1 John 5:13-21

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Scripture 1 John 5:13-21(ESV)

        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.

 

Devotion

            John concludes this letter with several exhortations. John indicates he is writing to the believers. To encourage them that they have eternal life if they believe in Jesus Christ. John then moves on to prayer indicating if we pray according to God’s will. We will receive the answer to our prayers. This is not to make God our butler who meets our every desire, but rather a loving Father who provides what is good for his children.

            The key phrase above is “according to his will”. We will have whatever we want if we obey His commands and keep in close communion with Jesus. If we abide in him and he in us, we will be certain of the answer to prayer. “Here indeed is something on which to ponder. We are so apt to think that prayer is asking God for what we want, whereas true prayer is asking God for what He wants. We are so apt to think of prayer as talking to God—and indeed it is—whereas it is even more listening to God.”[1]

            The next section in praying for a brother who sins. We don’t know the reason that we should have to pray for our brother of sister who sins. Instead of the brother or sister praying for themselves.  But we can be assured that it is heard for it is always God’s will to forgive sins. John then goes on to say there are sins which are not mortal and sins that are mortal. We are not exactly sure what John meant by this. And there are as many suggestions from commentators as there are commentators as to what John may have had in mind there it is probably wise not to speculate any further. But only state the fact that we should pray for our fellow Christians when they are caught up in any sin.

            In the next verse (18) John concludes with three affirmations that Christians can have “We know that anyone born of God does not continue in sin. 2. We know that we are that we are the children of God. 3. We know that the Son of God has come and given us certain knowledge about himself.”[2] The Christian is a person who has never lost and can never lose the spiritual battle. Because he is a human he will sin. But he can never be defeated by sin and a slave to sin as his non-Christian neighbor can.

            The Christian is on the side of God against this world system and the schemes of the devil. The Christian can be sure he is on the side of reality against the distortions and lies of the world and Satan.

            John concludes the letter with a warning against believing in idols. This is seemingly a random warning but the church to whom he was writing lived in a world of idols that screamed for attention. Much like today. John is simply saying that “the Christian must never erect in his heart an idol that would take the place of God; the Christian must keep himself from the infections of all false faiths; and the Christian can do so only when he walks with Christ.”[3]


[2] Barker Glenn, (The Expositors Bible Commentary) Vol. 12, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, p. 356
[3] Barclay, William, The Letters of John and Jude (The Daily Study Bible) p. 145

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