Calvin

5:13

In writing to the believer, John shows that those already confirmed by faith still need the reinforcement provided by the study of sound doctrine. For each has some degree of unbelief remaining which requires stronger confirmation. This confirmation and strengthening comes solely in the teaching of Jesus' great grace as the only means of our satisfaction. Jesus' is the sole object of our faith, and in that faith, we find also the hope of salvation.

5:14

Knowing that God is accessible to us, we can remain joyful in trials. (Eph 3:12 - we come boldly to the Father by faith. Ro 8:15 - the Holy Spirit - showing us our adoption - enables us to cry out to our Father.) Our ability to call confidently upon God, then, becomes one of the great tests of our faith. Where there is doubt of being heard, faith is lacking. God has indeed said He will answer our prayers, but there is the caveat that they be according to His will. To this end, He has instructed us in His word how to pray, and has given us the Holy Spirit to guide and restrain our otherwise unwise hearts. (Ro 8:26 - the Spirit helps us because we don't know how to pray right.) We ought to pray that God direct our prayers.

5:15

When God hears all our petitions, He hears those that are right and humble; for the faithful will not give way to their own desires, but submit always to His will. Having prayed rightly, we ought to be at peace as to His answer, and willing to await His time. Our confidence and faith ought not, however, to keep us from continued prayer. Faith does not generate indifference, but tranquility in assured answer.

 

 

Matthew Henry

5:13

We come to John's reason for writing this: that believers have confidence, comfort, and satisfaction as to their state. They are assured of eternal life by the manifold testimony of God, which ought to encourage a greater valuation of the scriptures. Further, the letter serves as encouragement to persevere, for to withdraw would be to renounce life.

5:14-5:15

Faith finds in Christ the privilege of having our prayers heard. Such prayers are necessarily such that they counter neither God's own will, or our own good. Such prayers as fit this mold are confident of being heard. Knowing they are heard, we can further be confident that they are answered.

 

 

Adam Clarke

5:13

Belief in Jesus Christ is not blind reliance, but true enjoyment of salvation; of Christ living and reigning in the heart. "Christ dwells in the heart only by faith, and faith lives only by love, and love continues only by obedience; he who believes loves, and he who loves obeys." This belief we are to continue in.

5:14

Confident prayer is such as accords with His will as revealed in the word. Prayer is the language of God's children, without which, love and faith must also prove absent. This is not license to lay undo claims upon God, but to come with what is agreeable with His revealed will. What has been promised, we may plead.

5:15

Knowing we pray according to His promises, we are assured of answer, and of a timely answer. God gives to him who prays at the point where it is needful, not waiting until it's too late.

 

 

Barnes

5:13

The letter speaks to those who believe in the person of the Son of God (the name denoting the person named) of the testimony regarding Lord Jesus. (Mt 28:19 - baptism is in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - indicating a baptism into their person, a becoming their disciples or followers. One doesn't follow after a name, but after the person named.) The evidence has been laid out so that we can test it, and ourselves by it, to know whether we possess it. (Jn 20:31 - for it shows us our belief, and by our belief we come to have life.) This is written to believers to strengthen them to continued belief. Such is a large part of the pastor's role - to reaffirm the great truths of Scripture to the believer, for the mind tends ever toward unbelief, and needs reminding. It is akin to trimming the vine, or weeding the garden.

5:14

One of the many impacts of belief on Jesus Christ is our assurance that our prayers will be answered. This is not carte blanche; God will not answer a prayer that is counter to His will, nor would it be right of Him to do so. There can be no good in thinking our ideas and wishes are a better guide than God's will, and we ought to be thankful that He places limits on what He will answer. His will, in this case, implies those things that He has already declared Himself willing to do; such things as forgiveness, sanctification (1Th 4:3 - which is His will), grace, and wisdom (Jas 1:5 - which wisdom He will give), deliverance, and salvation. His will necessarily limits His answer to that which He sees to be best. Accord with His will must keep us from praying for answers that would be inconsistent; that would require Him to depart from His law. So, for instance, a farmer ought not to ask for great harvest when he does not work for that harvest, for that would violate God's word regarding treatment of the lazy man. Finally, the faithful prayer will be in accord with the 'good of the whole.' God will certainly consider the wider impact of a prayer in determining its acceptability.

