1. VII. The Test of Love (4:20-5:15)
    1. C. Obedient Love Brings Confidence in Salvation (5:13-5:15)
Thematic Relation: Knowing Him, we know His love, and know that His love hears our prayers when we are obedient to Him.

Some Key Words

Know (eido[1492]):
the fullness of knowing, intuitive knowledge
Confidence (parresia[3954]):
freedom or frankness in speaking, boldness in speech, openness, unwavering confidence of faith; free and fearless confidence
Hears (akouo[191]):
to hear and understand, to hear with the ear of the mind, so as to perform what is spoken; to learn by hearing, comprehend, to give ear to a teaching or teacher; give audience to
Ask (alteo[154]):
request, beg, the seeking by the inferior from the superior (vs. erotao - to ask as of an equal); to crave, desire
 

Paraphrase

13 All that has been said is meant to give confidence in our having eternal life, 14 in our being in His will, and therefor heard in our prayers, 15 and, being heard, answered also.

Key Verse

5:14 - it isn't carte blanche. It's according to His will we are heard and answered. The frivolous prayer doesn't count.

Thematic Relevance:

 The result of all the tests and checks declared in this message should be to build confidence. Knowing we love God, we know we obey Him and do His will as best we can. Knowing that, we can also know our prayers are heard and effective.

Doctrinal Relevance:

 14 Prayer is effective when according to His will.

Moral Relevance:

 Having checked ourselves in all these matters, we ought to (a) prayerfully make the necessary adjustments to ourselves, and (b) prayerfully pursue God's will. When we have reached the point of passing these checks, our confidence should be such that we know our prayers will be answered.

Some Parallel Verses

5:13
Jn 20:31 - written to believers that they may have life in His name.
5:14
Mt 7:7 - in asking, expect to receive, Jn 14:13 - knowing He promised to answer for God's glory.
5:15

New Thoughts

Seeing the many things You've given me to pray about in the course of this study, I'm thankful for this. Here in Your very word, You pray that I might come to a full knowledge and fearless confidence that You have heard and understood, so as to perform what is spoken in the many begging requests I have made of You, my Superior! I pray that Your prayer would be completed in me; that I would come to a full faith that You will, Lord, do for me all that I've asked. For I know that all I've asked has been asked as Your will has been revealed to me in these pages, and in these pages, too, is revealed Your willingness to answer. Oh God, I pray You answer soon. I cannot continue like this - on edge with my loved ones. I cannot continue to push my own daughter - whom You gave me in Your wisdom - away, to find in her more annoyance than pleasure. I cannot continue to be so easily offended by the helpmate You gave me. I cannot continue to be so callous to her need and her plight, although I know not how to respond to it rightly. Lord, I need You. I need Your presence, Your breaking and Your healing, Your remodeling of what I am. I long to be the new creation You have declared. Help my faith to be strong. Help me to endure patiently until You answer. Help.