Today’s passage: 1 John 5:18–20
Focus verse: He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)
Today’s trio of verses each begins with the same phrasing: We know that.
What follows them are seven concepts John wants to remind his audience about. He has covered them throughout his letter and reinforces these key points now.
Here are John’s seven statements for us to remember:
1. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin (verse 18). John covers the issue of sin in depth, mentioning it in twenty verses. See our recap about sin in Day 28: Bonus Content.
2. We know that those born of God will stay safe (verse 18). John uses the phrase born of God six times and is the only biblical writer to do so. This is analogous to being born again, which is having eternal life—another phrase John often uses. See Day 11.
3. We know that the evil one cannot harm us (verse 18). John mentions the evil one five times and assures us we will overcome him (1 John 2:13–14). See Day 8: Bonus Content.
4. We know that we’re children of God (verse 19). John uses the endearing phrase children of God five times. See Day 13.
5. We know that the entire world is under the control of the evil one (verse 19). John mentions world in sixteen verses in this letter. He also says that God is greater than the world (1 John 4:4), so we have nothing to fear. See Day 25.
6. We know that the Son of God has come (verse 20). The focus of John’s letter is on Jesus—the Son of God—coming to earth to save us, such as in 1 John 5:5–6. See Day 26: Bonus Content.
7. We know that the Son of God has given us understanding to know (verse 20). The word know shows up in thirty-two verses in John’s letter. See Day 8: Bonus Content and Day 27.
And what is it that Jesus (and John) wants us to know?
Quite simply, they want us to know the One who is true: Jesus’s Father—and our Heavenly Father. We are part of him because we are part of his Son.
He is the one true God and gives us everlasting life.
Questions:
- Which of these seven truths do you connect with?
- Which of these seven truths give you comfort?
- Which of these seven truths do you struggle with?
- Are we part of Jesus and part of his Father?
- Have we trusted him for our eternal life?
Discover more about having eternal life in 1 John 1:2, 2:25, 3:15, 5:11, and 5:13, as well as 5:20.
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Discover practical, insightful, and encouraging truths in Love One Another, a devotional Bible study to foster a deeper appreciation for the two greatest commandments: To love God and to love others.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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