The Results of Having Eternal Life — 1 John 5

0:01 Good morning. Morning. Open your Bibles to first John chapter five. First John chapter five. It's good to be here.

0:13 For those of you who missed the lord's supper, it was it was powerful and that's why people keep referring to it. What an exciting time being together and it's great to be together here again. This time ready to open the word of god. So, let's go to first John chapter five. We're going to start with verse 13 and we're going to conclude the book.

0:38 I don't know about you, if you've enjoyed it or not, but I've been thoroughly blessed studying, preparing through the whole book from the beginning to the end. I've studied first John harder than I ever have and it's been so refreshing and such a blessing to to read it, so convicting as well. So, let's go ahead and start. First John five and verse 13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the son of god in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

1:09 And this is the confidence which we have before him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him. If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death. I do not say that he should make a request for this.

1:48 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. We know that no one who is born of God sins, but he was but he who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the son of God has come and has given us understanding in order that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true in his son, Jesus Christ.

2:26 This is the true god and eternal life. Little children, guard yourself from idols. Alright, let's pray. Father, we just thank you so much for your word and we ask that the Holy Spirit will be our guide and our teacher today and pray that you would help me, oh lord, to be able to relay the truth of your word which is perfect. Pray this in Jesus name.

2:51 Amen. Amen. Well, welcome to all of you. Pray that you will feel at home. In in this assembly that you feel like you can come and and and learn of god, be taught, and that you would not feel that you're not good enough to walk in the door.

3:14 I remember, I was trying to invite a friend to come to the to the building, to the meetings. It was when we were in Michigan and he said, I don't know, I've done so many bad things, I don't want to come. And I said, listen, just come, nothing's going to happen, I promise. He goes, no, if I come in, the roof's going to cave in on me. And we said, no, no, it won't happen, don't worry about it.

3:37 And so in the assembly over there, they had these pipes running, they were exposed, right, and they had different kind of roof, not like this one, but actually sheet rock that could actually, you know, come down on you. So, you're not going to believe it, but there was a leak up in the ceiling, and this guy actually finally came to church and he sat down, and there was a leak in the ceiling and it and it caved in and landed near him. The dude ran out of church, never came back again. It really happened, I promise you. And I had sworn, I promised him that nothing was gonna happen.

4:39 Number three, Jesus is the true god and finally, we stay away from idols. So, there you go. Your four point outline. So, let's start out with the first point. The first thing that he wants to introduce us or show us is the fact that we can pray to god and he hears and he listens to us and he has the power to do something about it.

4:59 Whenever we pray, we are not praying to the air. If you're praying to the true living god, you're not praying to the air. Now, the first thing he says and I and I know last week we touched 13, but I want to connect it into 14. These things I have written to you, and I believe that this is the key to the whole book. These things I read to you, who believe in the name of the son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life and so the the apostle wants to confirm to everyone who has placed their faith in Jesus that you can say for sure, I know I have eternal life.

5:37 I don't question. I don't doubt it. It's a reality because I placed my faith in Jesus Christ. I believed in him. Amen?

5:44 And it's great to be able to speak to someone who doesn't know this and say, look, I can tell you one thing for sure. I don't know when I'm gonna die. I don't know what's gonna happen in the future. I don't know a lot of things, but one thing I do know is that I'm saved. I have eternal life because I have placed my faith in Jesus Christ.

6:04 Wow. Can you say that? Can you say confidently? Do you know that? Hopefully, it's true of your life.

6:10 Now after he says that, that we know we have eternal life, then he entered in... It enters into the fact that we can have confidence then. We can have confidence that I can approach God and he's going to listen to me. Because if he saved me from sin and initiated a relationship with him, then he wants me to draw close to him and he, and assures us that he's going to listen. Have you ever tried to talk to someone and they don't listen to you?

6:42 I know, don't say the, yes, I've been married a long time and I know what it's like. Don't say that, alright? But but you know what it's like to to to try to talk to someone and they're not listening. Here's one thing that the Bible says, you can confidently approach god as his beloved children and ask and ask. So then I started thinking, alright, why why would he say this?

