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Articles
You May Know You Have Eternal 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,” I John 5:13
In a world where we know so little, there are certain, priceless truths God allows us to know. Uncertainty has the capacity to wear you down and stress you out. As a child of God, you need to focus on what you do know, because what you do know is far more important than everything you do not know. You can know you have eternal life, and that is the primary point in I John.
“Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.” I John 4:17
“And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.” I John 3:19
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” I John 3:14a
“And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.” I John 2:28
Regardless of the chaos and uncertainty around you, through faith and the powerful grace of God, you can know your eternal destination with certainty. How?
You can know you have eternal life by your obedience. I John 2:5 says “whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” Those who are obedient to God’s word are those who know God and are found in Him. Your love for God is to be expressed through obedience.
You can know you have eternal life by your love. We typically think of eternal life as something to be realized in the future, and in many ways that is true. However, I John 3:14-15 reveals that you are either abiding in death, or you have eternal life abiding in you right now. Those who “have passed from death to life,” according to I John 3:14 are those who “love the brethren.” If you love others “in deed and in truth,” (I John 3:18), then I John 4:17-19 shows us you have no need to fear death.
Finally, you may know you have eternal life by God’s own testimony. God keeps His promises. “And this is the promise that He has promised us - eternal life,” (I John 2:25). The challenge to you is this: do you believe God? I John 5:11 says, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”
Interestingly, before John’s letter closes, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the power of prayer. I John 5:14-15 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” Even though we have complete confidence in eternal life with God in heaven, this life is still hard. Thankfully, God knows life is hard, so He has blessed us with the gift of prayer to help us get through.
Do you know that you have eternal life in heaven with God? God loves you and has offered you His grace, (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8). Jesus Christ offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice so your sins can be forgiven, (Romans 5:8-9). Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible for you to repent and be baptized so that all your sins may be forgiven, (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16). Then, if you continue to live faithfully, you can know that you have eternal life, (Revelation 2:10, I John 5:13).
