In our study of the First Epistle of John we have come to the last section—I John 5:13-21. Though we have gone carefully over each chapter and have discovered many wonderful basic truths, let us not think that we have exhausted the Epistle; for it, like the Gospel of John, goes to the very depths of the fundamental truths of the Gospel.

Purpose of the Epistle

"These things have I written into you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God" (John 5:13). Every book in the Scriptures was written for a definite, specific purpose. Sometimes a statement is made to this effect, and sometimes it is implied. This statement reminds one of John's declaration concerning his purpose in writing the Gospel: "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name" (John 20:30,31). John's purpose in writing the Gospel was to lay a foundation for faith in Jesus Christ in order that whosoever believes on Him may have everlasting life. John's purpose in writing his First Epistle was that believers—those who believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour—may know that they have eternal life.

The Scriptures are very plain and specific on these points. On different occasions, the inspired writers spoke of believers' knowing definite, specific things in connection with their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle wants every believer to have perfect confidence and assurance with reference to salvation. In the Gospel of John, chapter 5, verse 24, the inspired Apostle quotes Jesus as saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life." Whosoever hears the Word of Christ and believes God, Who sent Christ to ths world, has eternal life—not will have—but has eternal life now. If he has it—eternal life—now, he of course, will never lose it, because it is eternal. He, therefore, will have it throughout all eternity. The believer has passed out of death into life; he will not, therefore, come into judgment—the judgment of the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15). His judgement occurred at the cross, when the stroke due to everyone fell upon Christ, and by His stripes the believer is healed—is saved.

In connection with our knowing that we who believe have eternal life, let us always bear in mind that all things which come into the life of the believer are designed for his good. The Apostle Paul declares: And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be he first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified them he also glorified. (Rom. 8:28-30). So far as human experiences during life are concerned, there are no greater facts which he can base his hopes for time and Eternity than these basic doctrines.

Boldness in Prayer

"And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: 15 and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him" (I John 5:14,15). In the last quiet talks that Jesus had with His disciples (John, chapters 14-16), Jesus encouraged them to pray to the Father in His name. Prior to this time, asserted Jesus, the disciples had not prayed in His name, but from the resurrection onward, believers are to approach the Father throught the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. On the point of praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude urged the believers to whom he wrote thus to pray: "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (verses 20, 21). Jesus compared Himself to a vine and the believers to branches in the vine. He assured us that just as the literal branch of the vine draws its substance from the vine, so the believers who are literally saved draw their strength and power from Him. The believer abides in Christ and Christ abides in him. When these conditions obtain, whatsoever one asks for in faith, doubting nothing, he shall receive it. Moreover, Jesus urged the believers to agree on the things for which they should make request. He assures us that, when two or three agree as touching any one thing for which they should make request, God will grant it. The assumption, of course is that they ask in accordance with the will of God. There is power in united prayer. May I also assure the readers that the one who is right with God, and who prays in faith, may be sure that his petition will be granted?

The believer has boldness, or confidence, toward God "that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us …" One may be assured that God will answer every petition that is made by the believer who is in touch with God, if the petition which he makes is in accordance with the will of God. Often believers confess that they have prayed for a certain thing and that God does not answer. If such is the case, there is a definite reason why their prayer is not answered—either the one or ones praying are not on speaking terms with the Lord, or the thing for which they make request is not according to the will of God. "If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us."

We can advance a step farther: And if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him." Every petition of the believer that is heard by the Lord is answered. Someone has aptly said that God answers our petitions in one of three ways. No; yes; wait. Frequently, we ask for things that would be positively injurious to us. The loving, wise Heavenly Father, of course, will not give that which is detrimental to His faithful child. He knows what is best, and will substitute that which will bring a blessing into the life of His child for that which will be injurious.

The writer of Hebrews assures us that Jesus is our great High Priest, who is seated at the right-hand of God, and to whom we can come at all times with the assurance that our prayers will be answered: "Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need" (Heb. 4:14-16). Equally assuring to our hearts is the following statement: "And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world" (I John 2:1b,2).

The Sin Unto Death

"If any man see his brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: not concerning this do I say that he should make request. 17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (I John 5:16,17). According to this statement, if any man sees a brother sinning a sin not unto death, he shall ask God and the Lord will answer the prayer for those not sinning unto death. Immediately, John tells us that there is a sin unto death. If a man commit this sin, one is not to pray for him. This passage is acknowledged by all as a most difficult one. What is the sin unto death for which the believer is not to pray? Some Bible students think that it is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, but there is no positive evidence that this is what John had in mind. It is true that the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven in this age or in the age to come. For the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit there is no forgivness. Concerning the one guilty of this sin see Matthew 12:31,32 in its context and Mark 3:28-30. If the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the sin unto death, it is strange that Jesus was silent on this point. He stated that there is no forgiveness for those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit, either in this age or in the one to come.

