SCRIPTURE: 1 JOHN 5
BIBLE VERSES:
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. ” (1 John 5:1-3)
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12)
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” ( 1 John 5:14-15)
“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD (vs. 1-12)
Jesus is the Son of God that came by water and blood as testified by the Spirit. When you are born of God, you will love God the Father and the Son who gave his life for you. You will also love the children of God as commanded by Him. You become a conqueror because Christ will give you victory to overcome the world.
CONCLUDING REMARKS (vs. 13-21)
Those who believe in the name of the Son of God have the confidence to approach God. If they ask anything according to His will, He hears them. They will also be secured because He will keep them from the clutches of the wicked one.
THOUGHTS:
THE BIRTHMARKS OF BELIEVERS:
- They love God and His child as well (v. 1)
- They obey God’s Word (v. 3)
- They overcome the world (v. 4)
- They have the confidence to approach God (v. 14)
- They know that God will give them whatever they ask according to His will (*v. 15)
- They will pray for fellow brothers who fall into sin (v. 16)
- They do not continue to sin (v. 18)
CERTAINTIES TO THOSE BORN OF GOD:
- We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin. God keeps him safe and the evil one cannot harm him (v. 18)
- We know that the whole world is under the control of the evil one (v. 19)
- We know that the Son of God has come and had given us understanding to know Jesus, who is the true God that gives eternal life (v. 20)
The evidence of salvation is obedience. The essentials of fellowship is love and the secret of true and abiding life is truth. May we remember to keep these key thoughts and practise in our lives.
When we pray, it must be according to His will, not according to our will. We must not demand what we want but accept what He wants for us. If our prayer is aligned to His will, we are confident that will listen and give us a definite answer.
John gave us a clear picture of who Jesus is:
- He is God-man, fully God and fully human (v.s, 6-7)
- He had overcome the world by dying on the cross for our sins (v. 4)
- He is the true God and the only way to eternal life through our faith in Him (v. 20)