And this is the testimony: that God has
given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son.
He who has the Son
has life; he who does not
have the Son of God does not have life. These
things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God,
that you may know that you have
eternal life, and that you may continue
to believe in the name
of the Son of God. 1
John 5:11-13
If we are to grow in grace, we must live
by faith. "Therefore it is of faith
that it might be according to grace" (Romans
4:16). If our faith is to develop and mature,
we must know where faith comes from. Jesus (and His word) is
the source of our faith. "Looking
unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith". "Faith
comes by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God" (Hebrews
12:2 and Romans 10:17). As we get to know our Lord better and
better, as we get into His word more and more, our faith grows. As our faith
grows, we experience the grace of God in increasing ways. One of the wonderful
workings of God's grace is to bring us assurance of salvation through
faith.
Some people wonder if they are saved. Others hope
that they are saved. Still others think that they might
be saved. God wants people to know that they are saved. "These
things I have written to you who believe in
the name of the Son of God,
that you may know that you have
eternal life." Of course, salvation (the gift of eternal life)
is given to those who "believe in the name
of the Son of God." This means that they
trust in the person and work of Christ. They believe He is God, the Son. They
believe He died and rose victorious over sin and death. Many who have entered
into salvation are, nonetheless, without assurance of this
great gift.
Assurance is imparted through the consideration of the previous testimony of
the faithful and true word of God. "And this is the testimony: that God
has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son."
The gift of eternal life has truly been provided for by the Lord. However, the
Father wants us to be reminded that this eternal life is "in
His Son." Everlasting life is not some "packaged
blessing" that comes to us separated from Jesus. The life God has for us
is found through a dependent relationship with a person, Jesus. If we have
Jesus in our lives, we have the life that is found in Him. "He who has
the Son has life;
he who does not have the Son of God does not
have life." If we have invited the Lord into our lives, He now dwells
in us. "As many as received Him, to
them He gave the right to become children of God" (John
1:12). Jesus gives us assurance of salvation
through faith in Him.
Lord
Jesus, I thank You for coming into my life when I received You by faith.
Therefore, I know that I have eternal life, since that life is in You. Thank
You for the grace that brings such assurance through simple faith in You, Amen.
