What Do You Know for Sure?

1. What Do You Know for Sure? I John 5:6-21 Chapter 10

2. “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Benjamin Franklin • “We know!” • Know: in John’s letter – 39 times (8 times in I John 5:6-21) • The life that is real is built on the divine certainties that are found in Jesus Christ. • Jesus is God (5:6-10) • To believe that Jesus is the Son of God is basic to Christian experience

3. Three Witnesses • 1st witness – the water • “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” Matthew 3: 13-17 • 2nd witness – the blood • Jesus on the cross: the supernatural darkness, the earthquake, and the rending of the veil (Matt 27:45, 50-53 • “Truly this was the Son of God” (54) • 3rd witness – the Spirit • Spirit was given (John 26; 16:14) • The only Person active on earth today • The witnessing of the Father is past history; the witnessing of the Spirit is present history • The first is external; the second is internal

4. The Spirit witnesses within the believer • The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God (Rom 8:16) • Spirit witnesses through the Word (I Cor 2:14) • Christians feels at home with God’s people because the Spirit dwells in him • The law requires 2 or 3 witnesses (Deut 19:15) • The Father, cross, and the Spirit within the believer • The Spirit, the water, and the blood agree that Jesus is the Son of God • Believers Have Eternal Life (5:11-13) • Key word in I John 5:6-10) – witness (record or testifieth)

5. Witness of the Word of God • “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life” (5:13) • Eternal life is a gift (John 10:27-29, Eph 2:8,9) • The gift is a Person-Jesus Christ • “He that has the Son has the life” (I John 5:12 NASB) • Characteristics of God’s children • “Everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (I John 2:29 NASB) • “No one who is born of God practices sin” (3:9 NASB) • “We know that we passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren” (3:14) • “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (4:9 NASB)

6. “Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world” (5:4) • For I know whom I believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Tim 1:12) • God Answers Prayer (5:14-15) • Christians have confidence in prayer • Confidence – freedom of speech • Conditions we must meet • Heart that does not condemn (3:21-22) • Unconfessed sin, an obstacle to answered prayer (Psalm 66:18) • Differences between husband and wife (I Peter 3;1-7) • Differences between Christians (Matt 5:23-25) • We must pray in God’s will (Matt 6:10)

7. “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of God’s willingness” George Mueller • Determine God’s will • By reading God’s Word • By listening to the Spirit • By discerning the circumstance around us • Prayer is the way God wants His children to get what they need • Prayer is the thermometer of the spiritual life • “We know that we have the request” (15) • Inner confidence that God has answered • Prayer is the desire of the heart & the utterance of the lips • “Pray without ceasing” (I Thess 5:17) • Abiding in Christ • Reasons to pray • Command

8. God-appointed means (way) to receive what God wants to give • Keep in God’s will • Dependence on prayer • In the morning (Mark 1:35) • All night (Luke 6:12) • Gethesame • On the cross 3 times • Most important about prayer – will of God • Christians Do Not Practice sin (5:16-19) • The practice of sin, habitual sins, not occasional sins • Believers have new nature (Good’s seed, v.9) • Christians face three enemies: the world, flesh, and Devil

9. Devil • The world “lies in the power of the evil one” (Satan) (5:19 NASB) • Satan – the god of the age (II Cor 4:3-4) • Prince of this world (John 14:30) • The spirit who works in the children of disobedience (Eph 2:12) • Satan has many devices • Lies (Gen 3; II Cor 11:1-3) • Infliction of physical sufferings (Job & Paul II Cor 11:1-3) • Pride – David (I Chron 21) • Roles • Serpent who deceives (Rev 12:9 • Lion who devours ( I Peter 5:8-9) • Flesh – old nature, old man, sinful nature

10. The world (I John 2:15-17) • Desires of the flesh • The desires of the eyes • The pride of life • How to keep from sinning • “He (Christ) who was born of God keep him (the believer) and the evil doesn’t touch him.” (5:18 NASB) • Simon (Luke 22:31-32) • Satan cannot touch without God’s permission Job) • Satan cannot go beyond what the believer can tolerates (I Cor 10:13) • Spiritual young man”; their ability to overcome the evil one (I John 2:13-14) through God’s Word abiding in believers • Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17)

11. When a believer sins, he can confess his sins to God and be forgiven (I John 1:9) • All unrighteousness is sin: degrees • Sins can lead to death (16-17) • Nadab & Abihu (Lev 10:1-7) • Korah (Numbers 16) • Achan (Joshua 6-7) • Uzzah (II Sam 6) • Believers have the greater responsibility to obey God • Complete Bible • Full revelation of grace • Dwelling of the Holy Spirit within the believers • Warnings • Annias & Sapphira • Lord’s Supper (I Cor 11:30)

12. The Christain Life Is the Real life (5:20-21) • “We know that our real life in the true One, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is real God and this is real, eternal life” (5:20 Ph) • Ephesus given over to idolatry • “We know that there is no such things as an idol in the world, and there is no God but one.” (I Cor 8:4 NASB) • Idols: “Nothings, vapors, emptiness” • Lifeless, useless substitute for the real thing • Ps 115:1-8 • Idolatry • Covetousness (Col 3:5) • Violation of God’s commandment & Satan’s device to

13. Control • World vs Christians • Enlightenment vs God is Light • Love vs real love (God is love) • Wisdom & learning vs truth (Spirit is the truth) • “Christian has turned from idols to serve the living and true God.” (II Thess 1:9)