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.
THE STUDY:
Verses 11-12
look a lot like verse 13. It is almost as if John is repeating himself. If we look closely
though we can see there is a difference. John states in verse 13 that “I write these things …. that you may know
that you have eternal life. These three English words make up one Greek
word, “oida” which means knowledge by observation.
This was
Johns purpose for writing this letter that ‘you
may know that you have eternal life’. His readers had been disturbed by the
denials and claims of the secessionists. These people denied important elements
of the message the readers had embraced at the beginning. They also claimed to
be recipients of special revelation through the Spirit to which the readers
were not privy. The readers’ assurance had been shaken by these denials and
claims, and the author’s primary reason for writing the letter was to bolster
their assurance by counteracting the false teaching of the secessionists. John
sought to do this by pointing out that it was his readers who had truly
received eternal life, who truly knew God, not the secessionists.[1]
WHAT WE CAN WALK
AWAY WITH ….
- We walk away this morning with the understanding that the adversary is out to seek and destroy. Seeking those who believe and destroy their faith and belief in the Son of God. John writes to combat these attacks by assuring the readers that by their observation they know they have eternal life.
CONCLUSION:
As a minister
in the Church of the Nazarene I have encountered many believer who have doubt
about their dwelling in heaving with Christ. These are good, righteous, God
fearing believers who struggle with “KNOWING” for sure. It may be lies from the
world or straight from hell but wherever it is coming from they believe it.
John is writing this letter to those in his day as well as the world we live in today concerning
the message that should be played throughout the universe: BELIEVE IN CHRIST,
HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!
Today, I hope
as you embark on today’s journey you do so with a conviction and a deep-hearted
belief: “For God so loved the world, that
he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have
eternal life.” You are God’s world and He loves you. Go ahead, get out
there, and know this, have a personal relationship with Christ and you have eternal life!
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
[1]
Kruse, C. G. (2000). The letters of John.
The Pillar New Testament commentary (188–189). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester,
England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
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