1 John 5:15 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

NIV: And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

NASB: And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

CSB: And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him.

NLT: And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

KJV: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

NKJV: And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

The one who knows God can take confidence that God will hear his prayers. Believers praying according to God's will know their prayers will be answered, just as they can know they have eternal life. This means that prayer is not merely about asking for favors from God. It's also about helping us understand His will, and obeying it.

If a prayer request is not granted in the life of a believer, that request was not part of God's plan or will. This may involve pain, suffering, sadness, or hardship, yet God can and does use pain to accomplish His ultimate purposes. The conclusion is that believers do not need to fear whether their prayers will be heard. Whether or not they are "answered," in the sense of being granted, is something we need to trust God to decide. We can take confidence that God will respond to every prayer of a believer, in a way that's in harmony with His perfect will.

First John 5:13–21 closes out the letter by focusing on assurance of salvation. The goal of John's letter is to provide believers with a means to know, for sure, that they have eternal life. Those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ can be absolutely sure that they are saved. Despite our failures and sins, God is forgiving. And, through Christ, we have the power to overcome the world's temptations to sin.

Chapter 5 concludes the book of 1 John, once again emphasizing the supremacy of love in the Christian experience. Those who put their faith in Christ can know, for sure, that they have eternal life. This assurance comes by trusting what we know of the life of Jesus Christ, as well as the evidence of the Holy Spirit within us. Following God's commands, particularly love, results in confidence of our salvation, as well as strength against the temptations of the world.

First John 5 completes the letter by summarizing how Christians can know that they have eternal life. Prior chapters have explained the various signs of ''abiding'' with God, but the key measurement is love. In this final passage, love is once again used as the supreme measurement. In light of the rest of the letter, love for God and love for others is shown to be both a source of confidence and a sign of faith.

First John seems to assume that the reader is familiar with the gospel. Rather than re-state these facts, John is concerned with building confidence in Christian believers. At the same time, his words encourage believers to examine their own lives for signs of their relationship with Christ. This letter also challenges false teachers and their incorrect claims about Jesus. Many themes are shared with the Gospel of John.

Accessed 5/6/2024 11:04:19 AM