(1) I have written these things...so that you may know that you have eternal life v.13
This is the confidence... whenever we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us v.14. ...if we know that He hears us...whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests... v.15.
John's purpose in writing this letter is let his audience to have the assurance of salvation and from that they will have a confidence of answering prayers.
1. Having an assurance in God was important, because when they faced the opponents they knew that what they believed was true. They would not be led away. Do we have the assurance? When being challenged by seemingly true teaching, how confident are we?
2. Although John did not tell us how, but the fact that we possessed eternal life and the privilege for answering prayers are related. I think probably the proof that we have eternal life or the life from God is in the fact that God will answer our prayers. Thank God that He gave us this life and gave us this privilege. "Whenever we ask anything... he hears us...whatever we ask..." Thank God for this wide open "check" and encourages us to pray without ceasing.
(2) In this context, the particular prayer item for "whatever" we ask include praying for our sinning brothers and sisters v.16.
5:16 If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death.
(BKC) Sometimes a Christian may sin so seriously that God judges that sin with swift physical death: “a sin that leads to death.” Ananias and Sapphira are cases in point (Acts 5:1–11). But most of the sins which one sees a Christian brother commit are not of such a nature, as their common occurrence shows. For these, a believer ought to pray, knowing that any sin—if continued in long enough—is a threat to a fellow Christian’s life (cf. James 5:19–20; also cf. Prov. 10:27; 11:19; 13:14; 19:16). Thus the restoration of a brother may secure a prolonging of his physical life.
Reflection: Have you prayed for sinning brothers and sisters? God will hear us! Let us remember those who slipped away from their faith, who do not come to church anymore, who see making money as more important than their spiritual life, and who hates their brothers and sisters and do not want to come to church to see them.
(3) Difficult verses:
5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.
(NET) Here, having implied that sins committed by believers (sins “not to death”) may be prayed for and forgiven, the author does not want to leave the impression that such sin is insignificant, because this could be viewed as a concession to the views of the opponents (who as moral indifferentists have downplayed the significance of sin in the Christian’s life).
5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
(NET) to follow the secessionist opponents with their false Christology would amount to idolatry, since it would involve worshiping a false god instead of the true God, Jesus Christ. Thus guard yourselves from idols means for the readers to guard themselves against the opponents and their teaching.
Audrey
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