1 John 5:11-12

New International Version

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

For Final Consideration

The matter is straightforward.

You have two witnesses before you today—God Almighty and your religious or traditional leader. The issue is about eternal life. God says He has provided eternal life exclusively through His Son, Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16; Acts 4:12; 1 Jn. 5:11-12). You can analyze and assess what other humans say and believe. The expectation is that because you sometimes believe the testimony of human beings who can lie, you will readily and most confidently believe God Almighty’s witness. However, it has conflicted and distressed you.

Those who believe in Jesus as the Eternal Son of God, through whom alone can any person enter heaven after death (Jn. 14:6), know in their hearts that God’s testimony is unequivocally true (1 Jn. 5:9-10). God’s testimony is true because He is God. There is no room for doubt. If any person cannot and will not believe God’s testimony about Jesus, that person is a liar and calls God Almighty, their Creator, a liar, too. A preposterous and treasonous proposition!

Now this is what God has said:

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (11-12).

There are four imperatives here:

1. God has given us eternal life (1 Jn. 5:11; Jn. 3:16).
2. Eternal life is in His Son – Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 5:11; Jn. 17:3).
3. Whoever has believed and turned their life to Jesus for salvation has eternal life (1 Jn. 5:12; Jn. 1:12-13; Rom. 10:9-10).
4. Whoever does not have Jesus as their Savior and then Lord does not have eternal life (1 Jn. 5:12; Rom. 3:23; 6:23).

Who speaks after the Supreme Judge, the ultimate authority, has spoken? To whom do you appeal? Is there any authority beyond God? Whose testimony will stand when you die, and in whose courtroom — the divine courtroom of justice — will you stand for that testimony?

Your pastor will not be there when you stand before God in His courtroom. Neither will your sheik, philosopher, mother, father, traditionalist, or community leader.

So, the question remains: whose witness will you choose to believe today? The decision is yours, and yours alone. It is a personal responsibility that cannot be delegated or ignored.

Pray with Me

Dear God, forgive my stubborn pride that has challenged your testimony about your Eternal Son, Jesus Christ. I believe He is the only Savior through whom anyone can come to you. I forsake every other way but Jesus. Receive me into your kingdom through His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to you, and make me your own. Thank you for saving me, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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