Daily Devotional Friday 31st July 2020
by William Moody
1 John 5:13–21
That You May Know
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 God1 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.
Footnotes
[1] 5:16
Greek he (ESV)
John says here that the purpose of this book is to bring assurance to believers (v13). Assurance of where we stand with Christ should lead to more confident praying (v14-15). Many Christians struggle with a lack of assurance of where they stand and this robs them of so much blessing in the Christian lives.
Being sure of where we stand is also important in helping those who fall into sin (v16-17). The sin that leads to death is surely the sin of refusing to repent so that our hearts become so hardened and refuse to come back to Christ.
John in speaking of not sinning (v18), does not mean the Christian is sinless (see 1 John 1 v10). John is speaking here of how the Christian determines to live a life of righteousness and not sin. They are enabled to obey through being born again. Being close to Christ protects from the evil one.
There is a clear distinction from those who are from God from those who belong to the world held in the grip of Satan (v20). The Christian is someone who has a new life in Christ (v21) which makes them think and act in a totally different way.
The Christian doesn’t pursue idols, false goods, because they have the true God (v21). A relationship with Christ that is growing and developing that is the best protection. Is your relationship with Jesus growing and developing?
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.