1 John 5:13-21
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. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
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. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
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. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 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.
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Big Idea: God’s love gives us confidence to overcome sin and death through our faith in Jesus.

1 John 5:13-15
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. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Eternal life starts the moment we place our faith in Jesus, his death, and his resurrection.

Our relationship with God should shape our prayer life.

God answers every prayer
1) Yes
2) No
3) Wait
4) I have something better in mind

God desires that we be like Jesus in this world.

God desires that the world would know his love through Jesus.

John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Next Step: I will pray for God’s will in my life
- to be more like Jesus.
- to share his love in the world.

Next Step: Start following Jesus.

1 John 5:16-17
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. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

{NOTE}

Next Step: I need some accountability.

Rejecting Jesus is the sin that leads to death.

Next Step: 3.1.1.

1 John 5:18-20
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. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 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.

Next Step: Memorize 1 John 5:18

If we are in Christ, we are no longer identified by our sin nature.

Jesus is our protection against the enemy.

1 John 5:21
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Idolatry is anything that I allow to get between me and my relationship with God.

If we are not careful even good things can become idols.
- My career

As long as I put myself first, I am in danger of building idols in my life.

A life of submission to the Father is our greatest defense against the idols of our age.