At the end of John’s first epistle, he wrote about four things that we know.  He wrote, “We know that…”.  And these things that we know are important to us in the church.  However, they are absolutely essential to those in the Tribulation.

We know that we have the petitions that we desired of him – 1 Jn 5:14-16.

Knowing that God hears us gives us confidence in prayer.  God hears the prayers of those who are in him when we pray according to his will, like Jn 15:7 and Jn 14:13-14.  And when he hears us, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.  Mk 11:24 and Jas 1:5 are good examples.

In the Tribulation, 1 Jn 5:16 matches Jas 5:14-16.  Sin can affect health, Jn 5:14, and definitely affects the health of Jews in the Tribulation.  So, when the sin that causes a health problem is not a sin unto death, a brother can pray and God will give life and health to the sick.

The sin unto death in Jesus day was blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, Matt 12:31.  In the Tribulation it will be worshipping the beast or his image and taking the mark of the beast, from which a brother cannot repent, Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:26.  A brother is not to pray for this sin.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not – 1 Jn 5:17-18.

These two verses are just like 1 Jn 3:6-10 and 1 Jn 2:29.  And just like those two passages, this passage is not about sinless perfection.  He who does unrighteousness is of the devil.  He who does righteousness is of God.  All unrighteousness is sin.  And it’s possible to sin not unto death.  That’s why John wrote 1 Jn 1:9-2:2.  However, whosoever is born of God sinneth not.  He can no longer do the things he used to do before he was saved.  He’s a child of God now and that old stuff is no longer right for him to do.

He that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked toucheth hin not is the same as 1 Jn 2:13

We know that we are of God – 1 Jn 5:19.

We are of God, and therefore, we are not of the world because the whole world lieth in wickedness.  We overcome the world, 1 Jn 4:4, 5:4.  And we are to love not the world, 1 Jn 2:15-17.  In Jn 17:15-18, we are in the world, but not of the world.  In Gal 1:4, this present world is evil.

We know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding – 1 Jn 5:20.

Here’s what we understand.  We know him that is true.  In Jn 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the truth”.  In 1 Jn 4:6 ours is the spirit of truth.  We are in him, Jn 14:20, 15:1-7, even in Jesus Christ.  He is the true God, and the god of 2 Thes 2:4 is not.  And Jesus is eternal life.  He said, “I am the life”, Jn 14:6.  In Jn 11:25-26, he is the resurrection and the life.  

Conclusion: Little children, keep yourselves from idols.  The antichrist is going to stand an image and demand that the whole worship it, Rev 13.  Tribulation saints will die rather than worship that image, Rev 2:10.