KNOWING AND LIVING
Opening Prayer
Thank you, O God, for the presence of your Spirit in me. Thank you for continuing to hold me fast and continuing to build my faith as I read your Word.
Read 1 JOHN 5:13–21
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Concluding Affirmations
13 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. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
16 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. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
18 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. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 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.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
When you pray, how confident are you that God hears you? How sure are you that he will answer? How would you explain your confidence or lack of it?John had written to reassure true believers that they had eternal life. With that assurance of relationship with God, they should be confident in asking God for things according to his will (vv. 13–17). So much of the letter had focused on loving one another, and here he gave the example of praying for another believer who commits sin.
What is the sin that leads to death? It is rejecting God’s Spirit as he points us to Christ (4:2–3). If someone denies that witness, they are not a brother or sister in Christ (see 2:3–4, 22). There is life only in Christ (v. 20). Pray for their salvation, but that was not John’s main focus here. He was encouraging believers to pray for one another according to God’s will.
The last few lines are a blitz of truth statements to comfort and challenge the readers. Believers don’t live lives defined by sin. God protects them (v. 18). This world is controlled by the evil one (v. 19). Our whole faith is wrapped up in our being in Christ. We are united with him and so have eternal life (v. 20).
Apply
John lovingly ended by calling his dear children not to let their gaze shift to any alternative to the true God! How has this letter encouraged you to keep your eyes on Jesus?
Closing prayer
Lord Jesus, there is no greater love than yours, no greater sacrifice made for me than yours. Help me, that my following you will be steadfast, my life one that continually shows others who you are.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
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