Aug29-Sep4: Confidence

Teaching Points

1. What can we be confident about? (1 John 5:13-21)

ANSWER: Observe following five verses on confidence (for sure we know)

• 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
• 1 John 5:14, 15 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
• 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
• 1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
• 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

OBSERVATION:

• 1 John 5:13 For sure we know that if we believe in the name of the Son of God then we have eternal life.
• 1 John 5:14, 15 For sure we know that if we ask according to God's will then He will hear our prayers.
• 1 John 5:18 For sure we know that if we are born of God then we can overcome sin and God will protect us.
• 1 John 5:19 For sure we know that if we are born of God then we are of God.
• 1 John 5:20 For sure we know that the Son of God has come to give us an understanding so that we may know Him and abide in Jesus. Jesus is the true God and He is eternal life.

2. According to John, what is the condition of having eternal life? (1 John 3:15)

ANSWER: The condition of having eternal life is not hating your brother.

• 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

OBSERVATION:

• Compare above verse with 1 John 5:13.
• 1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
• According to 1 John 5:13, if we believe on the name of the Son of God then we have eternal life. However if we hate our brother then we do not have eternal life. Therefore if we believe on the name of the Son of God then we should love our brother. Therefore if you believe then you have love. If you have love then you want to keep God's commandments. (1 John 5:3)
• Based upon above connection, we cannot be presumptuous about having an unconditional guarantee salvation. Why? Because love your brother is a daily matter. We need Jesus everyday in order to love everyday.

3. What is "sin not unto death"? (1 John 5:14-17)

ANSWER: Sin not unto death is sin of ignorance. You will not be punished for the sins of ignorance. We will be judged based upon what we know. Not based upon what we do not know.

• John 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
• Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent

OBSERVATION:

• We should pray that God will grant "life" for those who are ignorant.

4. What is "sin unto death"?

ANSWER: Sin unto death is sin with the knowledge of sin. This type of sin will lead you to eternal death.

• Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

OBSERVATION:

• "Sin unto death" sounds like willful sin and out right rebellion to God's law.
• It is according to God's will that we should make "petitions"(1 John 5:15) for those who are ignorant. However we should not pray that God will give "life" to those who are willfully sinning against God. What type of "life" is this? We only have two choices; probationary life and eternal life. Probationary life is already given to all people. Therefore I would like to suggest eternal life. However it is not so easy to give a definite answer here.

DISCUSSION:

• So do you think the word "life" in 1 John 5:16 is probationary life or eternal life? Or something else?

5. Who is "born of God" and "begotten of God" in 1 John 5:18-19?

• KJV 1 John 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

ANSWER: "Born of God" is born again Christians and "Begotten of God" is Jesus

• Compare with following versions of the Bible.
• God’s Word 1 John 5:18 We know that those who have been born from God don't go on sinning. Rather, the Son of God protects them, and the evil one can't harm them.
• BBE 1 John 5:18 We are certain that one who is a child of God will do no sin, but the Son of God keeps him so that he is not touched by the Evil One.

OBSERVATION:

• When we are born of God, we become like Jesus ("Begotten of God") in that we do not go on sinning. However Jesus is the One who can help us to overcome sin and protect us from the wicked one.

6. According to 1 John 5:20, who is the true God and eternal life?

ANSWER: Yes, both the Father and the Son are the true God and eternal life. However Jesus is the true God and eternal life in this text.

OBSERVATION:

• Who is the true God?
• Jesus said the only true God is the Father John 17:3 However observe the following verses.
• True God is the Living God
• 1 Thess. 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God
• Jere. 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation
• Who is the Living God?
• The Father is called the Living God
• John 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God
• The Son is called the Living God
• 1 Tim. 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
• One thing for sure, the Living God is the Creator.
• Acts 14:15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein
• Who is the Creator of heaven and earth?
• One that dwells between the cherubim
• Isa. 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
• Who is the one that dwells between the cherubim?
• Psa. 80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth
• Who is the Shepherd and the Creator?
• Jesus is the Shepherd.
• Heb. 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant
• John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
• Matt. 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
• Jesus is the Creator.
• John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
• Col. 1:14-16 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
• According 1 John, who is "the eternal life"?
• 1 John 1:1, 2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
• 1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son
• Since John was trying to show that Jesus is Christ (God) in the Gospel of John (John 20:31) and in the first Epistle first John as well (1 John 2:22 and 1 John 5:1), therefore it seems obvious that John is making a conclusion with this final thought by saying Jesus is the true God.

7. Why should we keep ourselves from idols?

ANSWER: Idol worship hinders us from hearing, seeing, looking and touching Jesus.

• Ps. 115:4-8 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
  

OBSERVATION:

• We should not worship idols because the Bible says, "they that make them are like unto them." What does the Bible says about the idol? They have eyes but cannot see, they have hands but cannot touch, and etc. Therefore if we trust in idols then though we have eyes but cannot see spiritually, though we have ears but cannot hear spiritually, and though we have hands but cannot touch spiritually. If this is true then we cannot really hear, see, and touch the Word of Life. And if we cannot see, hear, and touch Jesus then we cannot be a part of the fellowship of the light.

CONCLUSION:

• Here is the bottom line. We need to meet Jesus with "confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." 1 John 2:28 This confidence comes from the fact that "our heart condemn us not" 1 John 3:21 How is it possible that our heart does not condemn us? Our heart does not condemn us because "we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him" 1 John 3:19 And the "truth" is to love your brother with self-sacrifice love. 1 John 3:17-18. This type of love comes from Christ therefore "there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• How do you prepare for the Second Coming of Christ?
• In what way do you practice self-sacrificing love to others?
• What idol in your life is causing you to be blind and deaf to Christ?
• How do you maintain your confidence in God every day?