1 John 5:13-21

1 John 5:13-21
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.

This letter is written to believers.  That me...and you if you are a believer.  Why was it written?  Assurance of salvation.

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.

This does not make God a vending machine.  Asking God for a Harley is fine, but he is under no compulsion to provide it if it outside if his will for my life.  And yes I do want a Harley, but right now it would not be for His Glory it would be fiscally irresponsible.  What this verse is saying, it that when God shows us a task and we bring our needs to Him for accomplishing that task, He will provide.  As we grow in Christ our requests will be less about us and more about 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.

Imagine if everyone who sinned, died immediately.  The world would have had a population of 2 and then the human race would have been extinct.  When your brother sins, pray for them.  Pray that they will see their error.

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.

If you are of God you will not continue in your life of sin.  Though Satan rules this world, Jesus has come and we know the truth.  It is only through Him that we have eternal life.

²¹ Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

An idol is not just a statue you bow down and worship.  It is anything you put before God.  Anything.

God Bless.