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Introduction
The "These Things" That John Speaks About
Loving One Another
Knowing God
Summary
Introduction
Two groups of believers - Calvinists and those who hold to the Doctrine Of Eternal Security (OSAS) believe that once a person is saved they are saved for all eternity i.e they cannot be unsaved. Although both groups have the same end result in common they take dissimilar paths to get there.
Perseverance of the Saints: is based on the Calvinist doctrine of Unconditional Election. If, as Calvinists assert, God predestines then unconditionally elects some individuals to eternal salvation it stands to reason that He would keep or preserve them until the end. Thus Calvinism believes that if the believer falls away he (or she) must never had genuine faith and was never truly saved in the first place. Perseverance of the Saints has been covered in the Section on Calvinism.
Although there is some overlap this page largely focuses on... The Doctrine of Eternal Security (OSAS or Once Saved - Always saved) is based on what is seen as Jesus' promises (largely from the Gospel of John) that whoever believes in Him has everlasting life, shall not perish, shall not be cast out, shall not come into judgment, etc.. It is a gift of God that cannot be reclaimed nor returned (in other words, once saved a person cannot do anything to get 'unsaved') (Also See Eternal Life... Possession or Promise?)
1 John 5:13 is often used as a proof text in support of Unconditional Eternal Security. These things I have written 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 NASB)
Was John assuring his readers that they could never lose their salvation or are we taking his words out of context? Unfortunately for those who may conduct their lives believing they are eternally saved regardless of how they conduct their lives it is the latter. Anyone who reads 1 John 5:13 as a stand-alone completely misses the point that John was trying to make. This because no Biblical author simply strung together a number of lofty sounding phrases disconnected from one another. Each verse is an integral part of a particular point the author was trying to make which means that no one should read (much less base their beliefs on) stand alone verses. In order to accurately determine exactly what message that verse or passage was meant to convey one has to read the immediate surrounding verses, the entire chapter, or even several chapters. See Context is CRUCIAL Thus reading the entire book of 1 John leads to a very different conclusion.
The "These Things" That John Speaks About.
John very clearly said that he had written "these things" to the believer "in order" that they may know they had eternal life. Because the second half of the verse is predicated on the first we need to pay close attention to what the obviously important "these things" were that John wrote about. John's letter was directed to keeping believers who were in danger of being led astray on the right path (2:26). To that end he primarily focused on four things .... Faith, Obedience, Love of The Brethren, and Deeds,
In chapter 1 (Vs. 1-2) he first affirms that the Son of God had come to earth in the flesh and that he had seen him, heard him, and touched him. John emphasized that God is light and that in order to have fellowship with him they (we) must walk in the light (Vs. 5-10).
In chapter 2 John exhorts his readers not to deceive themselves that they are sinless but, at the same time assured them that if they did sin they had an Advocate with the Father who is the propitiation for sins (V.1:8 - 2:2). John makes a clear connection between "knowing" God and keeping His commandments telling them that he who knows God keeps his commandments and he who professes to abide in Christ ought to walk as Christ walked.
