13 I have written these things to you who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I want you to know that you have true life with God for ever. 14 Also, we can trust God to help us when we turn to him. We know that he will hear us. When we ask for anything that he wants us to have, he listens to us. 15 Since we know that, we also know that God will give to us the things that we ask for. It is like we have already received those things from him. 


16 If you see that another Christian is doing something bad, this is what you should do. If it is a sin that does not  death, pray that God will help him. Then God will help that person to live for ever with him. That is for a sin which does not cause death. But there is a sin that causes death. If another Christian does that, I am not saying that you should pray for God to help that person. 17 Any wrong thing that a person does is sin. But not all sins cause death.  18 Nobody who has become a child of God continues to do wrong things. Instead, the Son of God keeps him safe.Satan cannot do anything against a child of God. 


19 We know that we belong to God. We know that Satan rules all the people who belong to this world. 20 We also know that the Son of God has come into the world. He has helped us to understand what is true. As a result, we know the only true God. We live together with this true God, because we belong to his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God. He is the one who gives us life with God for ever.


21 My little children, be careful to keep away from idols.



Discussions:

1. (v13) Do you trust in the Lord? Do you have eternal life ?

2. (v14-15) Under what conditions will God listen to our prayers ?

3. (v16-17) What is “a sin that does not cause death”? What is “a sin that causes death” ?

4. (v18) Why does “Nobody who has become a child of God continues to do wrong things.” ?

5. (v19-20) John points out that “Satan rules all the people who belong to this world.” .

Why is the Satan unable to harm us ?

6. (v21) What does “idol” refer to ?  How should  we “be careful to keep away from idols” ?

7. Pray for one another.