1 John 5:13

"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." 1 John 5:13

I often ask the question to folks, "Can you know that you have eternal life?", and the response I get is almost 100 percent, "No, no one can really know!" While I understand where they are coming from, I also have to disagree. What is my disagreement based upon? Well, its based on the testimony of one who walked with Jesus, seen Jesus after the resurrection, and was privileged to write about things that are yet to come which he has seen with his own eyes. Could John be crazy? Highly unlikely! We cannot think of John without thinking of the other eye witnesses of Jesus. Here is a group of men and women who turned the world upside down based on their belief that Jesus was God's promised Messiah! They were so convinced that they dedicated their very lives to spread the news of what they saw! A very high percentage of them died at the hands of those who opposed their faith. Paul even admitted that if the resurrection were not true then they (Christians) were to be the most pitied among men, yet he made it his life's mission to spread the Gospel. Why? Because the resurrected Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus and Paul knew the truth! I am placing my faith in Christ through the eyewitness testimony of many who died to tell their story and turned the world upside down! I also have internal confirmation of my faith through the work of the Holy Spirit in my life! Yes, I know that I have eternal life based on my faith, and faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see! I don't live in fear wondering what will happen when my body ceases to function and rots in a grave! I will be living in the presence of an Almighty God! John stated one of his purposes..."I write these things so that you may know that you have eternal life!" So how about it, do you know what will happen to you when you die? What is it based upon? Honestly, I can't wait to be with my Lord! Not that I don't like my life here, but I long to be with my Creator!

God, thank you for giving Your people the confidence of knowing their eternal state! John heard Jesus talk about it, and he saw it first hand. Thanks for writing to us through Your servant John the things that we can grasp as eternal truth!

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