Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, prepare me to receive your word. Clear my mind and warm my heart. Assure me of your loving purposes for me, and speak into my life today.
Have you ever wondered if you’ve gone too far or sinned too repeatedly to be redeemed? Perhaps reading of ‘the sin that leads to death’ in verse 16 of this chapter fills you with anxiety. How can you be sure that you’ve been accepted and forgiven by God?
But John says that’s why he’s writing this letter – so that those ‘who believe in the name of the Son of God … may know that [they] have eternal life’ (verse 13). We can be confident of our salvation.
In verses 6–10, John reiterates our reasons to be confident in who Jesus is and his finished work on the cross. He himself was an eyewitness of the life, death and resurrection of Christ (1 John 1.1–3) but he reminds us that ‘the testimony of God is greater’ than that of men (verse 9). We can be confident that Jesus is who God says he is.
John assures us that we have come to the father and are reconciled to him because of our belief in Jesus. We have been ‘born of God’ (verse 1) – we are his children and we belong to him; we have ‘overcome the world’ (verse 4) – the evil one can’t harm us (verse 18); God has given us ‘eternal life, and this life is in his Son’ (verse 11). The amazing truth is that there is ‘no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8.1).
So what is the ‘sin that leads to death’? Most likely, John is referring to the refusal to accept that Jesus is the Messiah and he wants to be clear about how serious this rejection is so we will not be deceived. All our hope and certainty centres on Jesus Christ who said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14.6).
Dear God, I put my faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you that in him I can be completely confident in my salvation and know that I have eternal life. Lord, help me to live a life of love that displays your Spirit living in me and keep me from anything that might take your place in my heart.
This reflection was written by Esther King, Digital Communications Officer at Bible Society
Read the Bible 
Processing...