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Bible Notes - Tabernacle Commentaries
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1 John 5:19
Comments
We know that we belong to God, we have been purchased by Christ, we are on the Lord’s side, we have been reconciled to him, something of the divine nature is being imparted to us, and he will never let us go. We have a new attitude to sin and to the world, new desires, new love for Scripture and for God’s people. At conversion we were taken out of the world and given a new perspective, and we saw that the only distinction that matters is between those who belong to Christ and those who do not. The world lies helpless, but guilty, in the power of the evil one; men and women do as they are tempted. This new insight tells us why the world is the way it is, why it is so hostile to the gospel, why it is incapable of healing itself, why it is restless in its efforts to concoct its own explanation for its existence. But the situation of the world is very serious, for unbelievers are totally under the control of Satan, to the extent that they cannot free themselves, and yet at the same time complacent about it.
Application
Our response to this is not to disdain the world or look down on it with pride, but to give earnest thanks to God, for we were delivered out of it not by our own doing but by God’s gracious initiative alone.
Knowledge has been defined as justified true belief, and it is a very precious thing. Many in our age deny that certain knowledge is possible: uncertainty and irrationalism have permeated our society. To say that we know anything for sure is taken as a mark of delusion and arrogance. But unless the Christian has sure knowledge not just of things on earth but things in heaven above, his religion is worth nothing. The Christian knows for certain because God knows for certain, and he has revealed his knowledge to us.
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