1 John 5:18-21 says,...


Today verses are 1 John 5:18-21, which read,

v.18 - We know that no one who is born of God sins; but he who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.

So far John has told us that we can "know" of eternal life and of answered prayer.  The third "know" is of God's protection.  The one who is saved (born of God) can know that God "has his back."  The context of the book is that the one born of God does not make it a practice to keep on sinning in defiance of God.  I think this verse could also be looked at in the scope of the book of Job.  Satan surely touched Job's life but God protected what was everlasting.  Satan can not touch that of the one who is born of God.

v.19 - We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

The fourth "know" is that we belong to God.  John is very "black and white" on this issue.  You are either of God or you are of Satan.  You are either following God or you are following the world that is under the influence of Satan.  We can "know" that we are the possession of God.

v.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.  This is the true God and eternal life.

The fifth "know" is that we can hold with confidence that Jesus has come.  The sixth "know" is that God has given us understanding to this truth of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The genuine Christian can "know":
  • of eternal life
  • of answered prayer according to His will
  • of God's soul protection from Satan
  • of belonging to God and not of this world
  • of confidence that Jesus has come
  • of understanding given by God that this is true

What a list of what God has given us so that we can "know" and live out our lives in light of what we "know."  One verse is left.

v.21 - Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

The last words of this book from the Apostle John is to protect yourself from things that would take the place of God in your life.  "Little children" is a term he has used before to show the level of love that he has for them.  John loves them so much to warn them that walking with Jesus is contrary to walking with the world and the world will tug at them to change course. 

What am I doing to protect myself from the influence of idols?  Good question to think about today.

"Lord, thank you so much for having John write this letter about Your love.  Thank you that John made us look at ourselves and gave us concrete statements to determine of ourselves if we are truly genuine Christians.  Thank you that John did not 'sugar coat' anything but made us look sin squarely in the face.  Thank you Lord for all the things we can 'know' as we follow You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life - Spurgeon

     I heard this phrase today along with another that if you connect a bit of Scripture with a bit of life, it will end up effecting all of your life.  This came up in my study of the book of James and specifically the verses dealing with not just being a hearer of the Word but also be a doer of the Word.  It is all about application.  I can't look at preaching the Word without giving steps of applying the Word.  It really is an incomplete sermon if I don't.      Many times I think it has to be big and many points and given cute aliteration that makes it snappy and I think easy to remember and fun to write down.  Reality is, if I would make it a bit of Scripture connected to a bit of life and just that it would probably accomplish much more.  How much time I spend on the opening statement and lame joke and research and introductions and how many points and the closing statement and so little time on connecting the bit of Scripture to the bit of life.      So I guess I ha
Read more

Galatians #15 - Galatians 6:11-18 - "On The Road Again..."

Image
  Another week closer and it involves some more travel for the Wolfgangs.  I feel like the Willy Nelson song, " On the road again... "  I don't know if I agree with the next line though. " ...I can't wait to get on the road again. " One of the members of the church in Wisconsin calculated that I will travel well over 10,000 miles to make this transition.  Traveling mercies prayers please. Last Sunday we will look at Paul's final words to the churches in Galatia.  He brought them the gospel (good news) message of Jesus and what resulted were churches forming throughout the region.  The letter is to defend that message that our salvation comes from and is in Christ alone.  Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of our sins.  The summary statement of the letter is found in  Galatians 6:15 (LSB) .  " For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. "  Translated another way earlier in  Ga
Read more

Sermon prep and maybe a video...

     James 4 has brought up some interesting study.  First, "the quarrels and fights among you."  Those are usually worse than you think even though we try to minimize them.  The source is simpler than you think because it is coming from within you.  The solution is easier than you think because the solution that James gives is that we need to humble ourselves before the Lord.  Any sincere resolution is specific and brief.  Beware of lengthy resolutions that usually include explaining it away or excusing some of the behavior.      As I have seen before, the words are a sign of the heart.  I read this week that if we have a critical heart we usually start by speaking evil of another to ourselves.  Then we progress to speaking evil of another to that person with a running tally in our heads of all their wrongs.  Finally, we speak evil of another to others and broadcast in a way that we are thinking that we are helping.  Giving judgment is always easier than giving mercy.  I
Read more