You know that you know

1 John 5:6-21

Intro

√ We began this study by looking at the THREE TESTS that John gave us inspired by the Holy Spirit so that we might have ASSURANCE in our walk with God.

The test of LOVE

The test of OBEDIENCE

The test of TRUTH

These tests give us assurance that we are SAVED

√ In this closing section John gives those who are saved FIVE CERTAINTIES, or five things that we KNOW, that we can hold on to in the face of opposition.

Jesus is God!

We have eternal life!

God answers our prayers!

We are no longer a slave to sin!

We have the REAL life now!

All these truths are vital to the Christian for we must remember that we have an enemy who is actively trying to destroy our faith/trust in God & make us ineffective for the KOG.

In fact KNOWING, or having that assurance from God is a major theme of John’s letter. He uses some form of the word “know” 32 times in this short letter.

Each of these certainties will remind us in the midst of battle that we are assured the VICTORY in Christ!

Jesus is God! (vs. 6-10)

1Jo 5:6 This is He who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1Jo 5:7 For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

1Jo 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

1Jo 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.

1Jo 5:10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

√ Jesus is God!

The foundation of ALL of John’s writings is that JESUS IS GOD.

His gospel offers His Words and Works to prove that He is God.

This letter was written to combat the false doctrines in John’s day that portrayed Jesus has simply a man, or as a spirit.

Ex. Popular teaching of the day “the Christ Spirit” coming upon a man.

This is critical to the believer for if Jesus is NOT God, then our hope is in vain.

Thus, John closes his letter with THREE PROOFS here that Jesus is God.

1Jo 5:6 This is He who came by WATER and BLOOD--Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the SPIRIT who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

1) The WATER; John is referring to the BAPTISM of Jesus. For you will remember that it was at Jesus’ baptism that the Father revealed to John the Baptist, who testified to John, that Jesus was the Messiah (John 1:31).

It was also at His baptism that the heavens opened, the Spirit descend upon Him and the Father spoke from heaven.

All these events CONFIRMED that Jesus was in truth GOD in human flesh.

2) The BLOOD; is a reference to Jesus’ death on the cross. Remember that Jesus had pointed to the cross as a SIGN to the unbelievers that He was WHO He said He was.

Joh 8:28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

It was also at the cross that the earth was darkened for three hours, when Jesus died there was a great earthquake and the Vail in the Temple was rent in two.

In response to all these awesome signs the Roman Centurion proclaimed…

"Truly this was the Son of God!" - Matt. 27:54

3) The SPIRIT; the Holy Spirit’s job is to “testify of Jesus (John 15:26 & 16:14). He is the only Person around today that was present when Jesus was walking the earth.

The Father testified of Jesus at…

His baptism

The Transfiguration

In Jerusalem on Palm Sunday with an audible voice.

But today it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to testify that Jesus is God.

How does He do it? Internally by speaking to our hearts.

Convicts the world of sin; Peter’s sermon at Pentecost

Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

After a person is saved He bears witness within the believer...

Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

So, John reminds us that the foundation of our faith is the truth that Jesus is God in human flesh!

We have eternal life! (vs. 11-13)

1Jo 5:11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

1Jo 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1Jo 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.

√ Assurance

In some churches it is considered wrong, or even sinful to believe that you are “for sure” going to heaven. It is called the “sin or presumption” in the Catholic church.

But as we see in verse 13 it is a BIBLICAL doctrine that we can have assurance of our eternal destiny. The literal translation is even more clear - listen.

“...that you may know with an ABSOLUTE knowledge...”

Wuest

J.B. Phillips translates it…

"I have written like this to you who already believe in the name of God’s Son so that you may be quite sure that, here and now, you possess eternal life."

Is it presumption then? No, because we are not presuming upon our own works to get us into heaven (like the Jews). Rather we are BELIEVING on Jesus and His completed work on the cross for us.

Our confidence is in Him & His completed work!

Ap. So important for us to KNOW that we have eternal life in Him. Without that assurance we go to one of two extremes.

A life of WORKS to prove/gain our salvation. As if we could in our flesh complete what the Spirit has begun.

Producing LEGALISM

A life of WASTE as we can never muster the courage to really believe that we are a new creation in Christ able to live free of sin.

Producing a DEFEATED Christian

However, knowing for certain that we have ETERNAL LIFE makes us fearless in the face of open hostility from Satan, the world and our flesh.

Knowing that we are saved = boldness!

Also, remember that John has already told us that we KNOW that we have eternal life because we can see the work of His Spirit in our lives.

LOVE - of the brethren

OBEDIENCE - to the Father’s commands

TRUTH - walk according to revealed truth

So, the person who has trusted in Jesus for their salvation can know for sure that they have eternal life!

God Answers our prayers! (vs. 14-15)

1Jo 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

1Jo 5:15 And if we KNOW that He hears us, whatever we ask, we KNOW that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

√ God answers our prayers

Perhaps you noticed that you’re still here on earth!? That is, when you got saved Jesus didn’t take you right to heaven. That is because He has a WORK for us to do until He returns

(Matt. 28).

As long as we remain on this earth we will be in a battle with Satan, the World and our flesh.

However, Jesus has left us with an OPEN LINE of communication with the Father in the form of PRAYER.

