That You May Know

We come to the end of this epistle and the final wrap-up with verses that highlight the overall purpose, namely to confirm us in full assurance of our possession of eternal life in Jesus.  Throughout, we’ve been addressed as “my little children” warning us of the ways our faith can be disturbed by the deceitfulness of our sin, of the world, and of the devil. Our security lies in the truth of Jesus come in the flesh, in full payment and forgiveness of our sins, and of the victory of faith through the power of God to make us overcomers.  As we come to the final section, verse 13 lays out the major theme of assurance, 14-17 shows us how assurance makes a practical difference in our lives, and then 18-21 hits us forcefully with the incomparable truth of our standing in Christ.