To the Point (1 John 5:13)

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

This is why this book exists. John has been writing to give his readers assurance. What he has been describing are the qualities of the people who belong to the Kingdom of God. You can know if you are in or out.

This is the verse (and by extension, the book) that I turn to when I meet people living in fear of God. They tend to be people from church backgrounds like Catholicism or Church of Christ. Those whose faith is built on a legalistic system where people must work to please the Creator.

Because that is exactly what John is addressing. The qualities John lists here are not a list of things that we do in order to earn God’s favor. They are also not even qualities that a believer possesses or perfects in their lifetime. They appear and grow as qualities in the lives of those who trust in Jesus for their security.

Do you see them in your own life? Not in perfection, and certainly not as qualities that you are achieving in any way. But a growing renunciation of sin, obedience towards Christ, rejection of worldliness, grounding in faith, and lead of love, let you know the quality of trust you are exercising.

We are not faithful to Christ to deserve His favor.
Christ favors us and thus deserves our faithfulness.

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