THEM TO THEIR WALK WITH CHRIST • JOHN HAS SAID THAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR BELIEVERS • WHO SIN A SIN THAT IS NOT TO DEATH • BUT WHAT IS THE SIN THAT LEADS TO DEATH • THE INSTRUCTION TO PRAY FOR BELIEVERS WE SEE SIN • HAD AN INTERESTING CONDITION • JOHN HAD SAID • IF ANYONE SEES HIS BROTHER COMMITTING A SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH, • NOW JOHN WANTS TO MAKE SURE HIS READERS UNDERSTAND • THAT THERE IS A SIN UNTO DEATH AND THAT HE IS NOT TELLING • THEM TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES THAT • SO HE SAYS; • THERE IS A SIN LEADING TO DEATH; I DO NOT SAY THAT HE SHOULD MAKE REQUEST FOR THIS. ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN, AND THERE IS A SIN NOT LEADING TO DEATH. • SO… WHAT IS THE SIN THAT LEADS TO DEATH • WELL, THE TRUTH IS JOHN DOES NOT REALLY TELL US • AND TO UNDERSTAND JOHN’S MESSAGE, • TO KNOW WHAT HE MEANS IN THESE VERSES • WE REALLY DO NOT NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE SIN TO DEATH IS • BUT THAT HAS NOT STOPPED PEOPLE FROM HAVING OPINIONS • I MUST HAVE READ 6 OR 7 DIFFERENT THEORIES ABOUT • WHAT THE SIN TO DEATH IS • THERE ARE REALLY ONLY TWO THAT MAKE MUCH SENSE • ONE SAYS THE SIN TO DEATH IS REJECTING JESUS CHRIST • AND I CAN SEE WHERE THEY GET THIS IDEA • REJECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY SIN • THAT SENDS SOMEONE TO ETERNAL DAMNATION • BUT…WE HAVE A PROBLEM IF WE THINK • THAT IS WHAT JOHN IS TALKING ABOUT HERE • HE JUST SAID; I DO NOT SAY THAT HE SHOULD MAKE REQUEST FOR THIS. • THAT MEANS HE IS TELLING US TO NOT PRAY FOR SOMEONE • WHO SINS THE SIN TO DEATH, THAT WOULD MEAN • HE IS SAYING DON’T PRAY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE REJECTED CHRIST • THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO UNDERSTAND THIS THAT IS VERY SIMPLE • IT IS BASED ON THE FACT • THAT THE WORD LEADING IS NOT ACTUALLY IN THE GREEK • EVERY TIME THIS PHRASE IS SAID IT SAYS SIN TO DEATH • NOT A SIN LEADING TO DEATH • BUT A SIN TO DEATH • I THINK JOHN IS SAYING THAT SOMETIMES • PEOPLE SIN AND THE SIN THEY DO KILLS THEM • THEY SIN THEMSELVES TO DEATH • ANY SIN THAT SOMEONE DOES THAT RESULTS IN THEM DYING • IS THE SIN TO DEATH • AND OF COURSE, WE WOULD NOT PRAY FOR THOSE FOLKS • THEY ARE DEAD, CHRISTIANS DO NOT PRAY FOR THE DEAD • THEY ARE WITH CHRIST, THEY DO NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS • NOW, AM I CERTAIN THAT THIS IS WHAT JOHN MEANS • NO, BECAUSE HE DID NOT TELL US WHAT HE MEANS • AND THE MEANING OF THE SIN TO DEATH IS NOT IMPORTANT • BUT THIS ANSWER IS THE ONLY ONE I CAN FIND • THAT DOES NOT CONTRADICT SOMETHING ELSE IN THE BIBLE • SO, I AM GOING WITH IT, IF I GET TO HEAVEN • AND FIND OUT I WAS WRONG, I AM OK WITH THAT • JOHN’S POINT IS NOT ABOUT THE SIN TO DEATH • JOHN’S POINT IS THAT WE SHOULD CONFIDENTLY • PRAY FOR FELLOW BELIEVERS WHO WE SEE SINNING • THE MOTHER THAT PRAYS FOR HER CHRISTIAN SON • WHO IS LIVING WITH A WOMAN HE IS NOT MARRIED TO… • IS PRAYING THIS PRAYER. • THE CHILD WHO PRAYS FOR THEIR FATHER • WHO HAS TRUSTED CHRIST BUT GETS DRUNK EVERY NIGHT… • IS PRAYING THIS PRAYER. • ALL OF US WHO SEE A FELLOW CHRISTIAN WALKING IN SIN SHOULD PRAY THIS PRAYER. WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE OUR BIBLES • THEY ARE GOD’S WORD • THEY CONTAIN EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW • ABOUT GOD AND MAN, ABOUT SIN AND SALVATION • THEY TELL US THAT GOD LOVES US • THEY TELL US THAT WE ALL SIN • THEY TELL US THAT GOD CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN • JESUS CHRIST, LIVED A SINLESS LIFE AND DIED ON THE CROSS • TO PAY FOR OUR SINS • OUR BIBLES TELL US OVER 100 TIMES THAT IF WE HAVE • FAITH IN WHAT CHRIST DID ON THE CROSS • WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…. • WHEN WE TRUST OUR BIBLES, WE WILL BE CERTAIN OF THIS • WE WILL HAVE ASSURANCE OF OUR ETERNAL LIFE • AND IN THAT ASSURANCE, WE CAN BOLDLY • CONFIDENTLY PRAY TO GOD • WHEN WE PRAY ACCORDING TO HIS WILL • HE WILL MOST CERTAINLY HEAR, PAY ATTENTION TO OUR PRAYERS • AND IT IS SO CERTAIN THAT HE WILL ANSWER THEM • THAT WE CAN THINK OF THEM AS ALREADY ANSWERED • IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WHO HAS NOT • BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD • ANYONE WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS • IN A MOMENT…. 102