5:15

Knowing this assurance, we are certain of our prayers being heard and of their being answered. Such answers may not match our specific requests or our specific timing, but we can be certain that they will be answered in the way which best works to our good. (Lk 22:42 - Even Jesus' prayers were qualified by His will. The cup's removal was Jesus' desire, but God's will was His greater desire. 2Co 12:8-9 - Paul, too, found his prayer for relief answered otherwise than expected; learning that grace would suffice where healing had been asked.) "We have the petitions" implies a 'shall', for we clearly do not have the precise thing at the precise moment we pray. Furthermore, the prayer may relate to a future event, or the answer may be delayed for some reason such as the trying of our faith, or being inconsistent with God's timing, or simply because it's not the best answer for us. In spite of such delays, we can remain certain of the answer coming when He sees it to be best.

 

 

Wycliffe

5:13

The letter is written to provoke conscious knowledge of our possession of eternal life, and that this life is the basis for the joy of fellowship.

5:14-5:15

Once more we are made confident and bold - earlier with regard to the judgement, here with regard to prayer. The limitation of accordance with His will is a gracious limit which ensures His answers to be such as are best for us. Hearing includes the granting of petition (Jn 9:31 - God hears the God-fearer. Jn 11:41-42 - Jesus was thankful of being heard - and what had been heard had indeed been answered.) One who has fellowship with God will not ask anything contrary to His will.

 

 

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

5:13

John begins closing the letter by pointing out its purpose, as he had done also with his gospel (Jn 20:30-31 - which was written that the reader might believe Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing, they might have life.) John opened with the stated desire of having our joy be full. Here, the answer to that is found in knowing we have eternal life. This is to the one who believes already, with the intent that their belief continue.

5:14

Knowing we have eternal life (and why) leads to boldness in prayer. Such prayer being the believer's will, as well as God's, for the believer will will what God wills, requiring no further restraints. Such prayers as are outside God's will are outside faith, and thus not acceptable. Where we know and submit to God's will, it would be impossible to ask anything which He would not do. This is the ideal state of the Christian.

5:15

No prayer of faith which accords with His will is lost. We can rejoice in their being granted even before we have asked, knowing it will be so. (1Sa 1:18 - Hannah was gladdened even before seeing her answer. 1Sa 1:27 - and also recognized the answer when it came. 2Ch 20:21-22 - Jehoshaphat was confident enough of answer to appoint singers to offer up praises to the Lord before the answer had come.)

 

 

New Thoughts

Lord, I thank You that You do indeed condition our prayers; that You teach us how to remain within the bounds of Your will. I know, too, that You will cease striving if we simply refuse to listen, and allow us to go on as we please. These last weeks, God, we've laid many things before You, seeking to know the direction you would have us to take with them. Some of these are matters of ministry. Here, I think perhaps we ought simply to let our hearts be our guide, for You have taught us well to let our goods which You gave us be for good. Other matters are pretty clearly matters of desire with hints of needfulness. Oh God, is it simply grumbling on our part? Reveal to us, oh Lord, if we are becoming ungrateful for the manifold blessings You have showered upon us. God, if it's becoming a distraction, I'd rather it were removed. But, if it be Your desire, oh God, give us to know it. Roof, or addition, or stasis? Big or small? Step out with confidence, or hold fast with assurance? God, I trust You. I would that I knew better how to grasp Your answers, but I trust You. God, I know You've heard my heart on other things - and I've seen so many answered. I continue to call to You to help me change; to build in me a heart like Yours. I pray that You would provide for me the grace to be the head of this household, to be the father and husband that You desire. I pray that You would make of me a worker such as You have declared Your children ought to be; proving worthy of their wages. I pray that You would build of me a servant to Yourself, obedient to all You ask of me. That alone would be enough, for in it would You then answer all the rest. I love You, Lord, and I wait upon Your word in answer.