7:07 The amplified Bible puts it this way. This is a remarkable degree of confidence which we as believers are entitled to have before him, That we can approach god. So then I started thinking why in in the past has have I been afraid or not feel confident to approach god? Well, the the Christian life is very difficult as John said earlier, right? We make a lot of mistakes.

7:39 And sometimes without even realizing it, you you you fall into a sin or into a pattern. You you get cold, you get frustrated, and then you come and you pray to God and say, God help me. I stumbled. And so then then you do it again, and and after about ten years of repeating the cycle, you're like, I don't know if I feel confident anymore drawing near to god. And and and sometimes you may feel like, well, I I feel like I'm I'm you know, god's not going to listen to me.

8:09 I've done too many things wrong like that guy that the roof's going to come down on me. I I I'm I'm I'm afraid that that when I come here, I'm too dirty. I'm too simple and hopefully you don't feel that way. I I I'm praying that we create an atmosphere where you can come in here with all of your dirt and feel at home and know that god loves you and wants to save you but once he saves you, he wants you to draw close with confidence knowing that he's going to listen to you. And so I and so I was thinking, I'm I'm still a little tense.

9:11 Now, here's what I want you to understand when when you pray to god because sometimes you go to someone, you want to express yourself but then you hold back because you think, alright, this person not going to understand me. This person's going to judge me. This person can't possibly enter into what I'm going through and so we hold back, right? We hold back and and you feel something like, I feel like there's no one I can talk to. And when I do talk, I'm going to say with with limitation because if I say too much, they might judge me or or they might condemn me.

9:47 And I'm afraid that's why sometimes we don't feel confident when we approach God. At least that's what's true with me. And so notice Hebrews four and fifteen, for we do not have a high priest, that's Jesus, who cannot sympathize. Do you hear that? So say to your neighbor, Jesus can sympathize with you because he knows what you're going through.

10:09 So, we don't have a high priest. We don't have a savior. We don't have this Jesus who can't sympathize with our weakness but one who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin. So, when you approach Jesus, he doesn't say, hey, man, I can't relate to you. You you know, you where you grew up, what you're thinking, what you're going through, I I I have no idea how to relate to you.

10:36 So, no, that's not what the Bible says. He goes, he can sympathize with you in whatever you did. Wherever you're at, he can sympathize with you and so that's important to understand. Why can't I come confidently to god? Because he could...

10:53 He understands you because he was tempted in every way just as you. Now, notice though when Jesus was tempted, it was not internal temptation, it was external temptation. He's not sinful in nature like we are, so our temptations come from the inside out, right? You think wrong, you see, and you get the thoughts and you do your things. But Jesus didn't have those dirty thoughts, He didn't have those things in his mind but they came from the devil and they were real in all kinds of ways from insults.

11:23 It was often the outside but he never sinned. He never succumbed And so he understands sin more than you do because he's been through everything without ever sinning. So when you approach him, he goes, you know what, I sympathize with you. Man, that changes everything, doesn't it? He didn't say, I'm going to judge you or what's your problem?

11:46 I can't believe you're doing that again. Verse 16, let us therefore draw near with, there's our word, with confidence to the throne of judgment. To the throne of you're not good enough. To the throne of, no, to the throne of grace. Notice that we may receive mercy and we may find grace to help in the time of need.

12:11 So when I come to God and and I totally blew it, I said God I did it again. Please have mercy on me because I know I deserve to be thrown out of your presence. He goes, first of all, I sympathize with you. I can enter into your plight. I I understand what you're going through.

12:26 And you're gonna find mercy from me. I'm not gonna give you what you deserve. As a matter of fact, I wanna give you grace. Get up, keep serving me, I'm gonna empower you to live my life. I'm glad you came to me in prayer.

