In the final stretch of his letter, John used the phrase "we know" a few times to recap everything he's taught up to this point. Let's read:

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but He who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Beautiful. It's all a recap of everything we've looked at over the past few months. And, to make his point, John uses his familiar phrase: we know. There's John again, certain and confident and sure to the very end.

Notice with me the three convictions John thinks will come from this letter.

Conviction #1: Jesus Will Help Us Overcome

John said, "We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning" (18). We aren't destined to remain stuck in sin, because Jesus, the One John says was born of God, protects us (18). We are protected from the evil one's plans for us by Jesus!

This doesn't' mean believers are immune from trials. The Bible will have no part of nonsensical teaching, which says we can be free of sickness or other trials that infirm humanity.

What the Bible does guarantee is our ultimate rescue from all such pains and tears, but while here on earth, we will most certainly partake in the trials everyone else does. And more.

But John's concern is with our spiritual condition. The evil one cannot make us sin (the devil made me do it!). Jesus protects us. He offers us His life as a way to overcome.

So, the first conviction: Jesus will help us overcome.

Conviction #2: We Belong to God

Then John said, "We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (19). And, by the time a believer has passed through John's three tests, they'll know they are from God (16).

Again, do I believe in the True Jesus? Do I obey God? Do I love my brother and sister in Christ? If "yes" is the general direction of my life, then I can know I am from God.

So the conviction here -- that we belong to God -- sets us apart from the world. It, John says, lies in the power of the evil one (16). We do not.

So, the second conviction: We belong to God.

Conviction #3: Jesus Is the Way to God

Finally, John said, "We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding" (20). John has told us life is found in Him. Jesus not only showed us how but made way for us to go to God. He explained God to us. The Father is seen by looking at the Son.

By knowing Jesus, John said, we can know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ (20).

The reality of God can only be known through Jesus, but once you accept Jesus, you can not only know God but be in God. The relationship is of the most profound intimacy. Oneness with God!

So, the third conviction: Jesus is the way to God.

1. Jesus will help us overcome.
2. We belong to God.
3. Jesus is the way to God.

And I hope these three convictions have developed in you during our time in 1 John. You don't have to follow the course of this world! You can live in victory! You can have friendship and fellowship with God! You can enjoy Him as your Father! All this is made possible by Jesus' work on the cross.