Chapter 17
1 John 5:13-15
1 John 5:13 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.
John just identified water, blood, and the Holy Spirit as evidence to the testimony concerning eternal life through Jesus Christ. Quickly glancing at verse 13 we might think that John is continuing the theme of previous verses (see 1 John 5:6-12), however we see that that this verse is also in the aorist tense and that John, instead of writing in the “second person” is now in the “third person.” With this statement, John is essentially reflecting back on everything he has written in the past for our benefit.
John once again uses the phrase, “I write these things,” (see 1 John 1:4; 2:1; 2:7; 2:8; 2:12; 2:13: 2:14; 2:21 and 2:26), this time speaking to all believers (similar to John 20:31 and John 1:7; 1:12) that they have eternal life (see Romans 8:23; Philippians 3:21; 1 John 3:2; Ephesians 3:16-19). John points to the importance of believing in the name of the Son of God. Why would John emphasize the name of the Son of God? Why is the name so important? The Bible tells us that there is no other name that can save us (read Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11). We can only be saved by Jesus, period! Having faith and belief in anyone or anything else for salvation is both a fatal deception and an eternal error.
In the next verse John reminds us that we can have confidence in what we say or ask for in His presence. The Greek word for ‘confidence’ also implies a fearless freedom and the word translated as ‘toward’ (Greek word ‘pros’) implies a motion and/or direction. Most modern English Bibles use the phrase, “before Him,” while some use the phrase, “approaching God” (God is implied but not directly stated in the Greek). Regardless of how you translate the term, the word reminds us that when we pray we are in His presence and we are facing Him directly. In His presence we have the confidence to ask for anything that is in His will since He is always listening.
The Bible clearly teaches that we should ask God for things we need. In the Old Testament we hear words like, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4, ESV) and then later, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14, ESV also read John 15:7; 16:23-24) These are just a few examples, as Christians we know the value of prayer.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 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.
In the next verse in 1 John, we hear something that is difficult for many Christians to accept and that is when God hears our prayers (and John is saying that is all the time), “we know that we have the requests.” If we know He hears us, why do we doubt? Why shouldn’t we expect an answer? John is saying in a sense we already have what we asked for. Put in a different way since we know that God hears us, we know that He will always answer our prayers. But there was one caveat to that statement and that points us back to verse 14 where we are given one condition, “if we ask anything according to His will.” What does John mean, “according to His will?” We know that Jesus was obedient to His Father (see Luke 22:42) and we know it is possible to pray incorrectly, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3, ESV) From verses like these we understand that we are not to pray seeking gratification of our own selfish desires and passions. Plus, we know that our sins and disobedience can interfere with our prayers (read Psalms 66:18 and 1 Peter 3:7). But how can we know God’s will? Is God’s will knowable?
Paul tells us that we can know and that if we call ourselves Christians we must know His will. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2, ESV, also read Ephesians 5:10) Paul does a great job in connecting the Old Testament foundation to New Testament truths. Here he points out that we are to become, “living sacrifices” which on the surface seems like an oxymoron, how can we be ‘living’ and a ‘sacrifice’ at the same time? By sacrificing those things, the world considers valuable (lusts, money, position, career, power, etc.) and replacing them with those things that God considers valuable (love, witnessing, caring for others, etc.) Paul says this is how we are to worship Him, through our continual obedience. He further instructs that this is only possible if we are changed, a transformation, if you will, that renews our perspective so that we can discern the will of God.
The first step is to grow in the Word of God followed by the process of sanctification so that we can know God. Not eeasy for those that are impatient as the process is ongoing and never ending (no graduation from this class on life until we are face to face with Jesus). Paul outlined much of that sanctification process in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (see also Romans 6:19, 23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2). What does this process include? We know that God’s will for us includes: Our salvation (see 1 Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9); that we receive the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 5:17-18; Romans 8:1-11); that we will be transformed or sanctified (see Romans 12:1-2, as seen above and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7); that we submit ourselves completely to God (see 1 Peter 2:13-17); that we should suffer (see Romans 8:12-18; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12); that we should follow and be a disciple of Jesus (see Matthew 4:19; 11:28; 28:18-20; Mark 1:17) and that we are to GO (in other words stop sitting and begin moving, see Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-16). We are to grow, know, and Go for God!
We are to surrender to the will of God as He only answers those prayers that are in alignment with His will, we might see it as those prayers in which He inspires. Is His will and purpose above your own? Edward M. Bounds, a scholar who wrote extensively on the subject of prayer, wrote the following in his book, “The Purpose in Prayer.”
Christ taught us also to approach the Father in His name. That is our passport. It is in His name that we are to make our petitions known. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask Me anything in My name, that will I do.”
How wide and comprehensive is that “whatsoever.” There is no limit to the power of that name. “Whatsoever ye shall ask.” That is the Divine declaration, and it opens up to every praying child a vista of infinite resource and possibility.
And that is our heritage. All that Christ has may become ours if we obey the conditions. The one secret is prayer. The place of revealing and of equipment, of grace and of power, is the prayer-chamber, and as we meet there with God we shall not only win our triumphs but we shall also grow in the likeness of our Lord and become His living witnesses to men.[1]
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[1] Bounds, E. M. (1991). The purpose in prayer (p. 62). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.