Christian Certainties

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.1 These things I have written to you…what things? John is concluding all things that were mentioned in the letter. The near context is the whole epistle for two main reasons: 1. Second person to First person perspective Break in the purpose of addressing the recipient to a self proclaiming conclusion, highlighting in summary all that have been discussed. 2. Parallelism to the author’s other letter, the Book of John. 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.2 These things, starting from John 1:1…in the beginning all the way through chapter 20 were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God. The letter of John speaks of salvation and the 1 letter of John speaks of assurance. Eternal Life = Living with God forever Living with God forever means being perfect (without sin), holy and righteous but not becoming God. We already posses that life the moment we got saved (1 John 5:13). …you have eternal life, not will have eternal life. The desire and passion to live for and with God is already there, wrapped against our sinful nature. It is not fully manifested in us but it will be made perfect in us in His glorious appearing. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.3 If we have eternal life, then how can we live confidently in Christ in spite having human weaknesses? 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.4 7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.5 16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.6 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.7 If we ask anything under the following conditions: • If the request is According to His (Jesus) will • If we abide in Him (Jesus) and His words abide in us • If Jesus chose me and not me choosing Him (salvation) • If the Father is glorified in the Son (salvation) Then the request will be: • Heard by Jesus • Done for me by Jesus • Given to me in the name of Jesus 4 Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.8 We pray, fully identified with Jesus. We pray in His will, seeking only that which glorify the Father and produce true spiritual joy. If Jesus would answer our prayers, why are we instructed to pray without ceasing? 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.9 1. Jesus wants us to be thankful 2. Jesus wants us not to be anxious 3. Jesus wants us to align our prayers to His will 4. Jesus wants prayers to be a means of receiving what He wants us to receive Does God answer the prayers of an unbeliever? God is not obligated to answer the prayers of an unregenerate person. However, He may allow certain prayers to be answered only if the request is align to His will, unknowing to the requester. Thus, there is no certainty that a non-believers’ prayers be heard by God. But when a believer prays in the name of Christ, and according to His will, God has obligated Himself to answer. There is certainty in the prayers of a righteous person. 15 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.10 Praying for a brother committing a sin not leading to death 16 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.11 God will answer all our prayers consistent with His name and His will, except one. God, in His omniscience, imposes an irrevocable decision to person who is described are those with ‘sin leading to death’. The finality (irreversible) of the decision will make prayer for spiritual and well being, unanswered. We are commanded to pray for a brother committing a sin not leading to death. That prayer will be answered and the sinning brother will be forgiven or restored. Unfortunately, there is no clear determination whether God imposes an eternal resolution to an individual, so praying for salvation and forgiveness is still encouraged for everyone to everyone. John does not command us not to pray in this situation but to let us know there is no point praying for these people. A reminder that even if we follow all the essentials of an answered prayer life does not follow that all our prayers will be answered in dealing with this scenario. The outcome may not be what you expect. What is the ‘sin that leads to death’? There are two possibilities that individual fall into the category whose ‘sin leads to death’: 1. A sin of a non-christian leading to eternal death. This person maybe a professing Christian, but in the eyes of God, a fully apostatized, willfully and ultimately turning away from the truth. 4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, bsince they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.12 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.13 2. A Christian who commits sin and God take out their life. The verdict is not so much on the kind of sin but on the weight of sin in light with the testimony of Christ and His church. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number asleep.14 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.15 7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land afor such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.16 Sin not leading to death 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.17 Removing the possibility of Christians trying to classify sins, like what the Roman Catholic does, John emphasize that all sin is an offense to God. There is a sin not leading to death. We are living proof that there is a sin not leading to death. Unbelievers reject God and yet they are still alive. His children commit sin everyday and yet we have not come to a point wherein we require removal for the good of His church. We are here today because of His Grace and Mercy alone. Aren’t we glad that we leave it to God’s judgment whether he wants to kill false prophets and teachers who are bent on misrepresenting the church? His decision is perfect. We can rest assure that He executes his final decree for the benefit of the church. We can also find peace in knowing He has our prayers answered, even if we opt for another result in regards to this issue. 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.18 Believers do not follow a pattern of unbroken sin. 4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.19 Sin is lawlessness in the Father’s sight. The Christian is not in a habit of violating God’s law. 5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.20 Sin is going against the work and nature of Christ. 9 No one who is aborn of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.21 Sin goes against the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Born = begotten 18 We know that no one who is begotten of God sins; but He who was begotten of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.22 We are transformed, changed, been born again. Jesus, who is the only begotten Son of God keep us or shall we say lay hold of us, the same kind of grip that the Father has for His Son. Jesus may allow Satan to tempt, sift, torment or have it his way on us. He is doing all these things to strengthen and purify us to glorify the Father. Never did Jesus left or forsake His people. We are given by the Father to glorify His Son, whom in turn glorify the Father by keeping us forever. He has saved us while we are His enemies, and He will certainly keep us as his friend. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved bby His life.23 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was craised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.24 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.25 Nothing in this world escaped the ‘cradle of death’ control of Satan. The world is in the power of the evil one (ha poneros). Creation is contaminated by a deadly virus (sin) and is winding down to extinction. What God has for His children is completely opposite to what Satan has for the world. We are distinct, set apart (holy) for God’s own purpose. They (world) are distinct, set apart for destruction. 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. This is the true God and eternal life.26 John ends to the beginning of the letter, the beginning and the end of all truths. Jesus, the Son of the one true God, had come and gave us understanding that we may know Him who is true. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.27 There is no other god besides Him. Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. There is no other way for men to be saved. There is no other way to heaven but through Christ. He is real because he came down and bear witnessed to the people and He is real because He lives in us and we know it.