MONDAY – 1 John 5: 13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” We now begin the final descent if you will as John begins to take this letter in for a landing. We will see Lord willing in the weeks to come that the next several verses hammer home some assurances or certainties that belong to genuine believers. In an uncertain world this closing truth from Sacred Scripture is a blessing and comforting encouragement for those of us in Christ. The similarities of the conclusion of John’s Gospel and here in this letter of 1 John are undeniable. Both in his gospel record and the epistle, John states the purpose of his writings is concerning eternal life. Here he says he writes these things that you may know that you have eternal life and in his gospel he says it this way, “…but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31). John wants us to be certain that we possess Valid Faith. This week we will introduce this epilogue that tells us clearly that we can be certain and know many things as Christians.
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Do you have assurance that you possess eternal life in Jesus? Are there times you struggle with doubting? Where does this verse point us to look for certainty? Father, help me to be in Your Word for it is there You speak to me and I find the truth that assures my soul.
TUESDAY – 1 John 5: 13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” As we ended yesterday’s study we spoke about the Word of God as the source for truth and assurance. John Macarthur shares these words which help us in this matter. “In a world of uncertainty, relativism, and deception, the Bible proclaims absolute truth. Five words, based on biblical absolutes, frame the paradigm. The first word is objectivity. Truth is objective, not subjective. It exists independently outside of the human mind, having its origin in God, and coming to us by revelation in Scripture (John 17:17; cf. Ps. 119:151, 160; 2 Tim. 2:15). The second word is rationality. The revelation of God is intelligible; it is not mystical, nor does it contain hidden meanings accessible only to the religious elite. Scripture yields its meaning to the mind that approaches it reasonably. A third word is veracity. The Bible, properly interpreted in a normal, rational fashion, yields divine truth. The fourth term is authority. The divinely revealed truth of Scripture bears God’s authority, and hence it is binding in all that it affirms. A final word is incompatibility. Because the Bible contains divine truth, anything that contradicts it is wrong. Biblical Christianity’s commitment to absolute truth makes it exclusive in an inclusive world. The Bible reveals the truth about how the universe began, and how it will end; about why people behave the way they do; about what is right and what is wrong; about heaven and hell, and how people get to those places; about what makes for good human relationships; about God’s promises; and, most significant, about the Lord Jesus Christ, including His virgin birth, sinless life, unparalleled teaching, substitutionary death, literal resurrection, bodily ascension, and second coming.”
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Do I truly believe that when I read sacred Scripture I am hearing the very mind of God concerning the matters being addressed? Do I believe that anything that contradicts Scripture is wrong? Father, help me see as Isaiah reminds me, that You look to help those who humbly bow before and tremble at Your Word (Isaiah 66:2).
WEDNESDAY – 1 John 5: 13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” Again this verse starts this epilogue filled with talk about knowing and certainty. If you look at verses 13 to 21, you will see the word “know” is there often. Verse 13, “that you may know.” Verse 15, “If we know that He hears us, we know we have the request we’ve asked.” If you look to verse 18, “We know that no one who is born of God sins.” Verse 19, “We know that we are of God.” Verse 20, “And we know that the Son of God has come that we might” – verse 20 – “know Him who is true.” This entire section is all about what we know. You will also see that the word “confidence” appears in verse 14: “And this is the confidence.” We are told in this section what we know and in what we can be confident. The rest of the week we will look at the specifics of this verse 13.
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Am I as confident in what Scripture tells me as I am with what I hear or read in the media or internet? Why or Why not? Ask The Lord to help You take serious what He has spoken and to stop putting human wisdom over Him.
THURSDAY – 1 John 5: 13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” John now sums up what he has said throughout his epistle. The words these things refer to the entire letter he has written. But notice he writes to those true Christians “who believe in the name of the Son of God.” He addresses people who continue to put their faith in Jesus, God’s Son. These are people who obey God’s commands as earlier in 3:23 he wrote, “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” John also uses the word name to indicate the full revelation of the Son of God. Who He is and who He has been revealed to us as through Sacred scripture. John here combines the verbs to believe and to know. He says to know, namely, to know with certainty. When he writes, “that you may know,” he does not mean that you may come to know but rather that You may be certain or to have assurance. We have been given this assurance by God Himself as true believers: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13).
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Think about the fact of that final verse in the lesson, John 1:13. You have eternal life and are a child of God not because of anything you have done or were born into, or even expressed your will to believe; rather you were born of God. Father, thank You birthing me into the family because You desired to set Your love upon me. Help me live with this understanding.
FRIDAY– 1 John 5: 13, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” As we have seen, the blessings of salvation and assurance are only for those who believe in the name of the Son of God. God has guaranteed this to us and has given us The Holy Spirit as a pledge of this fact (Ephesians 1:14). If you remember back throughout our study of this letter, John has spoken truth boldly in the face of false teachers and false professors of faith. Some false Christians had even “went out from us” departing and had probably had the true Christians somewhat questioning. John wrote here to assure them that if they lived in the manner he had laid out to them concerning the both the doctrinal and practical tests, they could know for certain that they had eternal life. Eternal life is living forever with God but also speaks to the quality of life. Eternal life is to know Jesus Christ (John 17:3), who Himself is eternal life (1 John 5:20), and to share in His life. It is a present possession, not merely a future hope (John 3:36), though not yet fully realized. But there will come a day in the future when the eternal life we as believers already possess will shine through as we experience the “adoption as sons, the redemption of the body” (Romans 8:23) and be like Jesus as we see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). Then the glory of eternal life, the power of the Holy Trinity that works within (Ephesian 3:16–19), will shine through. Rest assured beloved that this is yours now if you believe in Jesus. Spurgeon comments concerning this possession of eternal life in the present as follows: “I find even the commentators, when they try to write on this text, and most of the preachers who have left us printed sermons upon it, read the text as if it said, “that you may know that you shall have eternal life.” They speak about the full assurance that we shall one day enter into glory. I beg their pardon, the text does not say anything of the kind. It is “that you may know that you have eternal life,” even here, at this present hour. The spiritual life that is in the believer at this moment is the same life that shall be in him in heaven. The grace-life is the glory-life in the bud: the same life, only less developed.”
(Meditate, Apply & Pray) Father, thank You that at this very moment I possess eternal life granted to me by grace through faith in Jesus Your Son. Help me to realize that the Holy Trinity lives in me with all Your power and that You can do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ask or think (Ephesians 3:20-21) . May I live in a manner that reflects an understanding of such truth, Amen.
