Assurance of salvation
Background: Especially the final section of chapter 5 covers fundamental doctrines that caused denominational schisms what the Bible teaches about the nature of faith. Is salvation (entirely) the work of God, or does it also depend on works of our own? Can believers have full assurance of their eternal salvation, or can one lose that salvation when committing ‘mortal’ sins? Prayer and thus the whole Christian life depend on what we believe on these matters. John apparently took it for granted that his readers were versed enough in the gospel to understand what he meant, or that they will search Scriptures to not shipwreck their faith on distortions of the truth.
Read: 1 John 5:1-21
1) Can Christians still lose their salvation? Do we need to know? Why or why not?
- v13 states that the new life by faith in Jesus is eternal. In what sense? Does it become eternal only some time in the future, or from the moment you first believe? cf 1Pet 1:3-5
- v13 ‘I write these things to you…. that you may know….’: Know what?
- Why is such certainty (‘assurance’) important? cf 1Jn 1:4
- On what condition can one have it? =>
- If the only condition is true faith in Jesus, how can you find out whether your faith really is authentic Christian faith?
- Did John write that everyone who says they ‘believe’ can and will have assurance of eternal salvation? => Why not? cf 1Jn 2:3-6
- Salvation is inherited by faith and cannot perish (Jn 1:12-13, Pet 1:3-5). But how ‘eternal’ is your certainty?
- What will undermine our confidence that our salvation cannot be undone? 1Jn 3:21 =>
- How do you guard against the loss of certainty that God’s promises are for you?
2) vv14-16a: Why is assurance of salvation important in the Christian life?
- v14 ‘…confidence …toward him that if we ask anything…’: How does your confidence of eternal salvation influence how you pray?
- v15: Did John claim that God fulfills every wish of anyone who adds to his prayer ‘in the name of Jesus’? Why not? cf Jn 14:13-14
- What distinguishes truly Christian prayers from all counterfeits? cf 1Jn 3:22; cf Mt 6:10; 26:42
- v16: How does confidence of your salvation affect how you pray for others?
3) vv16b-17: What did John mean by ‘mortal’ sin (singular) that leads to death?
- How could John say that some sins (plural) do not lead to death, v16b? cf Ro 6:16 and Ja 1:15.
- Roman Catholic catechism distinguishes mortal sin from ‘venial’ sins based on the gravity of the offense: What do you think about that?
- How did John himself explain what ‘mortal’ sin is?
- If Christians should not pray for those in mortal sin, v16b, the offense must be unpardonable: What is that, and why? Jn 9:41; Mar 3:28-29 =>
- What distinguishes blasphemy ‘against the Holy Spirit’ from other blasphemies? 1Jn 5:7-10 *
4) vv18-21 are about the preservation of believers and their salvation: What do they need to be preserved from?
[From this world => Believers need to know that the world is implacably set against them; cf Jn 15:19; 17:14]
- v18: In what sense can the evil one not ‘touch’ (gr. haptomai, lay hold on) them? [v16: Even though they still stumble into sins, they cannot and will not remain in it]
- v21: ESV translates v18 as: “…he who was born of God protects him” as if ‘he’ refers to Jesus. Instead, it literally states: ‘…but he who was begotten of God does keep himself’. The same word for ‘keep’ (gr. terei) is used in 1Tim 5:22 in the same sense. Which translation of v18 do you think fits with v21?
- If believers somehow keep or protect themselves, how so?**
- What has prayer to do with it? vv14-16; cf Lk 21:36; Col 4:12
- What armor do they put on? cf Eph 6:13-18
- v19: Why is it key in this spiritual battle over your heart to know on whose side you are, i.e. to have assurance of your salvation? cf Eph 6:17
- A helmet serves to protect the brain: What role did John attribute in vv18-21 to knowledge and understanding?
- How is v21 connected to what John wrote above and in this entire letter? Hint: What has the spiritual war in the heart of every believer to do with idolatry? cf Col 3:5
5) Personal & application
- How do offshoots of Gnosticism seek to deceive believers today to either have false assurance of salvation, or none?
- In your own faith, is eternal salvation a guaranteed reality, or do you sometimes doubt it? What causes such doubt?
- If a believer is caught up in sin, does that question his salvation? Why or why not?
- Upon becoming Christians, few overcome their besetting sins instantly. How does v18 square with this reality?
- In your own struggles, do you read v18 as a promise, or as a threat? Why?
- John knew that Christians still stumble. What can we learn from his confidence that they will never be forsaken?
* To reject the testimony of the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Son of God, even after you could really hear it (cf Heb 10:29; for context, see study #2 on Heb 10)
** Believers persevere by continuing in their faith that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone (Jn 15:4; cf Col 1:23)
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