Main point: Being sure

Today's Scripture Union has a strong and encouraging message for everyone, both Christians and non Christians and i wanted to share with everyone.

1 John 5:13-21
Concluding Affirmations
 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
    16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
    18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also 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 by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
    21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.


Main point: Being sure
Consider what difference it makes to your daily life to know that you have eternal life. So many of our anxieties relate to fears about the future. John repeatedly assures the early Christians that their future is entirely secure with Christ. Ours is too!

Secure in Christ
What does this security look like in your life? Does it give you confidence in prayer (vs 14,15)? Does it help you to be friendly and caring towards other Christians, including watching out for their spiritual well being (vs 16,17; see Galatians 6:1–3)?

Does it lead you to practise in your behaviour now all that will prepare you for heaven, where there will be no sin (vs 18,19)? Does it inspire you to grow in your knowledge and understanding of this wonderful Saviour, Jesus Christ (v 20)?

Sin that leads to death?
No one is entirely sure what the ‘sin that leads to death’ is (v 16), but it probably refers to those who were once in the church and have now left and are teaching against the truth of Christ (see 2:22). What there is agreement on is that if you are worried that you’ve committed it, then you certainly haven’t!

Being sure of God
We can expend a lot of energy on worrying about our doubts, being anxious about the future and feeling very insecure. John would urge us to be absolutely sure of God, to believe what he says about his Son Jesus, to live a life of love and reflect the light and purity of God’s character in how we behave.

Praise The Lord!

Amen.