Notice how emphatic John is about prayer…

We KNOW He hears us

We KNOW that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him

So often we neglect prayer because we can not always SEE the immediate impact. Yet John inspired by the Holy Spirit, and remembering the example of Jesus, without reservation encourages the believer that our prayers are both…

…HEARD and ANSWERED.

Ap. Can you honestly say that there is anything that you have needed that God hasn’t given you?

Every time I thought that God had not given me what I believed I needed, with enough time I have found in hindsight that I didn’t need it and that He had a better plan.

Ex. In my own experience I've come to believe that I don't even know what's best for me! Thus, the best prayer going is…

"Your will be done!"

We don’t practice sin (vs. 16-19)

1Jo 5:16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

1Jo 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

1Jo 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

1Jo 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

√ We're free of sin's power!

John reminds us that we have this certainty in Christ…

…sin is no longer our MASTER. Although we were once slaves to sin we now walk according to the Spirit and serve a new master - Jesus Christ.

Does that mean that we NEVER sin again after coming to Christ? No, otherwise John’s instruction in vs. 16 regarding a “brother” in sin would not make any since.

Rather, in vs. 18 and in 1st John 1:9 the idea that John is communicating is that we no longer PRACTICE sin. Where as in our old man sin was our nature; now as a new creation in Christ obedience is our nature.

Our desire now is to PLEASE our new master.

Ap. The wonderful promise for us to grab onto is this; as Christians we have the promise of God to deliver us from the sin that once ruled our lives!

If as a Christian I find myself still a slave to sin, it is because I chose not to take advantage of the power of the Holy Spirit Who lives within me.

Ex. The carnal Christian vs. the mature believer

√ Two kinds of sin!?

In verses 16 and 17 John points out that there are two kinds of sins; some leading to death, and some that don’t.

He is quick to point out in verse 17 that ALL sin is unrighteousness, thus all sin requires repentance, but there are two kinds of sin.

The distinction is in found in the consequence of that sin. John says that some sin leads to death, while other sin does not.

Actually, ultimately ALL sin leads to death, but some sins bring death more quickly.

Ex. The old testament is filled with examples - Achan, Nadab and Abihu, Koreb and those who rebelled against Moses.

But even in the New Testament we have some examples.

Ananias and Sapphira lied to God (Acts 5)

Some of the believers in Corinth (1st Cor. 11:29-30)

The difference in these sins is found in HOW God is represented by His people. He puts a premium on our behavior as it affects other people and their view of Him.

He will discipline us first, but if we do not respond He will take us home rather than let us destroy ourselves or others.

(Ex. I Cor. 5).

√ vs. 18 can be easily misunderstood to imply that we are on our own in our battle with the devil.

1Jo 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

But it is better translated;

“But He who was born of God maintains a watchful guardianship over him, and the wicked one does not lay hold of him.”

That it, it is Jesus - the HE who was "born of God" that protects us from the devil. The Christian is to keep himself in the love of Christ as we’ve studied in John 15 (vine & branches)…

…but we are not left to defend ourselves from Satan - that is the job of our Lord Jesus.

So, John reminds us that in Jesus we are free from sin's power!

The Christian life is the real life! (vs. 20-21)

1Jo 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, 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.

1Jo 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

√ The contrast here is between the TRUE GOD vs. IDOLS.

The Christians to whom John was writing were surrounded by idols. If this was the church in Ephesus that he was writing to (as many believe) it was the center for the worship of Diana.

The temple of Diana in Ephesus was one of the “seven wonders” of the ancient world. The local economy was fueled by worshippers of Diana who came from all over the world to see the “image of Diana” and bought replicas - small idols - of Diana.

As Christians we understand that idols are simply wood, metal or clay. But that they are NOT true gods. They are simply the creation of man’s hands.

They are SUBSTITUTES for the REAL God.

REAL is defined as...

“The original as opposed to a copy.” & “the authentic as opposed to an imitation.”

Ex. Nerf bows

John has introduced us to the REAL GOD, Jesus Christ, Who alone gives us REAL LIFE!

Thus, in John’s gospel and in his letter he has declared that Jesus is;

True LIGHT (John 1:9)

True BREAD (John 6:32)

True VINE (John 15:1)

TRUTH itself (John 14:6)

That is, Jesus is the ORIGINAL and ONLY true God. Everything else is a poor imitation and substitute!

The point that John wants us to get a hold of is this; we have this certainty - that in Christ we have everything that we need.

We don’t have to look anywhere else, we don’t need anything else, Christ is sufficient for all things that pertain to life and Godliness!

Because, He is the One Real God & gives us real life!

Ex. An idol does not have to be a wooden image of a funny looking god-man. It can be a boat, a bank account, a job, anything that we SERVE.

It’s that thing that CONTROLS a person’s life. That thing around which a person makes decisions, or plans their time and resources. It is the thing that captures our ATTENTION and AFFECTION.

As Christians in a very materialistic society we must be on guard that we don’t fall prey to the idols of Wall Street and the gods of greed.

So, believers don't have to look anywhere else to find the real life - it's found in Jesus alone!

Summery

√ As we close John's 1^st epistle we want to remember that you can tell if you’re SAVED by the TESTS