WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

Passage: 1 John 5:13-21

Key verse: 13

NIV

Concluding Affirmations

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God(A) so that you may know that you have eternal life.(B) 14 This is the confidence(C) we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.(D) 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know(E) that we have what we asked of him.(F)

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.(G) I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death.(H) I am not saying that you should pray about that.(I) 17 All wrongdoing is sin,(J) and there is sin that does not lead to death.(K)

18 We know that anyone born of God(L) does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one(M) cannot harm them.(N) 19 We know that we are children of God,(O) and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.(P) 20 We know also that the Son of God has come(Q) and has given us understanding,(R) so that we may know him who is true.(S) And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.(T)

21 Dear children,(U) keep yourselves from idols.(V)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

That You May Know

13 I write (A)these things to you who (B)believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is (C)the confidence that we have toward him, that (D)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 (E)God[a] will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. (F)There is sin that leads to death; (G)I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 (H)All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that (I)everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but (J)he who was born of God (K)protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and (L)the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and (M)has given us understanding, so that we may know (N)him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and (O)eternal life. 21 Little children, (P)keep yourselves from idols.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 John 5:16 Greek he
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

When we believe in Jesus, we have assurance of eternal life. This assurance in Jesus gives us confidence to approach God in prayer and present to him all kinds of requests with faith that he hears us and will answer us. Our faith expressed in prayer is so essential in living out our Christian lives victoriously. We know that he who gave his Son and eternal life in him will also grant us what we ask for in prayer.

Specifically, we should pray for our Christian family members who are tempted and sin instead of condemning or despising them. When we have faith in Jesus and love for others, we can pray for those who are weak to be forgiven and to be strengthened to overcome sin’s grip on them.

The spiritual battle is real. Satan doesn’t want us to stop sinning. But Jesus protects us from the devil and strengthens us with faith to understand the one true God. We can know God and have eternal life in him through our faith in Jesus. As a last admonishment, John cautions them, writing, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” Idols so easily slip in and steal our hearts.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus who gives us assurance of eternal life and protects us from the devil. Help me to pray and fight the spiritual battle.

One Word: Jesus gives us eternal life.