Because We Believe

Belief and Knowing

As we mentioned last week, the term “believe” is often used to express a general attitude of hope and optimism. But the word has a greater meaning in the Bible. It refers to:

accepting - take something to be true

trusting - to place one’s trust in another

entrusting - to put oneself into the care and protection of another

John concludes his letter by reminding the believers that what they know and believe about Christ profoundly affects their life, action, and future. If we believe in Christ, then we have eternal life, confidence in prayer, and the responsibility to live as children of God.

You Know

John wrote his gospel and this letter to explain what Christians ought to believe concerning Jesus Christ. Our beliefs, consequently, will have a profound impact on how we think.

What is meant by knowing? · possess the information - as opposed to ignorance - cognitive aware of the fact

John reminds us that we ought to know the following things because we believe. First that we have eternal life. Remember that eternal life is more than life with God after we die. Eternal life is available right now because it is life in God through Jesus Christ. It includes spiritual life and the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. And we look forward to when our physical body puts on a new quality in the future presence of God.

Second, we have confidence in prayer. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but in the God who hears our prayer. We must not think of prayer as a wish list or a shopping spree at our favorite store, for our prayers are always answered according to His will. And herein lies an essential value of prayer to our maturity. We can pray according to our will, hiding our deep intention and selfish desires. Even the most honorable of our requests can have mixed motives. But God’s will is always holy, without sin, and the best option for us.

A word about Narcissistic Prayer. Unfortunately there are some pastors and leaders that teach that prayer part of our God given privilege to create whatever future we have in mind. And left to our own desires, we always focus on health, wealth, and success. While none of these things are evil in themselves, they can be things that God may desire for us to not have at the moment. But some teach that if we would only pray with the right kind of faith and words, we can have all these things, we can speak things into existence, we can see signs and wonders as a regular part of life, and we can be always free from negative things. But this is a false concept. And at the root of this movement is a narcissistic attitude toward the will of God.

John reminds us of another confident truth: God hears us. Many of us have expressed this complaint to others. “You heard me, but you are not listening to me.” This is not what we can expect as God’s children. He both hears and listens to us. Even more remarkable is that he knows what we need before we ask Him. Matthew 6:7-8

Matthew 6:7–8 ESV

7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

And God knows what is truly in our hearts. God’s heart is always ready to hear the humble hearts of His children. So remember these things when you pray: Be humble, for you are speaking to the All-Mighty Creator of all things, and be confident, for He has graciously made way for you to know Him personally through Jesus.

Since we believe and we know, we ought to then act in the way that God desires for us. God commands us to pray in confidence because of Jesus Christ. And He commands us to love those in the family of God. And now he directs them on the concept of prayer for others.

Moved to Pray for Others

In keeping with the theme of loving those in the Christian Church, John directs us on how we are to demonstrate this love through prayer. If another believer is aware of another believer’s sin, he should intercede in confident prayer for that person. We should always be confident that God desires for all people to come to a repentant attitude concerning their sin. 2 Peter 3:9

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

But what are we to make of John’s mention of sins “that lead to death” and “don’t lead to death”? Doesn’t the Bible state that death is the result of sin? Romans 5:12, Romans 6:23

First, we should recognize a few things. First, John does not say that one should not pray for another person, for we are commanded to pray for all people, even our enemies. Second, John’s letter is prompted by the presence of false teachers in the church and that these people had proved that they were not believers in Christ. 1 John 2:19. And other verses teach us concerning that not all who are present in a church gathering are believers in Christ. 1 John 4:1, Matthew 7:21-23. With this background, we can conclude that John is talking about the sin of believers as opposed to unbelievers.

For Believers in Christ, we know that Jesus Christ is the only sinless one and that we need to confess our sins. Paul reminded us that we will struggle with the flesh to do what the Spirit of God desires. Romans 7:22-23 This appears to be the sin that does not lead to death (separation from life offered through Jesus Christ). But those who appeared to be “brothers” and people of the “church” left because they denied the truth about Jesus Christ. This appears to be the sin that leads to death, to reject Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:12. John is making the point that all sin is equally sinful, but those who believe in Jesus Christ have hope of repentance when they confess. But those who refuse to believe in Christ cannot overlook this important foundation to receive Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus Christ will grow in obedience and repentance. Those who reject Christ will never be in obedience.

Do you recognize that all believers struggle to be obedient to God at times? Are you able to identify your moments of weakness and issues of temptation? Are you moved to prayer for others when you see the struggle of sin? Remember that you may struggle as a believer in Christ, but God is still working to bring you back to a submitted heart that follows Him. You may not realize it, but your coming back to God results from God’s grace and often someone praying for you.

The results of belief and unbelief

John continues to encourage confidence by reminding us that if we are in Christ, we have a new nature from Christ. We receive Christ’s righteousness by grace through faith. We stand before the Holy God forgiven. Does this mean we will never sin, act in disobedience, rebel, or neglect the leading of the Holy Spirit? Scripture reminds us that although we are made righteous through Christ, we will struggle to varying degrees with our sinful habits and desires. So what is the difference between believers and non-believers when it comes to sin? The difference is our new direction toward obedience. John has in mind the habitual, ongoing, unchecked attitude toward rebellion of God. If you struggle with sin, don’t forget that the struggle is part of growing up in maturity. The Bible calls it “sanctification”, the process of gradual purification from sin and progressive spiritual growth that should mark the life of the believer. Romans 6:19-22

Romans 6:19–22 ESV

19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

And all throughout his letter, John has given us two options of realities. Either we are in Christ, or we are not. Despite their weaknesses and struggles, those who believe are still in Christ. We have a gracious God who knows our weakness and sinful desires and continues to call us to obedience. And He extends his loving discipline and patience toward us. Ultimately, our struggle with our flesh will end. But if we do not believe in Christ, we can not have this confidence or this assurance. Therefore, there are only two ways which God has given. We are born again to new life in Christ, or we are of the world, remaining under the controlling influence of the evil one.

The last words of the letter are a command to be on guard from idols. Idolatry is the worship of something that represents a deity, and it is the rejection and rebellion against the One True God. The Bible always condemns idols and the act of idolatry. In the Old Testament, idolatry was a primary issue for the Covenant People. And in the New Testament, the command continues. Although the topic is uniquely stated at the end, we should not discredit it as some out-of-place comment. Because we do not know all the details of the original audience, we can only speculate on what was occurring in the church that prompted this. We must not forget that idols are just as common as cell phones are in our world. All believers need to be reminded of the relentless influence of our surrounding environment called the World. We must stay on guard against removing Christ from the central place of our life and church.

Application

Praying for others is a command we must not neglect. We ought to pray for our fellow believers who may be in a prodigal state of rebellion. Pray for their repentance and return to the grace of God. We ought to pray for those who reject Christ that their eyes may be opened and their heart opened to receive the truth of Jesus. We express the love of God when we pray for others.

We must also remember that there are only two ways, two paths, two options in this life concerning Christ. Rejecting or ignoring Christ results in the same path. It leads away from God. If you have stopped walking with God or lived in the prodigal pigpen for a while, remember this truth from the opening verses of John’s letter.

1 John 1:5–10 ESV

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.