It is altogether possible that light may be thrown upon this difficult subject by an examination of the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11), who sold a piece of property for a given sum, and who agreed between themselves to make a donation to the Lord's cause, pretending, however, that they were giving the entire price received for the property; whereas they were keeping back information regarding the exact price. In doing so, they were lying to the Holy Spirit and to God, and not to men. For this sin they were smitten with death. We know, therefore, that lying to the Holy Spirit and to God was, in their case, a sin unto physical death. Whether or not this was the particular sin which John had in mind, I cannot say, but am simply calling attention to the possibility.

Another case that may have some bearing upon "the sin unto death" is the situation which arose in the Church at Corinth. On the Lord's Day the Church would meet for worship and for the observance of the Lord's Supper. It seems that they took their regular meals along and made an all-day affair of the occasion while they were worshiping God. The congregation was divided into cliques. The rich had bountiful meals and plenty of wine, which made some of them drunk. They turned their weekly worship into a carnal feast. They were thus remembering the Lord's death and suffering in an unworthy manner. The Lord could not tolerate such carnality among His people. He, therefore, smote some with sickness and others with death. For a full account of the situation, see I Corinthians 11:23-24.

Since we cannot be positive as to what sin John had in mind, let us pray over the matter and seek further light on this difficult though important point.

That the sin unto death was a definite, specific act may be inferred from verse 17: "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is sin not unto death." Everything that is unrighteous, unequal, is sin. Sin unforgiven, of course, brings eternal death. A person has to come to Christ Who alone gives life. No matter what the person's life has been, if he comes to Christ and accepts Him in faith, he is forgiven.

The One Begotten of God Sins Not

"We know that whosoever is begotten of God sinneth not; but he that was begotten of God keepeth himself, and the evil one toucheth him not" (I John 5:18). John asserts that the one who has been begotten by the Spirit of God—and, of course, born again—does not commit sin. From our English translation it is impossible to see what John meant in saying that the one who is begotten of God does not sin. John does not mean that he never commits a wrong act. The reason for this statement is that the form of the verb translated "does not sin" carries the idea of continuing to sin. The one who is begotten of God has a new nature and has no desire to keep on sinning as he did before he was saved. If John had meant to say that he never commits a sinful act, he would have used the form of the Greek verb that indicates a single act; but, as just stated, he used the form that denotes the practice of sinning—repeated actions.

According to the verse under consideration, the one who has been begotten of God keeps himself and the evil one, Satan, does not touch him. No one can keep himself by his own strength and power. One who is begotten of God puts his trust in Christ and the Holy Spirit, and, in so doing, keeps himself, and Satan does not touch him. We have already seen in this series of studies that He who dwells in the believer, God, is stronger than he who is in the world, the devil. The believers to whom John wrote were having constant victory through the power of the Spirit in their lives. This is what John is speaking of here.

The World Lying in the Evil One

"We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one" (I John 5:19). Again, John asserts that the believers know that they are of God. The Holy Spirit, as Paul said in Romans, chapter 8, bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

John also declares that the world lies in the evil one. The evil one, the devil, is the God of this world. He has blinded the eyes of those who are not saved so that they cannot see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, to the one who is blinded by Satan, is simply a man—not God in the flesh. When one, however, thirsts after God, turns, and seeks God, the Lord will open his eyes to see that Jesus Christ is God manifested in human form for the redemption of the human race.

The Believer Knows Him Who is True

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we 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" (I John 5:20). The one who is truly born again, who has a new nature, has an understanding that he never had before he accepted Christ. This spiritual understanding shows that Christ is the true One, and that we are in Him, who is true—even His Son, Jesus Christ.

Warning Against Idolatry

"My little children, guard yourselves from idols" (I John 5:21). The Christians of the first century were living in the midst of an environment that was supercharged with evil spirits, idolatry, and all its sinful practices. Everything was contaminated and polluted by evil. The Christians had to be on the alert all the time lest they should be ensnared by Satan, who transforms himself into an angel of light to deceive the believers and lead them into sin and degradation.

Though we do not have the exact environment here in America in which the believers of John's age lived, the danger is as great. Our civilization has been made to appear in modern dress of culture and refinement; but, when the dress is removed, sin is seen to be the same old, diabolical thing that it has always been. My brethren, keep yourselves from idolatry, and sinful practices.

The End