That You May Know

The sermon concludes 1 John by affirming that believers can have confident assurance of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, the true God and eternal life, grounded not in feelings or performance but in the objective testimony of Scripture and the internal marks of genuine faith. It emphasizes that this assurance enables a bold and confident prayer life, rooted in the promise that God hears prayers offered according to His will, even when answers are delayed or seemingly absent, as God’s wisdom always prevails. The believer is called to intercede for fellow Christians struggling with sin, trusting that prayer can restore life, while recognizing that persistent, willful rejection of Christ—sin leading to death—is a rare exception, not a call to despair. Three foundational truths anchor this assurance: believers are protected by God from the evil one’s ultimate power, they belong to God while the world lies under Satan’s influence, and the Son of God has come to grant true understanding, enabling a personal, saving knowledge of the Father. The sermon closes with a call to remain vigilant against all forms of idolatry, both literal and hidden, urging believers to live in the security of their salvation by keeping their hearts fixed on Christ alone.