By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:3-6 NASB) (Obedience To God's Commandments)
After which he says true believers can also be seen by their love for other Christians. If they 'hate' their brother they are in darkness. The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (2:9-11 ) (Love of The Brethren)
He cautions them to beware of antichrists (2:18-23) and to persevere in what they had received so that they would not shrink away when He returned. Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. (1 John 2:22-23 NASB)
In chapter 3 John first talks about God's extraordinary love, tells them they are now Gods children which makes them unappreciated by the world. He reemphasizes that all sin is the transgression of the law and no child of God sins (V. 3:4-10. 9-10). He that commits sin is of the devil (V 8). (Obedience To God's Commandments)
He went on to re-emphasize that anyone who is not righteous cannot be a true Christian, neither is he who does not love his brother. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:10 NASB) (Love of The Brethren)
And as they heard from the beginning they were commanded to love one another. In fact, the evidence that they (and us) have passed from death to life is love of the brethren (3:14). John went even further when he told them that a person who hates another is in fact a murderer and cannot be a true child of God. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:14-15 NASB) (Love of The Brethren)
And how is this love put into action? John is very clear.. Just as Christ laid down His life for us we too ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (V.15-16) (Love of The Brethren and Deeds)
John then stresses that love is shown not in words but in deeds. Thus he asks if they have "the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him" the love of God cannot abide in him (1 John 3:17 NASB) But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:17-18 NASB) (Deeds)
In other words, this love is expected to go a little deeper than the after service token hug or handshake. His last words in this chapter are to inform his readers that they they abide in God by the spirit which he has given them and the fact that they keep His commandments in which case their prayers would be answered. "Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments" (Obedience and Love of The Brethren)
Chapter 4 is largely devoted to two subjects. How we can determine that we have the Spirit of God and the importance of love. (John wasn't called the apostle of love for nothing)
In verses 1-6 John warns them to test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. these false prophets are from the world and the world listens to them. But he who knows God listens to them. From verse 7 to the end of the chapter John returns to the subject of love reiterating that love originates with God, and everyone who has true love is born of God, (V. 7-8). God love was shown by sending His Son to die for us; and as He has so loved us, we ought also to love one another (V. 9-11). the best evidence that God dwells in us is if we love one another. (V.12-13). (Love of The Brethren) Verse 14 says Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:15 NASB)
This test of faith is tragically often the only one considered valid (or considered at all) by many Christians today. As long as someone verbally confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...the savior, he is considered "saved". Yet we totally forget that it is entirely possible to verbally confess Jesus as Lord with one's mouth but yet deny it by one actions. John warns about this at least three times in his first epistle ... (All Emphasis Added) (Obedience To God's Commandments) The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; (1 John 2:4 NASB) the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. (1 John 2:6 NASB) The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. (1 John 2:9 NASB)
He then goes on to say "the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." (V. 16) and if someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (V. 20 NASB) (Love of The Brethren)
Chapter 5 - begins with a statement that is the essence of our faith.
The very next verses make it very apparent that belief has to be accompanied by something far more substantial i.e. keeping God's commandments By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (V.2-3)
The next few verses are about the witnesses both earthly and heavenly. They are the Spirit and the water and the blood all three of which are in agreement. (V. 5: 6-9) However, this is one of the most puzzling phrases in the New Testament. John was obviously using symbolism but what he actually meant has long been the subject of debate. Perhaps the most common view is that water was a reference to Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, and the blood referred to His death on the cross. Also See 1 John 5:7 (The Comma Johanneum)
that is is often pointed to as proof of the three separate Persons in Heaven. However it is widely believed that this short clause was a later addition
Loving One Another
In his Gospel John wrote
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34 NASB)
Adding that this love for the brethren provided evidence to the world that they were indeed His disciples. (Emphasis Added) "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35 NASB)
This is perfectly understandable. The world will sit up and pay attention to genuine love, caring and compassion in a world filled with prejudice and hate. This is especially true when they see that people of widely diverse social, economic, and racial backgrounds can come together under one banner visibly demonstrating their caring for one another. This love also distinguishes believers from unbelievers in the sight of God, emphasized in Jesus' foretelling of things to come... "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' " Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matthew 25:31-46 NASB)
Knowing God
Old Testament
When applied to God the term "know" (yâda in Hebrew) most often has a sense beyond the basic meaning of simply having intellectual knowledge of something or someone. "To know God," is to be in right relationship with him. Although this 'knowing' has to include objective, factual data, one can possess intellectual knowledge of God including His character and laws, yet still not "know" him. Remember God's words to the priest through the prophet Jeremiah...
