This post is Day 29 in a series of studies about “1 John”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

1 John – Day 29

At the end of his first epistle, John gives us his reason for writing. He wants his readers to be absolutely sure that they have eternal life, or are saved as many would say. Sadly there are many church goers who have not experienced salvation as God intended us to.

1 John 5:13, 19-20

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

The Thought

At the end of John’s letter, he gives us his reason for writing. He wants his readers to be absolutely sure that they have eternal life, or are “saved” as many would say. Sadly there are many church goers who have not experienced salvation as God intended us to.

There are also many who do not believe the devil is a real being. “The evil one” referred to in these verses is the serpent who spoke to Eve in Eden, and is also the antichrist who will come and reign on earth for a short time before Jesus returns. We read about that person (him or her we don’t know!) on day 91 John 2:22. Paul also mentions him in the second chapter of his second letter to the Thessalonians.

In verse 19 of our reading today John states his conviction that the world is “under the control of the evil one”. What do you think?

Action

Ask yourself today if you agree with John, or are you more of a positive thinker? Do you think the devil is running wild across the world, or is God going to stop him?

What do you think is your responsibility as a Christian?

How do you visualise Jesus’ return to earth? (Matthew 24:30 & 26:64, Revelation 14:14)