Day 14 – The Assurance of Eternal Life

The Gospel Gives Us Assurance

Today we come to a question that many sincere Christians struggle with:

Can I know that I have eternal life?

The answer of Scripture is remarkably clear.

Yes.

John does not say:

“I write these things so that you may hope you have eternal life.”

He says:

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

The Gospel does not leave those who trust Christ in permanent uncertainty.

God wants His children to know Him, trust His promise, and rest in Christ.

Our assurance does not begin with how well we are performing.

It begins with who Jesus Christ is and what God has promised to those who believe in Him.

Eternal Life Is God’s Gift

John begins with a simple but powerful statement:

“God has given us eternal life.”

Notice the words:

God has given.

Eternal life is a gift.

We do not manufacture it.

We do not earn it.

We do not purchase it.

God gives it.

This takes us back to what we learned earlier:

“It is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”

Salvation begins with God’s grace.

Eternal Life Is in Christ

John continues:

“And this life is in His Son.”

This is extremely important.

Eternal life is not simply a reward God gives independently of Christ.

Eternal life is in Jesus.

You cannot separate eternal life from Christ.

We cannot say:

“I want eternal life, but I don’t need Jesus.”

The Gospel does not offer eternal life as an independent reward.

It offers Christ.

And in Christ there is life.

Jesus is not simply the One who tells us how to find eternal life.

He is the source of eternal life.

Whoever Has the Son Has Life

John makes the message even clearer:

“Whoever has the Son has life.”

Not:

“Whoever has performed enough religious activities.”

Not:

“Whoever has achieved enough goodness.”

Not:

“Whoever belongs to the right family.”

Not:

“Whoever has accumulated enough religious merit.”

He says:

Whoever has the Son has life.

This brings us back to the heart of the Gospel.

Christ is the centre.

Whoever Does Not Have the Son Does Not Have Life

John also gives the other side:

“Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

The Gospel is wonderfully simple, but it is also very serious.

Jesus is not merely an optional addition to a person’s spiritual life.

He is the source of eternal life.

This is why the message of Christ matters so much.

Eternity is at stake.

You Can Know

Perhaps the most beautiful phrase in this passage is:

“So that you may know that you have eternal life.”

God does not want believers to spend their entire lives wondering whether He has accepted them.

He calls us to trust His promise.

Our assurance is not based primarily on our emotions.

Our assurance is based on God’s Word and God’s promise.

Some days we may feel spiritually strong.

Other days we may feel weak.

Some days our faith may feel vibrant.

Other days we may struggle.

But God’s promise does not change according to our emotions.

Our assurance rests upon God’s Word and the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Assurance Is Based on Christ, Not Our Performance

Imagine if your salvation depended upon your performance every day.

You would constantly ask:

“Have I prayed enough?”

“Have I been good enough?”

“Have I done enough?”

“Have I failed too much?”

But if our salvation ultimately depended upon our performance, we could never have genuine peace.

The Gospel directs us somewhere else.

Look to Christ.

Our assurance rests upon His finished work.

He died for our sins.

He rose again.

He is our Mediator.

He is our Advocate.

He is our Saviour.

Our confidence is:

“Christ has done what I could never do.”

Assurance Does Not Mean Carelessness

Someone may ask:

“If I can know I have eternal life, does that mean I can live however I want?”

No.

Genuine assurance should produce greater love for God, not greater love for sin.

When we understand grace, we should desire to honour the One who saved us.

John’s letters repeatedly show that genuine faith begins to produce evidence in a person’s life.

We should ask:

Do I desire to obey Him?

Do I love His Word?

Do I repent when I sin?

Do I love God’s people?

Is Christ changing the way I live?

These things do not purchase salvation.

They are evidence of a living faith.

The Difference Between Assurance and Presumption

There is an important distinction.

Assurance says:

“I trust God’s promise and depend upon Christ.”

Presumption says:

“I can live however I want because I have nothing to worry about.”

Biblical assurance produces humility.

It produces gratitude.

It produces obedience.

It produces perseverance.

It does not produce arrogance.

We never say:

“I am saved because I am better than others.”

We say:

“I am saved because Christ is merciful.”

Assurance Comes Through God’s Word

John begins his assurance by pointing believers to what he has written.

“I write these things…”

How does John give believers assurance?

Through the written Word of God.

This is especially important for The Open Gospel.

Our assurance cannot ultimately be built upon:

• feelings,
• visions,
• dreams,
• human traditions,
• personalities,
• cultural identity,
• or changing religious practices.

We return to Scripture as the authoritative written Word of God.

What has God said?

God’s Word gives us the foundation for our confidence.

Our feelings may change.

People may change.

Traditions may change.

Circumstances may change.

But God’s Word remains trustworthy.

The Importance of Believing

John writes to:

“You who believe in the name of the Son of God.”

Biblical assurance belongs to those who trust Christ.

This does not mean merely believing that Jesus existed.

It means trusting Him.

Relying upon Him.

Receiving Him.

Depending upon His finished work.

Faith says:

“I cannot save myself. Jesus is my Saviour.”

Eternal Life Changes How We Live Today

Eternal life is not merely something that begins after death.

Jesus said:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”

Eternal life means knowing God through Christ.

Therefore, the believer begins experiencing a new relationship with God now.

We pray differently.

We worship differently.

We love differently.

We make decisions differently.

We see eternity differently.

We no longer live only for this temporary world.

We belong to Christ.

Eternal life changes the direction of our lives because knowing Christ changes what we value.

Our Hope Is Secure in Him

Jesus gave His followers this promise:

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

What a promise.

The believer’s confidence is not ultimately in the strength of their grip on Christ.

It is in the strength of Christ’s grip on them.

This does not encourage laziness.

It produces worship.

Because our salvation is God’s gracious work, we can say:

“Thank You, Lord.”

Our hope is in the One who holds us.

The Invitation

Perhaps you have struggled with assurance.

Perhaps you constantly question whether God could really forgive you.

Perhaps your confidence has been placed in religion, tradition, family heritage, or your own performance.

Today, return to the Gospel.

Look to Jesus Christ.

He is our Saviour.

He is our Mediator.

He is our Advocate.

He is our life.

If you trust Christ, do not measure God’s faithfulness by the strength of your emotions.

Return to His Word.

Return to His promises.

Return to Christ.

If you have never truly trusted Jesus, the Gospel calls you to come to Him in repentance and faith.

You cannot earn eternal life.

You cannot purchase it.

You cannot inherit it from your family.

God gives eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

The question is not whether you have done enough.

The question is:

Do you have the Son?

And Scripture gives us the answer:

“Whoever has the Son has life.”

Do you have the Son?