Do any casual Google search on I John 5:13, considered one of the great proof verses on eternal security, and you’ll find all kind of bad doctrine, often from preachers and theologians.
Here’s an example from a man who runs a national Bible-teaching organization:
Here’s an example from a man who runs a national Bible-teaching organization:
“According to the Apostle John in 1 John 5:13 it is the birthright of every believer to know with certainty--not to guess or have some degree of confidence--that he or she is eternally secure. If one is not 100% certain of this, then he does not have assurance of salvation.
“ . . . Absolute assurance of one's salvation is a vital element in abiding in Christ. That is why John brings up the issue of assurance in an epistle dealing with fellowship . . . The purpose of the epistle is thus to move the readers into deeper and deeper fellowship with God. Fellowship with God is contingent upon walking in the light, confessing one's sins, standing firm in sound doctrine despite the wooings of false teachers, etc.”
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The Book of I John was written for instruction to a future group of people alive during the tribulation that they might be assured of being in the “little flock” of Believers who stands against the Antichrist and apostate Israel.
“Christians use I John 5:13 sometime in witnessing situations to talk about how you can know for sure you have eternal life, but the doctrine in I John is not about soul-winning and assurance in this dispensation of grace,” explains Preacher Richard Jordan. “It’s about the conditional salvation the nation Israel will have and how they can know for sure whether or not they’re in the ‘true fellowship,’ and possess eternal life.
“Actually, in this passage the possession of eternal life is conditional. It’s conditional upon faith and works. It’s just like in James 2.
"Consistently through the kingdom program, this is the issue because again, these people are going to have to endure through the tribulation and, as Jesus says in Matthew 10, ‘he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’
"Consistently through the kingdom program, this is the issue because again, these people are going to have to endure through the tribulation and, as Jesus says in Matthew 10, ‘he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’
“John has written a whole book now (I John) so these Believers can KNOW they have eternal life. He’s saying, ‘I’m writing to you people who believe that you may believe.’
"You say, ‘Well, I thought they already did believe?!’ If John’s writing to those who believe so they can believe, what is he talking about?
"The message is you have to KEEP ON believing. That’s why in chapter 2 he says, ‘they went out from us because they weren’t of us.’ How do you know the people who are REALLY born again and are part of the regeneration?
"You say, ‘Well, I thought they already did believe?!’ If John’s writing to those who believe so they can believe, what is he talking about?
"The message is you have to KEEP ON believing. That’s why in chapter 2 he says, ‘they went out from us because they weren’t of us.’ How do you know the people who are REALLY born again and are part of the regeneration?
“Jesus says in John 10, [27] My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
[28] And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
[30] I and my Father are one.
“You want to compare that passage with I John 1:3 where John writes, [3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
[29] My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
[30] I and my Father are one.
“You want to compare that passage with I John 1:3 where John writes, [3] That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
“That issue of being in their hand is like in Isaiah 40 where it talks about being in ‘the hollow of his hand.’
"It’s the issue of fellowship and camaraderie and, 'We’re in agreement with the Father and we’re in agreement with the Son. I and the Father are one.’ That is, we’re one in our purpose. We’re one in our intent. We’re agreed about this that we’re going to give some people eternal life.
"It’s the issue of fellowship and camaraderie and, 'We’re in agreement with the Father and we’re in agreement with the Son. I and the Father are one.’ That is, we’re one in our purpose. We’re one in our intent. We’re agreed about this that we’re going to give some people eternal life.
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“Who does Jesus Christ say He gives eternal life to in John 10? His sheep. Who are His sheep? People who hear His voice and follow Him. One, you’ve got to hear (‘faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’) and believe, but you also have to do what? Follow. There’s an element of works and activity involved there in that ministry to the ‘little flock.’
“There are some tests laid down to identify that in I John, given so people at that time will know whether they’re really in the true fellowship or whether they’re just fakers.
“As John explains in I John 2:26, [26] These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
“There’s a whole list of things he puts down starting in verse 13: ‘I write unto you fathers.’ ‘I write unto you young men.’ ‘I write unto you little children.’
“He goes right down through there, listing the things, explaining, ‘I’m writing because of this and I’m writing because of that,’ and then sums up why in verse 26.
“He says in verse 18: [18] Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
“You see, there’s an issue of making some things clear, giving some tests, so they can be able to identify objectively who is apostate Israel and who is the Believing Remnant; who are the ‘little flock,’ the true fellowship, and who’s the faker; who are those who claim to be Jews, claim to be Israel, but aren’t.
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“I John 2:1 says, [1] My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
“Now, this verse is missed completely by Christians today. He isn’t just writing this verse to a bunch of Believers so they can just be like, ‘Woo-hoo,’ and happy all the time. He’s talking about knowing whether you’re the true Israel of God!
“Twenty-one times in this Book of I John he says, ‘If we say.’ ‘If you say this, if you say that.’ There’s a series of tests to test the genuineness of what somebody is saying.
“Look at I John 1:6-8: [6] If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
[8] If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
“There are liars out there but they’re professing to be the genuine article, see? They’re liars and you need to know how to tell them apart. There’s some people saying, ‘We have no sin.’
“Now, I know how we use that verse. We usually say you’re nuts if you say you don’t have any sin. Verse 10: [10] If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
“He says over there in I John 3:9, for example, [9] Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
“Whoa, could you identify somebody by that? Verse 3:10 says, [10] In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
*****
“There’s some people born of God and don’t sin and there’s some people in I John 1:8 professing to be that bunch but are liars.
“By the time we get there, you’ll see that here’s some people who have a special status in the ‘little flock’ with regard to the New Covenant where literally He puts His law into their hearts and causes them to keep His commandments. This is a book that’s specially focused on some people who are tested: ‘Are you in it or aren’t you in it?’
“What John is addressing in I John is there’s these counterfeiting wolves in sheep’s clothing kind of an attack that is part of the Antichrist. In fact, that title, the ANTI-Christ, means he’s going to come and present himself to be the true Christ and he’s going to have a deceptive counterfeiting program that works with him.
“If they aren’t spiritually alert and equipped with this doctrinal understanding on how to see through the one who is professing to be like the Most High God . . .
"Satan is the great counterfeiter. He doesn’t simply come in and deny God’s truth; he counterfeits it and they’re literally going to see in the person of the Antichrist a counterfeit first coming of Christ, a counterfeit death, a counterfeit resurrection and counterfeit Second Advent and kingdom.”
(new article tomorrow)
"Satan is the great counterfeiter. He doesn’t simply come in and deny God’s truth; he counterfeits it and they’re literally going to see in the person of the Antichrist a counterfeit first coming of Christ, a counterfeit death, a counterfeit resurrection and counterfeit Second Advent and kingdom.”
(new article tomorrow)
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