Just So You Know... 1 John 5:13-21

Salvation is not verified by a past act, but by present fruitfulness. ~ John MacArthur

I. Review

A. From 1 Jn. 5:1-12

John was just making the point that if you couldn’t take his word about Jesus then just look what God Himself says about Jesus. A He accomplishes this in three ways: The water- Jesus’ baptism and events surrounding it, The Blood- Jesus’ death on the cross, and The Spirit- to which testifies and makes His presence known at both of the previous markers. These three witness to who Jesus is even before John even says a word from his own testimony.

B. This is John’s concluding thoughts of the letter

Let’s remember the theme of this book and the issues John addresses. His letter is written to combat false teachers who had risen up in the church and had persuaded some of the members of the church to follow a different gospel other than the one that John had taught them. This caused the remaining members to start to wonder if they would one day be pulled away as well from what they have grown to love so much. He enters John to give them assurance of who they are and that if they are true believers they would never fall away. And to reinforce that begins to show them high contrast ‘black and white’ examples of what a Christian actually looks like.

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

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.

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. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. - 1 Jn. 5:13-21

I. The Whole Point- 1 Jn. 5:13-15

A. John’s Purpose-v.13

For people to have confidence in whether they are a true child of God of not. There is no gray area with those who either believe or do not believe. This goes back to the gospel of John, ‘to those who believe’

- John 1:12

English Standard Version Chapter 1

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God

Well, what do children of God have? They have a future with the Lord and an assurance in what their status is with God the Father.

Simply concluding the previous thought is to now have confidence in the standing you now have because of the work of Jesus. You can now boldly come as a child of God to the throne of God through Jesus. Our Father in heaven listens to His children, as any good father does.

In this, we see the purpose of prayer and the secret of power in prayer. It is to ask; to ask anything; to ask anything according to His will; and once having so asked, to have the assurance that He hears us.

i. First, God would have us ask in prayer. Much prayer fails because it never asks for anything. God is a loving God, and a generous giver – He wants us to ask of Him. -David Guzik

Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

II. Pray for one another- 1 Jn. 5:16-17

A. Stick to Righteousness- v. 16

We should not be a people who go around saying , “did you see so and so doing this?’ That’s gossip! We should be a people who see sin and know the struggle they are in and pray for their strength. This kind of thinking makes me think of Jesus. Praying for sinners… being righteous....

B. A warning for straying- v.16-17

When I read this I’m sure you are like me. What does that particularly mean ‘a sin that leads to death’? Two things spring to mind. One. Obviously, sin is the root cause of death way back in the Garden that started all our wretched journeys. So the death part is nothing shocking. Two. This seems to be something specific and tied to a “brother” or “believer”. What sins lead to death? Two possibilities. 1) this could be just a believer (by the reference brother) who just sins even in spite of his regeneration, and God calls them home, for who knows what kind of reason. i.e.- maybe to keep for any detriment happening to a ministry. 2) it may be a reference to Matt. 12:31 which deals with blaspheming the Holy Spirit it which He tries to tell you and confirm to you the truth of Jesus. And denying Him will condemn your future.

Spurgeon puts is this way when thinking about this passage

Illustration

The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes Chapter 5

An owner of a country estate may put up a sign that reads, “Danger: Beware of traps and spring guns.” No one would think of going to the front door of the mansion and saying, “Would you please tell me where the traps and spring guns are set?” If we asked that question, the answer would be, “The purpose of this warning is not to tell you where they are, for you have no business to trespass there at all.” So “all unrighteousness is sin,” and we are warned to keep clear of it. “There is sin that leads to death,” but we are not told what that sin is on purpose that we may, by the grace of God, keep clear of sin altogether.

