I John 5:13-17 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

In similar fashion to his first letter, John uses his final remarks to state the purpose of writing his epistle. In John 20:31, he declares, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”; revealing that John’s purpose was the conversion of sinners! In his Epistle, the purpose is the confidence of the saints, “And this is the confidence that we have in him.” In the text, John emphasizes three areas of confidence that serve as a comfort unto God’s children.

The Season of Confidence

The first area of confidence John emphasizes is the season of confidence, “that believe on the name of the Son of God . . . and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” When casually reading through the text, one can easily miss John’s emphasis because of the similarities of the two phrases. Only after close examination does it become evident that two seasons of time are set forth; one active, “that believe” and one anticipated, “may believe.” In the first phrase, John speaks of an active faith that has embraced the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. John’s letter was to establish confidence in the present possession of “eternal life”; “that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (John 20:32). For those “that believe”, “eternal life” is a present possession. John is declaring that there is peace for the present, but that’s not all; there is peace for the future! The same God that was able to save you is able to secure you; “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Faith is not just for the sinner’s conversion, but it is for the saint’s continuance, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). Your faith did not begin and end at Calvary, but it is to be a living, vibrant faith that counts God faithful and sufficient for every aspect of life; from now to glory. John is declaring that whatever season of life one finds them self in; with confidence, they can trust God “to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20)

The Source of Confidence

The second area of confidence to be emphasized is the source of confidence, “that believe on the name . . . and that ye may believe on the name.” Please note John’s emphasis on the “name.” A name implies authority or dignity; character is described by the name. This will be the second time in the epistle that he will make a specific reference to the importance of “believe on the name”, “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ” (I John 3:23). Remember that John is exposing the demonic error of the Gnostics which rejected the incarnation; they openly denied that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the God. While the Gnostics would not give a name to the Son of God, the Holy Spirit through the pen of John would and did, “Jesus is the Son of God” (I John 5:5). God is clear and concise; there is one and only one name on which of believe; “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Speaking unto Joseph, the angel said, “and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The songwriters were right when they wrote the lyrics; “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus; there’s something about that name!” Paul declared; “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). Confidence can be expressed in that NAME, and that name is JESUS! He is the source of confidence.

The Supplication of Confidence

The final emphasis is the supplication of confidence, “whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” There are several areas to consider if confidence is to be established, the first being the person of confidence, “And this is the confidence that we have in him.” If not careful, our confidence will be in our praying and not in the person we are praying to! John is clear; confidence doesn’t rest on the prayer of the saint, but the person of the Saviour! Our confidence is in the One that said, “For I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6), “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3). He can be trusted! Secondly, we can have confidence in the practice, “if we ask.” James said, “ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). It is God that encourages the practice and the participation of prayer! The manner and method of approaching God has not been determined by man, but defined by the Master; Jesus said in the “Model Prayer”, “After this manner therefore pray ye” (Matthew 6:9). He stands with arms open wide and says “Come unto me”, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 11:28 & 7:7). When John said, “And this is the confidence”, the word “confidence” originally meant freedom of speech, but later it came to denote any kind of confidence. Speaking of confidence in the practice of prayer, an old writer said, “We never need to force our way into his presence or compel him to pay attention.” Lastly, we have confidence with respect to our petitions, “we have the petitions that we desired of him.” John approaches this area of confidence from two perspectives. John begins with the confidence in hearing our petitions, “if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” When John uses the word “heareth” he has more of the idea of comprehension and compliance rather than capability. The word “heareth” means to hear effectually so as to perform or grant what is spoken. This is achieved with the harmony of wills; when the will of the supplicant is in tune with the will of the Sovereign, “ask . . . according to his will.” John tells us the means where by this harmony is accomplished; “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). Secondly, John emphasizes confidence in the heeding of our petitions, “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Once we have established a confidence in hearing; that which follows is a confidence in heeding! Note that John said, “if we know that he hear us . . . we know that we have.” When there is hearing and harmony, there will be heeding! Our answers are in direct correlation to “that we desired of him.” In our text the word “ask” and “desired” are the same word; thus, what you ask for you get!

Like Paul, John wants the saints to know that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7); John reminds them of the season of confidence, the source of confidence, and the supplication of confidence. Together they help establish Confident Christianity!