Overall Question: Why should we have confidence in God?

Memory Text: 1 John 5:14 ESV “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
1 John 5:14 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES God has not promised to grant anything that shall be contrary to his will, and it could not be right that he should do it. We ought not to wish to receive anything that should be contrary to what he judges to be best. No man could hope for good who should esteem his own wishes to be a better guide than the will of God; and it is one of the most desirable of all arrangements that the promise of any blessing to be obtained by prayer should be limited and bounded by the will of God.

Sunday – Having Confidence
1 John 5:13 CEV “All of you have faith in the Son of God, and I have written to let you know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:13 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE I write to show your privileges-to lead you into this holy of holies-to show what believing on the Son of God is, by the glorious effects it produces: it is not a blind reliance for, but an actual enjoyment of, salvation; Christ living, working, and reigning in the heart.
1 John 5:15 God’s Word to the Nations “We know that he listens to our requests. So we know that we already have what we ask him for.”
1 John 5:18 Holman “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.”
1 John 5:19 KJ21 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
1 John 5:20 NLT “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we are in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.”

Monday – Having Eternal Life
1 John 5:13 NRSV “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.”
1 John 5:13 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES In the human heart, even when converted, there is such a proneness to unbelief; the religious affections so easily become cold; there are so many cares pertaining to the world that are fitted to distract the mind; there are so many allurements of sin to draw the affections away from the Saviour; that there is need of being constantly reminded of the nature of religion, in order that the heart may not be wholly estranged from the Saviour.
Matthew 10:22 CEV “Everyone will hate you because of me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved.”
1 Corinthians 9:27 CEV “I keep my body under control and make it my slave, so I won’t lose out after telling the good news to others.”
Revelation 3:11 CEV “I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, and no one will take away the crown that you will be given as your reward.”

Tuesday – According to His Will
1 John 5:14-17 God’s Word to the Nations “14 ¶ We are confident that God listens to us if we ask for anything that has his approval. 15 We know that he listens to our requests. So we know that we already have what we ask him for. 16 If you see another believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, you should pray that God would give that person life. This is true for those who commit sins that don’t lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I’m not telling you to pray about that. 17 Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, yet there are sins that don’t lead to death.”
1 John 5:17 COMMENTARY GENEVA BIBLE NOTES The taking away of an objection: indeed all iniquity is comprehended under the name of sin: but yet we must not despair therefore, because every sin is not deadly, and without hope of remedy.

Wednesday – Confident of Being Protected
1 John 5:18-19 Holman “18 ¶ We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the One who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.”
1 John 5:18 COMMENTARY JOHN WESLEY NOTES Sinneth not-So long as that loving faith abides in him, he neither speaks nor does anything which God hath forbidden.

Thursday – Having True Knowledge of the Godhead
1 John 5:20 ESV “And we know 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, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
1 John 5:21 NIV “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”
1 John 5:21 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE That is a man's idol or god from which he seeks his happiness; no matter whether it be … pleasure, wealth, fame, a fine house, superb furniture, splendid equipage, medals, curiosities, books, titles, human friendships, or any earthly or heavenly thing, God, the supreme good, only excepted. That is a man's idol which prevents him from seeking and finding his ALL in God…Wiclif ends his epistle thus: My little sones, kepe ye you fro mawmitis, i.e. puppets, dolls, and such like; for thus Wiclif esteemed all images employed in religious worship.

This was a tough one to decide.

He runs the world AND is NOT above the strife and commotion but down here in the battle, the thick of it. BUT there is more.

Yes, I admire and am so thankful for the sacrifice of Christ because He would have done it only for this Child. BUT there is more.

Something else....the sparrow does not fall from the nest without the Father knowing it. A tear can not be shed without it affecting Him. Our mere praise gives Him a charge. Our love shared with others for His love,,,,
and our simple words can not express it all; perhaps there are no words for it.