"The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' And those who handle the law did not know (Heb. yâda) Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did not profit. (Jeremiah 2:8 NASB)
There can be no question that the priests had head knowledge of God. They recognized His existence, knew of His dealing with the nation, and were familiar with His laws which they publicly acknowledged. However they did not love, respect or honor the God they professed to serve, nor did they 'walk in His ways'. Jeremiah 9:3 shows the conduct of people who did not 'know' the Father. "They bend their tongue like their bow; Lies and not truth prevail in the land; For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know (Heb. yâda) Me," declares the LORD. "Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor, And do not trust any brother; Because every brother deals craftily, And every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. "Everyone deceives his neighbor And does not speak the truth, They have taught their tongue to speak lies; They weary themselves committing iniquity. "Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:3-6 NASB)
Some more examples are "For My people are foolish, They know (Heb. yâda) Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know." (Jeremiah 4:22 NASB)
Their deeds will not allow them To return to their God. For a spirit of harlotry is within them, And they do not know (Heb. yâda) the LORD. (Hosea 5:4 NASB) but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows (Heb. yâda) Me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24 NASB) O continue Your loving kindness to those who know (Heb. yâda) You, And Your righteousness to the upright in heart. (Psalms 36:10 NASB)
The New Testament
Uses the Greek words eido or ginosko "I know (Gr. eido) Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me." (John 7:29 NASB) So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know (Gr. eido) neither Me nor My Father; if you knew (Gr. eido) Me, you would know (Gr. eido) My Father also." (John 8:19 NASB) "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know (Gk. ginosko) Me, even as the Father knows (Gk. ginosko) Me and I know (Gk. ginosko) the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15 NASB) "My sheep hear My voice, and I know (Gk. ginosko) them, and they follow Me; (John 10:27 NASB) "This is eternal life, that they may know (Gk. ginosko) You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3 NASB)
At the last judgment Jesus words to all pretenders to piety who claim to have done many works in his name will be …. "I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness." (Matthew 7:23). He obviously will have objective knowledge about these people - that they are evil doers. His not 'knowing' them, therefore, will be in the sense of not having been in relationship with them. He never approved of their conduct and never regarded them as His friends. "I am the good shepherd, and I know (Gk. ginosko) My own and My own know (Gk. ginosko) Me, (John 10:14 NASB) but if anyone loves God, he is known (Gk. ginosko) by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:3 NASB) "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. "These things they will do because they have not known (Gk. ginosko) the Father or Me. (John 16:2-3 NASB) But now that you have come to know (Gk. ginosko) God, or rather to be known (Gk. ginosko) by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? (Galatians 4:9 NASB) They profess to know (Gr. eido) God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. (Titus 1:16 NASB) The one who says, "I have come to know (Gk. ginosko) Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; (1 John 2:4 NASB) The one who does not love does not know (Gk. ginosko) God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8 NASB) We are from God; he who knows (Gk. ginosko) God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows (Gk. ginosko) God. The one who does not love does not know (Gk. ginosko) God, for God is love. (1 John 4:6-8 NASB)
Walking in God's ways and in a right relationship with Him is the key to salvation and eternal life. "This is eternal life, that they may know (Gk. ginosko) You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:3 NASB)
If we examine our lives using the criteria given us by the apostle John, and find that God's grace is indeed at work in us, then yes, we certainly can have assurance that we have eternal life' However, eternal life is not a tangible possession given to us as a commodity and it is entirely possible to fall away from the faith. If at any time in the future we examine our lives using the same criteria and find that we do not measure up, we can consider ourselves warned that we need to repent and return.
Summary
In essence, the book of 1 John makes three key points summarized by him in a statement near the close of his letter. Noting that loving the brethren means being willing to lay down ones life for them (3:15-16), John wrote (All Emphasis Added)
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. (1 John 5:1-2 NASB)
These four factors that John's entire letter was centered around are the "these things" that were critical for his readers to evaluate their lives and determine whether or not they had eternal life. All were marks of a true believer and equally important. The modern reader knows he (or she) has an assurance of salvation in exactly the same way as John urged the first century reader. It is extremely dangerous to rely on a once made profession of faith. Noting that an honest evaluation is supremely important and self deception can be fatal, it is crucial that we assess our present lives in light of the points John made so that we too can have the assurance that we are genuinely saved. If, on the other hand, we look at our life and find that it does not measure up we can consider ourselves warned. The good news being that we still have the opportunity to repent and change our eternal destiny. Please note that the Scriptures are also very clear that NO LIVING CHRISTIAN can claim to be finally saved. See The Two Phase Atonement | 