12:41 I'm glad you approached me and I'm here to bless you. So let's go back to first John. Having said that, having said that, okay, you know you're saved if you put your faith in Jesus. Then he says, and verse 14, and this is the confidence which we have before him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. He hears us.

13:08 So when I approach god, I'm confident when I approach him because I'm going to receive mercy. He's going to be sympathetic and he's going to give me grace when I pray. He's not going to condemn me so I can approach him with confidence. And then also we can read in James four ten, draw near to God, he will draw near to you. Hebrews ten nineteen and twenty, we have confidence to enter into the presence of God by the blood of Jesus.

13:32 Draw near to God with a sincere heart with full assurance of faith. So we can draw near, and we can pray, and we're gonna... He's gonna listen to us and notice, it says according to his will. His will is always the best. The will of god is good and acceptable and perfect.

13:52 So, he will hear us. Isn't that great? Isn't that great? He's going to listen to you. He's going to hear you and if we know he hears us, then whatever we ask, we have the request.

14:23 So it's going to be an unselfish prayer, right? I'm going to pray for others, and she did. But at the end of the prayer, here's what she said, and give my mother a handsome son-in-law. So what do y'all think about that? Pretty good unselfish prayer.

14:39 She was praying for the mother-in-law, right? I mean, for the mother, for the mother. Alright. So what's a what's a kind of a bad prayer because notice that he said, we have confidence to approach him in prayer and he's going to answer our prayer but it's going to be according to us. What's a bad prayer?

14:55 Well, I I prayed to win the lottery. Anybody else had done that before? Okay. So, obviously, I didn't win it, right? I said I didn't win it.

15:06 Alright. Now, just for a disclaimer, somebody gave me the ticket, right? I didn't buy it. And and and so I said, well, Lord, since they gave it to me, you know, ahead and bless me if you want with this ticket. And so then then then my mom and dad bought some and they told me, hey, we bought some.

15:27 I'm like, Lord, please, let them win it. I'm praying just for them, let them win it. I knew I was gonna get some benefit from it, right? And then just to clear my conscience, I'm gonna give you 10% if I do win it, Lord. Alright.

15:43 So, it's gotta be according to his will when you pray, when you pray. So, here's what what I was thinking. I wrote down some things. What are some things that I could pray lord that according to your will? So, I wrote down that I would love him more.

15:56 That I would love him more. That would be more obedient. That I would desire to read his word because you know, after you've been saved a few years, sometimes you almost have to make yourself read the Bible, right? So that I would be filled with the holy spirit. That's a great prayer.

16:11 It's in the Bible, right? That I would be, I would have a servant's heart that I would be kind and and here's the thing that I pray for. They will remove anger from my heart. Anybody ever else struggle with that? Oh lord, take that anger out of my heart and and and the the frustrations and so that's a great prayer.

16:31 I think lord's going to answer that prayer and help us with that. What else could we pray for? What's a good prayer? Anybody want to participate? What what could we pray for?

16:40 What would be a good thing to pray for that would be according to his will? Salvation. Salvation that someone would get saved, right? I think that pleases the lord. That's right.

16:49 What else? Andy? The unity of the church. Unity of the church. That's right.

16:55 Lord, help us to be united, to be, to be one, to bless each other, right? What else? What else could we pray for that will be according to his will? Wisdom, right? Lord, give us wisdom.

17:06 Whoever asked for wisdom, god will give it, right? More patience. Patience. Amen, right? Patience.

17:13 Who who doesn't need more patience, right? And so we can stop yelling at each other. Those who are married. And so. Salvation of our children.

17:22 Amen. Amen. Yeah and then you're tired, right? Amen. That's a good thing to pray for.

17:38 What else can we pray for? Dave? Even so, come lord Jesus. Yes, amen. That's a great prayer.

17:44 Come on, lord. Come. Come, Andy. Spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts.

17:49 Help me to know your spiritual gift but also bring some spiritual gifts here, right? The of Christ. Having the mind of Christ. Wow. That's some great things to pray for, right?

