DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE ( I John 5:11-21)
I. ETERNAL SECURITY IS VERY IMPORTANT - Vs 11-13
First because it says that Jesus Paid it all !
We cannot have Peace unless we are Secure
We cannot really know the Lord unless we Trust Him
We cannot Help others, while we are Helping ourselves
We cannot Win people, if we don’t trust His keeping power
We cannot Succeed in Life, unless we are Secure in Jesus
We cannot stand the Storms of Life without His keeping power
II TO DOUBT OR DENY ETERNAL SECURITY WILL NEGATE YOUR EFFECTIVENESS IN PRAYER (vs. 14-15).
1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
You will notice the conjunction "and" at the beginning of v. 14. This means that our "confidence" in prayer is directly related to our assurance of salvation. Our text says that God wants us to seek His will, then to come before Him with confidence and make our petitions and our desires known (v. 15), and then to "know" that He has heard and will answer our prayers. Matthew 7:7-11 makes it plain that God delights in answering our prayers and supplying our needs as much as a good earthly father enjoys doing things for his children.
III THE "SIN UNTO DEATH" REFERS TO BELIEVERS ONLY (VERSE 16)
Many people mistakenly equate this sin and this passage with the "unpardonable sin". However, that is a serious scriptural error. The "unpardonable sin" is committed by an unbeliever (Matthew 12:31-32) and the "unpardonable sin" leads to spiritual death and separation from God in hell(the second death).
1. Verse 16 clearly declares that there is "sin which leads unto death". There is a lifestyle, which if continued by the believer, will result in premature physical death.
2. So serious is this lifestyle, that there is no need for a fellow Christian to even pray for that person. Hebrews 12:5-11 clearly declares several things about God’s chastening of believers:
(1) No Christian can sin and escape the chastening of God (Hebrews 12:6-8);
(2) There are specific steps in God’s chastening of believers (Hebrews 12:5-6): conviction (rebuke); chastening (correction); scourging; and physical death;
(3) All chastening is grievous, but beneficial (Hebrews 12:10-11).
(4) Now this means that a believer is not going to suddenly make a small mistake and
be killed by God.
3. It is imperative that the believer continually remember Biblical examples of "the sin unto death". (1) Acts 5:1-11; (2) I Corinthians 5:1-5; (3) I Corinthians 10:1-13; (4) I Corinthians 11:26-32; (5) Hebrews 10:26-31.
IV THERE IS NO NEED FOR A FELLOW CHRISTIAN TO PRAY FOR A BELIEVER WHO HAS COMMITTED THIS SIN (VERSE 16)
1. We are assured that God hears and answers prayer (verses 14-15).
2. We are commanded to pray for brethren who fall into sin (verse 16).
3. We are told, however, there is no need to pray for one who has committed "the sin unto death" (verse 16).
V.ALL SIN BY BELIEVERS DOES NOT LEAD TO PHYSICAL DEATH
1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Now this passage clearly states "that all unrighteousness is sin". All sin by a believer is wrong! However, God is also a merciful God (Psalms 103:8-14 and Psalms 130:3). If all sin by believers led to instant and certain death, there would not be a believer left on this earth. However, God specifically warns about deliberate, presumptuous, willful, continual disobedience by a child of God. God will not permit a believer to continually sin and escape chastening.
VI A BORN AGAIN BELIEVER DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A SLAVE TO SIN
1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1. This fact is an absolute certainty ("We know...")
2. This fact is true for every child of God. ("Whosoever is born of God...")
3. The reason a born again believer does not have to continue in sin, is because of Him who keeps him saved (verse 18 and John 10:28-29). This verse should literally read "the one that is begotten of God, God Himself keepeth, so that the wicked one cannot attach himself to that one". That is exciting!
4. The God who keeps the believer is stronger and greater than Satan (verse 18). The word translated "toucheth" is the Greek word "hap-tom’-ahee" which means "to attach" or "to fasten oneself". The Bible declares in many places (I John 3:8 and 4:4 and Romans 6:13-18, etc.) that the power of the indwelling Spirit of God in a believer is greater than the power of Satan in the world.
VII A BELIEVER’S VICTORY OVER THE HABITS OF SIN IS ONE WAY GOD ASSURES THE BELIEVER OF HIS SALVATION (VERSE 19).
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
One of the ways that a believer "knows that we are of God" is by the victory over the sin nature. This is the reason that sanctification is so important for assurance of salvation. Furthermore, this victory for a believer over sin is assured no matter how filled the whole world is with wickedness. Whenever Satan pours out his wickedness in the world, God pours out His grace upon the believer (Romans 5:20).
VIII THE REASON THAT GOD SENT HIS SON INTO THE WORLD WAS TO REDEEM MEN FROM THE BONDAGE OF SATAN (VERSE 20).
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Luke 19:10 and John 3:16-18 clearly declare that God’s love for sinful man compelled His to send His Son. The victory that a believer has through Jesus Christ is a part of "the eternal life" which Jesus came to give. Remember: "eternal life" refers not only to quantity, but to quality. It is not only futuristic, but it is a present reality for the believer.
IX THE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER HAS A RESPONSIBILITY AND A ROLE IN THE WORK OF SANCTIFICATION (VERSE 21).
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
The believer is commanded "to keep yourselves" from anything that would pull away your affection and devotion to Jesus Christ. Conclusion: John ends his letter the same way he began his letter.
(1) He declares that all Christians will sin;
(2) Sin does not separate a believer from God;
(3) A born again believer can be victorious over sin;
(4) God takes sin in a believer seriously and failure to repent will produce serious chastisement from God, even premature death!