III. The “We Know’s”- Assurance in a nutshell (Facts)- 1 Jn. 5:18-21

A. The Power of sin is Broken- v.18

1 John 5:18 ESV

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.

i. John is repeating his idea from 1 John 3:6: Whoever abides in Him does not sin. The grammar in the original language makes it plain John is speaking of a settled, continued lifestyle of sin. John is not teaching here the possibility of sinless perfection. As Stott says, “The present tense in the Greek verb implied habit, continuity, unbroken sequence.”- David Guzik

The ability to say “no”. No to temptation. No to sin. No to anything that separates us from our Father. The fight and the struggle is on. There is finally a backbone there to stand up to evil, evil that affects us from the world and the evil that we face from within. Break the sin that becomes habitual, it should break your heart to be apart of sin, just like it breaks your Father’s heart. If you continue in sin and you don’t struggle with that, then you are lost!

Romans 6:1–3 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Romans 6:14 ESV

For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

B. We are children of God- v. 19

1 John 5:19 ESV

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

We can go back to John 1:12 again for this like we did earlier, but also 1 John 3:1

1 John 3:1 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Here again John makes the two contrasts of this world. Those who are of God and those who are not. This leads to the next thought

C. God chose us and revealed to us the truth- v.20

1 John 5:20 ESV

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.

The Holy Spirit gives His seal of approval for you being a child of God. God opens our eyes to the real truth of this world. His Spirit draws us and transforms us.

John 16:13 ESV

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Going through the Next Level Discipleship class with the students has been very challenging explaining doctrines and logical thought processes when it comes to our faith. I think it would be very prideful to think of yourself as someone who has got all the mysterious workings and thoughts of God figured out. That is why when we got to the section of the study on ‘election’ it is tough for me. It is a concept that is beyond me. And even Wayne Grudem as well. What I do have to acknowledge is that being ‘chosen’ is something God does and not me. He does the saving, He does the calling, He does everything. Not me. Isaiah tells me what my work and effort is worth. And how that works with what ‘will’ I have, I do not know. But it is there. It’s like when I was talking to JJ the other day about this subject and we came to the conclusion it’s like seeing a tree on the other side of a river, fast flowing river with high impassible banks on both sides. I can see the tree, I know its there; I know it exists but I can’t figure out how to get to it.

John 15:19 ESV

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

D. Keep to the Truth- v.21

Idolatry- Trusting, serving or giving worship to something that is not God

We can’t lose focus. If we are true children of God we keep our eyes fixated on Him. When we stumble or even fall, it’s because we take our eyes off the Lord and put them somewhere else. This is John’s last charge to the children. If we would but just keep our eyes and our hearts for our Jesus. Our paths become straight.

Concluding thoughts

I need to walk in a constant assurance and confidence knowing that my eternal security is secure. If I apply what John teaches in this book, and examine my life, does it line up with what a true believer looks like, if so then I have nothing to worry about.

Wayne Grudem outlines 3 categories that gives a believer assurance

1. Do I have a present trust in Christ for salvation?

Hebrews 3:14

English Standard Version Chapter 3

14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

This is the perseverance of the saints. If your salvation was genuine then there is no chance of you ever losing it. Christ’s work on the cross is thorough, and is “FINISHED”.

Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith 1. Do I Have a Present Trust in Christ for Salvation?

This emphasis on present faith in Christ stands in contrast to the practice of some church “testimonies” where people repeatedly recite details of a conversion experience that may have happened twenty or thirty years ago. If a testimony of saving faith is genuine, it should be a testimony of faith that is active this very day.

2. Is there evidence of a regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in my heart?

Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith 2. Is There Evidence of a Regenerating Work of the Holy Spirit in My Heart?

The evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts comes in many different forms

A couple of these evidences are like this. 1 John 4:13 Because the Spirit is going to lead you into obedience.

1 John 4:13 ESV

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

and the biggest evidence we see comes from Galatians 5:22

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

2 Peter 1:5–10 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

Peter is calling us to be diligent in out pursuit of Jesus. The Sanctification process is long and has its ups and downs. But it should trend upward in regards to our pursuit of holiness.

I will end with this. As the encouragement it is meant to be. John 10:27-28

English Standard Version Chapter 10

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.