17:59 Okay and so, what a tremendous thing that this verse is saying because I know I'm saved, then I have confidence that I can approach the lord and anything I ask for according to his will, he's going to hear that prayer. He loves to answer our prayer. Verse 15, and if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the request which we have asked from him. Wow. That's a blessing and so what a privilege to be able to pray for one another, to be able to get close to God and know that God is not gonna condemn me even when I'm wrong.

18:35 I can approach him and he's gonna listen to me and sympathize. Amen? And extend mercy and grace to me. What a blessing. What a blessing to be able to do that, to have a listening ear.

19:12 Okay. This is a very difficult verse right here, very difficult to decipher. And so, I'm I'm going to try with God's help to explain it in the best way. Alright? Now, first of all, there's no explanation given as to what the sin leading to death is, which makes the passage very difficult, right?

19:31 Because he didn't say, for example, this sin, right? And so there's there's two possibilities and so I want you to listen and determine which is more correct. Right? Number one, a a non Christian leading to eternal death, in other words, the final rejection of Jesus. So what he's saying is, don't pray for for someone who is so hardened and so distant from God that he no longer is listening.

20:03 God is not gonna listen to you anymore because that person isn't gonna get saved because they keep turning away from the light to the point where they're so hardened that there's no point of salvation. They can't get saved anymore. For example, Matthew twelve thirty one and thirty two, just listen. Therefore, I say unto you, any sin and any blasphemy shall be forgiven people but blasphemy against the holy spirit shall not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the son of man, it shall be forgiven him.

20:32 But whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it shall not be forgiven him neither in this age or in the age to come. So he's speaking to the Pharisees who saw Jesus do miracles and he was just overwhelming the fact that he was god, that he was the Messiah and and the and the Pharisees, the religious people, it didn't matter how how much evidence you put before them. They said, he's not Jesus. He's not god. He's doing his work on behalf of the devil and Jesus said to that those people that said that, there's no more salvation for you.

21:08 You you went too far. You went too far. Then, we have the passage in Hebrews six that says, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance since they again crucified to themselves the son of God and put him to open shame. This is a person who's in church intellectually. They know who Jesus is.

21:29 They can explain salvation to you, they've tasted the heavenly gift, as it says in chapter six. They know, they can even tell you how to be saved, and yet they've never turned to Christ. This person gets to a point where they can't repent anymore. So so what Jesus is... So what John is saying here in in essence in in in first John five is that to to pray prayer for them will not be answers...

22:01 Answered since they already made a decision to reject Jesus despite overwhelming evidence of his veracity. And so so John is saying, you know, don't don't pray for that person. The the second possibility is this, is that it's a Christian that commits a sin so serious that god takes his life for it. That God takes his life for it. Is that in the bible?

22:27 Yeah, twice. Acts five one through 11, Ananias and Sapphira. You know, they sold the land and they they made up a lie that that, you know, they sold it for 20,000, they're going to give out 20,000. When really they sold it for 30, they kept 10. I'm just making up numbers there, but you know what I'm saying.

22:45 They lied, pretending to be giving a lot. I guess they wanted to pat on the back or something. But the Lord right away said that's it, and he took their lives. In first Corinthians eleven thirty, it says this, for abusing the Lord's supper, for this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. In other words, they have died.

23:10 So what was this? These were Christians who were coming to the Lord's Supper, and what they would be doing during those days is they would have a meal before they would break bread and do the cup to remember the Lord. So people would show up early and take the food and they would take the cup, the wine, and they would get drunk. Was reverence. They couldn't be more disrespectful to the Lord Jesus.

23:37 And they were getting drunk and and Paul says, well, no wonder some of you are sick because sometimes when you're so disrespectful to the lord Jesus and so irreverent that he'll bring sickness. You ever thought maybe some people we pray for are sick because they haven't repented of being disrespectful? Coming to the lord's supper and they just take the bread and take the cup and they haven't even thought about em. Maybe the night before they were partying or something and they just do it. And so the Lord says, that's why some of you have died.