Happy Sabbath everyone! Just thought I would post a few questions in case anyone wants to discuss them. I know the Sabbath is ending for some of you just as the Sabbath is starting for me. (Isn't that 'whole other side of the world thing',amazing?)

How can we be assured that we have asked according to God’s will?

If we don’t get a recognizable answer to our prayers should we assume that what we
asked for was not God’s will?

Can we expect that if we have sinned without forgiveness, God will not hear our prayer?

Must we ask according to a promise if we expect to get an answer?

Who answers our prayers?: God the Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Angels?

If we have confidence – what do we have?

For what reason, or under what circumstances may be come boldly to God in the judgment?

For “what” are we allowed to come boldly to the throne of grace?

What must you do to retain the assurance of answered prayers?

Can/should we ask God for ‘non-spiritual’ things (with confidence)?

What is the difference between confidence and presumption?

Can we feel like there is an unconditional guarantee of Salvation?

How can we lose the assurance of Salvation?

Interested anyone? I'm interested in hearing what my class has to say!

I've asked God to take away my desire for certain sins. So far it has not been His will to do this.

Therefore .... I have come to the conclusion that He uses sin to keep us on the right track. If we were without sin .... we would not feel or recognize our need for Him. So, He gives us victory over some sins .... but leaves us with sin so that we might keep in mind our need of Him.

When we see His face ... then we will be change in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.

Most certainly not. We have no idea what is God's will for our life. That is why I always pray that His Will be done. And Not Mine.

Christ died for our sins. Our salvation is a done deal. All we have to do is to reach out and accept His gift for us.

Salvation is most certainly "unconditional". It was accomplished at the cross it is a done deal and is available to all who reach and and accept the gift.



The assurance does not change and can not be lost. It is real. But we can refuse the gift no doubt. But we are refusing the assurance in that case. However the assurance remains there if you should later decide you want it.

Your class, eh? lol

Too bad that I didn't get on last evening, but I'll be back with some comments after church today. Just too short of time.

We can be assured that we are asking if it is something that Jesus would have asked for. We learn what that is when we read and ponder His written word.

Did He ask for $$$$$. No. He had enough to meet the needs of the disciples and Himself. The Father provided. Remember the lilies of the fields.

When in the Garden on Thursday night/Friday morning, He asked that the bitter cup be taken away and added, "Not My will but Thine be done." He kept Himself in subjection to the Father.



No. Sometimes the answer is 'wait'.

I will keep quiet now.

That is to allow others to answer some of the questions.

By the way, could someone tell me how to make the neat little "Originally Posted by:..." boxes with quotes in them? I haven't figured it out yet. (I'm so slow!).
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Responding to ChildofChrist who quoted me as saying: "I'm interested in hearing what my class has to say!", and who responded: "Your class, eh? lol"

Sorry! I didn't realize how that sounded until you said something! But I was refering to my class at my church! It is a lively discussion group, and I really enjoy what everyone has to say on many subjects.

Be that what it may, I would love to consider the group here as a discussion class too! And thank you for your responses to my questions. I know that everyone will have moved on to a new lesson by now, so I guess I will move on too without much additional comment on this discussion.

But I would ask one more question of you Redwood. You said that "Christ died for our sins. Our salvation is a done deal. All we have to do is to reach out and accept His gift for us.

Salvation is most certainly "unconditional". It was accomplished at the cross it is a done deal and is available to all who reach out and accept the gift."

--

I am given to understand that what was made possible at the Cross was not 'Salvation' in totality, (that is, that what happened at the cross precluded any obedience or applied effort to comply to the will of God), but that it was 'forgiveness' for sin that was accomplished at the cross. Until then, no payment for the penalty of sin had been made - so every person must die. But then Jesus died for us (instead of us), and consequently our sins could be forgiven (It was the great gift that he requested from His Father when he died: "Father forgive them!"

But Salvation must also include victory over sin through the power of Christ (which was the second great gift of Calvary). But victory we must gain. (Paul said, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", - We must be part of our own Salvation, but then what a partner we have!

Thanks again for your comments!