1 John 5:14-21

5:14-15 | Just as Christians can know that they have eternal life, they can have confidence that God hears and answers their prayers. The Lord promises to grant their petitions, but many believers forget this important condition: prayer must be according to His will (Ps. 37:5; Matt. 6:10; James 4:2-3). If God does not seem to be answering, then believers should examine their motives, not question God’s character. God loves His children and denies them only what will harm them or others (Rom. 8:28).

5:16-17 | Scholars debate the exact nature of the sin leading to death. Most likely it refers to those who persist in sin and refuse to repent, perhaps similar to the “unforgivable sin” of blaspheming the Holy Spirit that Jesus warned against (Matt. 12:31-32). Rejecting God puts these people out of prayer’s reach (Heb. 6:4-6). Yet because no one can know whether someone has committed that sin, Christians should pray for all their loved ones as well as their brothers and sisters in the faith.

5:18-19 | Everyone who is born of God is kept from the wicked one. Satan has no power over the Christian (John 10:28-29; 17:12).

5:20-21 | John concludes on a note of assurance and hope, affirming that Jesus Christ is true and gracious – He has come so that people might know Him and experience eternal life. The apostle closes with a strong exhortation to stay away from false gods – appropriate because, when people worship anything besides God and His Son, they become idolaters.