24:12 Now both views are correct. Both views are correct. There could be a point where a person rejects Jesus so much where god determines, we don't know that, only god does, that person isn't going to repent. They won't get saved. They just are so hardened and then there could be and there has been because it's in the Bible, discipline for a Christian who's disrespectful, dishonors god.

24:38 Both are correct. So, but my inclination is that John is referring to those who were teaching false doctrine because they were they were they were called those who speak in the spirit of the antichrist. Remember, it says that they came from amongst us. So, when they were in church, they heard good Bible teaching. And then they said, you know what?

25:01 I determined that Jesus is not God, that that he's not a man. And in fact, I'm going start a false teaching, and I'm going to start, you know, JW, that's that's what they teach. That's basically what was being corrected here. And there gets to a point where Paul... Where John says, you know, don't even pray for them anymore.

25:22 Because they're denying fundamental doctrine. They're denying the humanity and the deity of Jesus. God won't answer a prayer of blessing on them. That's what I think, but both are correct. Either way, it's true.

25:38 Alright. Now, notice then also the text says, if you see a brother committing a sin not to death. Alright. So, let's say that you're at a at a movie or you're at a restaurant or something and one your brothers is commits a sin. God's not going to send down fire from heaven and burn them right there because it wasn't that bad of a sin, I guess, right?

26:02 So, says, not leading to death. So, you know, the lightning bolt's not going to come down and get him. But if you see someone committing a sin, what do you do? You pray for them. That's what it says.

26:15 Pray for them. Lord, there's John. Is there a John here? I I changed the name if there is. Okay.

26:22 There's John and I see he's committing sin. He's doing things that are not good. I'm gonna pray for him lord. It's what you should do. Secondly, you should confront.

26:33 John shouldn't be doing that. That doesn't glorify the Lord. The response should be repent and confess, and then you restore them to fellowship. That's it. That's what it's teaching.

26:58 Okay? So verse 18, point number three. So the son of man has come. Notice, 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. Now, we know that.

27:14 Look at the original and the intent here and all commentaries would agree that what he's saying is practice his sin. Because he just said, if you see a brother committing sin, pray for him. So it's not saying that a Christian is sinless. If that's true, I'm walking out the door because I failed. So it says that you don't practice sin.

27:38 That's why in in in chapter one and verse nine says, if you confess your sin, Christian, God is faithful and just. So when you sin, you confess it and you get right with God. So it's not like we're not going to sin, but you don't practice it. And when you do sin, when you are like stuck, you feel miserable. That shows that you're a true believer.

28:03 You're not just laughing about it, but you're like, man, Lord, why do I keep stumbling? I want victory over this. So you don't practice the sin. And look at the next one, the next verse or to the next part. But he who is born of God keeps him.

28:20 Wow. So you don't practice sin when you're born of God, when you're a believer, and and God himself keeps you safe. He keeps you saved. He keeps you saved. And then to confirm that he says this, and the evil one does not touch him.

28:38 In other words, the devil can never reclaim you. Praise god. He could never come to the point where he says, that John that you were praying for that sinned, I'm going to reclaim him because look at him. He's constantly stumbling. Look at his walk.

28:56 He's embarrassing you, Jesus. So, I'm going to take him back. Jesus said, no, you're not. He's mine. Regardless of how much victory he's having right now in his life, it doesn't matter.

29:07 You can't reclaim him. Hallelujah. Because we belong to Jesus. He keeps me safe. The devil can't reclaim me.

29:16 He can't touch me. Amen for that reality. Then he goes on to say, we know that we are of God, praise God. The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Basically what he's saying is, the whole unsaved world is enslaved to the devil, to sin.

29:36 They can't break out of sin. You have the Holy Spirit, you have prayer, you have other brothers that can help you have victory over sin, but they're totally enslaved to sin and they don't know how to get out of it until they come to Jesus. They're slaves of the devil. Look at, John puts it in black and white, either you belong to God or you don't belong to God. Either you're saved or you're not saved.

