Dr. Charles Stanley
Read | 1 John 5:13
Writing to the early church, the apostle John wanted to make something perfectly clear: God offers His children everlasting life. Men and women in Christ should have no fear of physical death, because their true lives—their eternal lives—are secure in Jesus. Today’s passage is unique because in it, John plainly states his purpose for writing. The point of his ministry was to empower believers with the unshakable faith of eternal life in Christ.
The basis for this truth lies in . . .
1. The unchanging promises of God. Over and over in his gospel and letters, the apostle declares God’s assurance of never-ending life. For example, he quotes Jesus’ promise of eternity in John 3:16, 6:40, and 10:27-30.
2. The unconditional love of God. Our Father loves us so much that He wants an everlasting, intimate relationship with each one of us. To achieve this, He demonstrated His love in a remarkable way: by providing our salvation at a great price (Rom. 5:6-11; 8:33-39).
3. The finished work of Christ on the cross. By offering His life as a substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf, Jesus provided the means of salvation once and for all. Our part is to accept the gift He so freely gives (Heb. 10:23-28).
4. The witness of God’s Spirit to our heart. Our Father places His Holy Spirit within every believer to testify to the truth of our salvation (Rom. 8:15-17).
Scripture tells us that we can have complete assurance of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Does your day-to-day life reflect this confidence?
