PRAYER AND ASSURANCE
1 John 5:13-17, ESV
Part 19 of the sermon series on the letters of John.
The apostle highlighted the power of the testimony of the Spirit, the blood, and the water. The blood and the water may refer to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 19:34-35). Moreover, it is the Father who testifies about His Son. John emphasized that if they believed in the testimony of men, why wouldn’t they believe the testimony of God? In other words, if you truly believe in God, there is no other way but to believe in the Son of God. The author would then assure believers that they have eternal life in what they believed, namely, what they had heard from the beginning (1 Jn 2:24). One may safely assume that what they believed from the beginning is John’s testimony about Jesus, as recorded in the gospel account (The Gospel According to John).
Assurance
John assures genuine believers that they have eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The author mentioned the evidence in the letter, such as knowing and obeying His commandments, not hating the brothers, not loving the world, not practicing sin as a habit, and not believing in false teaching.
1 John 5:13: 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.
Eternal life is not something one earns through secret knowledge, as the false teaching prevalent at that time claimed. It is about believing all the claims of Christ as witnessed by the apostles, including His humanity and divinity. It also includes His finished work on the cross.
Prayer
The apostle assures the genuine believers that if they pray according to God’s will, God hears them. Moreover, God will not only hear, but He will also grant the requests. Therefore, believers must pray according to His will, which is revealed in His word.
1 John 5:14-15: 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.
John 15:7: If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Some may assume that anyone can pray about anything and God will grant it. First, this promise is for believers who are expected to abide in His word. Second, those who abide in His word find themselves aligned to God’s word, especially in praying for brothers and sisters who need correction.
Prayer for Others
It is God’s will for believers to pray for those sinning, not leading to death. The promise is that God will give such a person life. However, John also mentioned that there is sin leading to death. This would probably be apostasy based on the context of the letter, referring to those who believed in false teachings about Christ.
1 John 5:16-17: 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.
Some might think that John is referring to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Mk 3:28-30). However, the immediate context may refer to believing in false teaching or persistent sinning. In which case, probably, those they called brother or sister may not be truly believers.
Application
1. Let us believe in the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. By believing we have eternal life in Him. The assurance comes from His word and the Holy Spirit. It does not come from good works nor from the assurance of people.
2. We must pray according to His will and believe that He will grant it. Such is made possible if we know His word and pray according to His word. Believers may pray according to His word if they remain in His word.
3. Our prayers must be focused on brothers and sisters who need restoration. Through prayer, they can be brought to a life of faith and obedience within His community. This may be considered an application of loving one another.
Poem
ASSURANCE IN PRAYER by Ed Pilapil Jr Eternal life, in Christ alone In Him alone, let it be known He’s truly God and truly man No other way, that is the plan Pray then, according to His will The Father will hear and fulfill With His word, our hearts united Our devotion undivided We shall not be undivided In purpose, we are united Avoiding sin, His will fulfilled Prayer for the lost, that’s His will Believe the truth, that is the plan Born of God, not merely of man We say, know Christ and Him known In Him, we’ll never be alone
Study Guide
1. What are “these things” that John says he has written, and how do they help believers know they have eternal life?
2. What does it mean to pray according to God’s will, and how does that shape our confidence that He hears and answers our prayers?
3. What is the difference between sin that leads to death and sin that does not, and how should this shape the way we pray for others who are caught in sin?
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