29:57 And if you're not saved, you're a slave of the devil. If you are saved, you belong to Jesus and you're born of God and God keeps you safe. And then he closes out with verse 20, and we know that the son of God has come, the incarnation, and has given us understanding through the Holy Spirit in order that we may know him who is true, a relationship. I get to know the creator. He came from heaven to earth, and he did what he had to do, went back to heaven, and he wants a relationship with us.

30:48 We are in Jesus Christ, in him who is true, in his son, Jesus Christ. So I am in Christ. Christ is in me. The the only truth, the true thing. And notice this proclamation.

31:00 This is the true god, Jesus. He's the true god and eternal life. There could not be a stronger statement to the deity of Jesus in that verse right there. I am in Jesus. This...

31:12 And he's the true God, and he is eternal life. So when I know Jesus, I know the true God, and I have eternal life with him, and I get to know him in a personal way. But Jesus is God. That's what he's saying right there. As clear as can be.

31:28 He leaves no doubt. Let's read it again. Him who is true, and we are in him who is true in his son Jesus, this is the true God and eternal life. And then our final point, guard little children. Dear ones, guard yourself from idols.

31:54 Wow. What does this mean? When I was in Houston, we were doing an outreach and there was this apartment complex and we had quite a number in that apartment complex get saved. And there was this one, one young lady came to know the Lord and then she started bringing her mom. Her mom, Ophelia, I still remember her.

32:14 We were always wondering if she was really saved or not. And then one day, I would often go visit the apartment complex, and then one day I said, I'm gonna go visit this lady, Ufemia. And so she didn't know I was coming. So I'm walking up to her apartment, and there's a big front window, and the big front window is a statue about this big. I guess it was Mary, I don't know, one of those.

32:37 Right? And so I come and I knock on the door, and all of sudden, that statue disappears. She opens the door, come in, brother. And I'm like, where'd you hide it? Hide what?

32:53 I saw that. Where is it? She was never really saved. It showed up with time. Showed up with time.

33:20 MacArthur, anything that people elevate above God is an idol of the heart. Roy Zuck, any moral compromise. William McDonald, beware of any, and I think he hit it right bull's eye right here, McDonald. Beware of any teaching which are opposed to these realities that Jesus Christ is God. Any other thought is idolatry.

33:49 An idol is a substitute or false god taking the place of the true, taking the place of Jesus Christ who's God. Eliot says this, an idol includes false mediators of superstition to whom the confidence is transferred, which is due only to God in Christ. It includes trusting in saints, Madonna, Pope, or priesthood, or good works, or pictures, or office, or church, or sacraments. And so walking around with a little cross does not bring a blessing, does not bring you closer to God. In fact, if you're not careful, that can be idolatry.

34:39 Do you remember the story of Moses when he had to lift up the snake in the desert? Right? And whoever looked at the snake would yes, that the snake in the post wouldn't die when they got bit. Well, happened a couple of hundred years later? They were worshiping the snake.

35:01 The snake didn't save them. Just putting their faith and just obeying God, we said just look up because that was a symbol of the fact that Jesus was gonna die on a cross, but they start worshiping that bronze snake. You can worship the little cross. The cross, the cross, the little cross, all kinds of crosses. You can trust in all kinds of things, that's idolatry.

35:25 We don't put our faith out. We're not superstitious. We don't trust sacraments or any of that kind of stuff. So I want to close out by reading the amplified version of first John five twenty one. Little children, believer, dear ones, guard yourself from idols, false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God's place in your heart.

35:55 Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Bless it to us. Thank you that we can come and pray to you with full confidence. Thank you that when we approach you, you're full of mercy and grace.

36:09 Thank you that we can pray for a sinning brother and you want to restore him. Thank you that the devil cannot reclaim us. Thank you that Jesus is god. All glory be to him. In Jesus name, amen.