1 John 5:15

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. HEAR - `that He heareth us.' WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE DESIRED OF HIM - as present possessions, each thing whatsoever we ask from Him. Not one of our past prayers offered in faith, according to His will, is lost. Like Hannah, we can rejoice over them as granted even beforehand; and recognize the event when it comes to pass, as not from chance, but obtained by past prayers (; ). Compare Jehoshaphat's confidence in the issue of his prayers, so much so that he appointed singers to praise the Lord beforehand ()....

15_And if we know _This is not a superfluous repetition, as it seems to be; for what the Apostle declared in general respecting the success of prayer, he now affirms in a special manner that the godly pray or ask for nothing from God but what they obtain. But when he says that all the petitions of the faithful are heard, he speaks of right and humble petitions, and such as are consistent with the rule of obedience. For the faithful do not give loose reins to their desires, nor indulge in anything that may please them, but always regard in their prayers what God commands. This, then, is an application of the general doctrine to the special and private benefit of every one, lest the faithful should doubt that God is propitious to prayers of each individual, so that with quiet minds they may wait until the Lord should perform what they pray for, and that being thus relieved from all trouble...

13-17 Upon all this evidence, it is but right that we believe on the name of the Son of God. Believers have eternal life in the covenant of the gospel. Then let us thankfully receive the record of Scripture. Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. The Lord Christ invites us to come to him in all circumstances, with our supplications and requests, notwithstanding the sin that besets us. Our prayers must always be offered in submission to the will of God. In some things they are speedily answered; in others they are granted in the best manner, though not as requested. We ought to pray for others, as well as for ourselves. There are sins that war against spiritual life in the soul, and the life above. We cannot pray that the sins of the impenitent and unbelieving should, while they are such, be forgiven them; or that mercy, which suppos...

Verse 15. _AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US_] Seeing we are satisfied that he hears the prayer of faith, requesting the things which himself has promised; _we know_, consequently, _that we have_ _the petitions_-the answer to the _petitions, that we desired of him_; for he cannot deny himself; and we may consider them _as sure as if_ _we had them_; and we shall have them _as soon_ as we plead for and need them. We are not to ask _to-day_ for mercy that we _now_ need, and not receive it till _to-morrow_, or some _future_ time. God gives it to him who prays, _when_ it is needful....

AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US - That is, if we are assured of this as a true doctrine, then, even though we may not “see” immediately that the prayer is answered, we may have the utmost confidence that it is not disregarded, and that it will be answered in the way best adapted to promote our good. The specific thing that we asked may not indeed be granted, (compare Luke 22:42; 2 Corinthians 12:8), but the prayer will not be disregarded, and the thing which is most for our good will be bestowed upon us. The “argument” here is derived from the faithfulness of God; from the assurance which we feel that when he has promised to hear us, there will be, sooner or later, a real answer to the prayer. We know that we have the petitions ..

EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 5:1 Faith is the source of love. 1 JOHN 5:1 The verse is a sorites. To believe in the Incarnation involves birth from God. To be born of God involves loving God. To love God involves loving his children. Therefore to believe in the Incarnation involves loving God's children. Τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐχ αὐτοῦ_ _is not to be understood as meaning Christ to the exclusion of Christians; it means any son of God, as the next verse shows. 1 JOHN 5:2 Another mark by which we can test our love towards the brethren. In 1 John 5:1_ faith _in the

AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US,.... As it may be assured he does hear and answer all such persons that ask according to his will: WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW, or are assured, THAT WE HAVE THE PETITIONS THAT WE DESIRED OF HIM: for as it is the nature of that holy confidence, which believers have in God, to believe whatever they ask according to his will, in general, shall be grappled, so every request in particular; yea, before the mercy desired, or the favour asked for is conferred, they are as sure of having it in God's own time and way, as if they now had it in hand and fact....

1 John 5:1. _Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God:_ These are very simple words, but they contain a great depth of meaning. The teaching conveyed by this Epistle is very profound, though the language is such as even a child can understand. There must be faith in Jesus Christ as the anointed Son of God; otherwise, there is no new birth, no regeneration of the Holy Spirit. 1 John 5:1. _And every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him._ If we love the Father, we love the Son. If we love God, we love all his people; all who are born into the divine family are the objects of our affection. 1 John 5:2. By this we know that we love th

VI. CONCLUSION CHAPTER 5:14-21 The conclusion of this great Epistle mentions first the practical confidence which a believer may have, the outcome of that relationship and fellowship with the Father and His Son, which the doctrinal part so blessedly unfolds. We can come in prayer to Him with boldness and whatever we ask “according to His will He heareth us; and if we know that He heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.” As a loving Father He listens to the cry of His children and He answers if it is according to His will, and the child of God would not have it differently, and desire anything to be granted him which is contrary to the will of God. Our unanswered prayers we joyfully recognize as being not according to His will. It is not true faith when fanatics, like faith curists, say that God must do certain things. That is not fa...

CONCLUSION. A reminder of the writer's purpose, an assertion of the value and also the limitations of intercessory prayer, and a summary of the teaching of the epistle. 1 JOHN 5:13. THAT. LIFE: John wishes his readers to have no misgiving as to the reality of their religious experience, though the appended clause (_even_... God) indicates that the security is bound up with a right view of Jesus. 1 John 5:14 f. When our prayers for ourselves or for others are in accord with God's will, He hears and will answer them. 1 John 5:16. a sin not unto death. a sin unto death: this distinction has given rise to much discussion. Death symbolises the hopeless ruin of the moral personality. Unto deat