He Has Given Us Understanding

[Christsfreeservant]

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. And this is the confidence that we have toward 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 requests that we have asked of him.”​

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“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”​

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“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. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:13-15,18,20-21)​

For us to correctly understand what the Scriptures are teaching us, it is best if we can read them in context. So it is best if we can read this passage of Scripture in the context of the whole of the book of 1 John.

For example, in 1 John 1:5-10 we read that if we say we have fellowship with God but while we walk (in conduct, in practice) in darkness (sin), we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light (righteousness, truth), as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with God (understood) and with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

And in 1 John 2:3-6 we read that by this we have come to know God/Christ, if we keep (obey, adhere to) his commandments (New Covenant). For whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep (obey) his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps (obeys) his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.

And then we read in 1 John 3:4-10 that no one who abides in Christ keeps on sinning (makes sinning his practice, habit, go to); no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. So let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as God is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is not born of God but is of the devil.

Now this is not teaching that we will never sin. For in 1 John 2:1-2 it says that if any believer in Christ does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He gave his life up for us on that cross to put our sins to death with him that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness in the power and mercy of God (see 1 Peter 2:24).

And this teaching is not just in the book of 1 John. Jesus taught it, and Paul and Peter taught it, too. For Jesus Christ died on that cross that we might be crucified with him in death to sin and be raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death, but if we obey obedience to God, then we have eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

So, with that understanding, when this says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,” he is not talking to those who give lip service only to the Lord but who are still walking in sin and in disobedience to the Lord, in practice. He is talking to those who have died and are dying daily with Christ to sin and who are now following him in walks of obedience to his New Covenant commands. We are those who practice righteousness.

Now, can a true follower of Christ ever have a time in his life when he falls away from his pure devotion to the Lord and needs to be brought back to the Lord in humble submission to the Lord in true biblical repentance and renewed faith and obedience to God? Yes! We have examples of that in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. But a true believer in Christ will not make a profession of Christ and then keep right on sinning. His life will change. And he will grow in his walk of faith and obedience, and not remain stagnant.

Then, if we are true followers of Christ, and not just those giving lip service to the Lord while we continue to walk in sin, we can be assured that we have eternal life with God, provided that we continue on that course until the end, the Scriptures teach. And then we will begin to know and to understand the will of God so that when we pray, we pray according to his will, even if it is just to pray, “but Thy will be done,” when we are not certain of his will in any particular matter pertaining to our lives or other people’s lives.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 2 Tim 1:8-9; 1 Pet 1:5; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 9:28; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

I Sing of His Mercy

An Original Work / April 10, 2014
Based off Psalm 32

Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven
By the blood of Jesus Christ.
Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does
Not count against them; freedom found.
When, in silence, I did not confess
My sin to You; had no strength.
Then I owned up to my sin and
You forgave and cleansed me within.

Therefore let the godly pray to You;
Draw near to You; grace they’ll find.
They will not be o’ertaken by afflictions,
But in Christ peace abounds.
Lord, You are my hiding place.
I find my refuge in You secure.
You protect me from all evil.
You give songs of vict’ry in You.

Lord, You teach me to walk in Your ways;
Counsel me in love, I know.
Help me to not be stubborn and
Unwilling to follow in Your truth.
Thank You for Your love and mercy.
I put my trust in You always.
I rejoice in my Lord and
I sing of Him throughout all my days.