25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.
John has been telling us about the benefits of abiding, remaining in relationship with God in Christ.
We have fellowship with God: 1 John 1:3 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
This fellowship with God results in fellowship with one another: 1st John 1:7 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
We have Jesus as our advocate in Heaven, at the Right Hand of the Father: 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
We have this wonderful anointing from God of the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.
We have an assurance that He will answer our prayers as we abide in Him, 1 John 5:14-15 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. When we ask something according to His Will, we can be assured that He hears us, and will Do according to His will, by His mighty power.
We have and abide in His love 1 John 4:16 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.
Eternal life
Most of all, John wants us to know, that as those who are Born Again in Christ, we have eternal life, as he reassures us later in 1 John 5:12-13. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 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 fellowship with God that Jesus purchased for us on the cross, and that is credited to our account when we come to God in faith, that the Way that He has ordained is the only way to reach Him. Jesus said in John 6 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. It’s trust, faith in God’s plan for eternal life through belief in Jesus for our salvation and eternity that God counts as righteousness, and justifies us in His sight.
The promise
This is actually the only place that it says directly that God promises us eternal life in so many words, although it’s a major theme of the New Testament. John wants to make it explicit. We were promised life and found it fulfilled in the person of Jesus. Both Jesus and the life He gives are promised to every believer from God the Father. For John the relationship between abiding and the experience of eternal life is one of continuity. You cannot have one without the other.
From Him
A promise is only as good as the character of the one who gives it. Have you walked with Jesus? Do you know the character of the one who has made you this promise? Walk with Him, and you will know that He sticks closer than a brother, that He will never leave you nor forsake you, that He does not lie, or misrepresent Himself. He can be trusted. In John 5:24 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. We already have eternal life, as Jesus lets us know. So, it’s no surprise that in John 5:20 John describes this life we have in Jesus as eternal life. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. So, for Christians, eternal life is a continuation of the life in Jesus that we experience now, Just lived completely and enjoyed to the fullest when it is culminated in Heaven. And so we both “have” eternal life, and are “promised” eternal life.
we have faith in the promise of Eternal life, because we have faith in the trustworthiness of God who has made the promise. And our eternal life is intimately connected with our abiding relationship with God.
As we walk in the Spirit, we get closer to Jesus, and understand our relationship to God as His children better. We cry out Abba, Father and approach the throne of grace with confidence, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name, and with His advocacy. As Paul says in Romans 8:16-17 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. Having God the Father as our Father means that we are heirs of the privileges passed down through our family heritage.”
We must be careful about our priorities. We must not spend our time fulfilling the desires of the flesh.
The body craves pleasure, and urges us, “if it feels good, do it”, even if it’s unwise. Psalm 19:8 tells us “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” It’s walking in His light, and understanding Him, as revealed in His Word that allows us to see the right decisions. Psalm 106:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
The soul wants happiness. The Christian life involves suffering with Christ, and if we’re always seeking happiness, then we’re going to miss out on what God has for us. Our real desire in life, heaven, won’t be fulfilled until we’re out of this world, and if we take our eyes off Jesus, and put them on this world, of course we’re not going to be happy. Psalm 126:5 “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Our trials here can be difficult, but if we want to satisfy our soul, the only source of true happiness is the Lord.
The spirit seeks Joy, which is found in a relationship with God through Jesus. Paul talks a lot about this in Philippians in verses like 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” It is the hope that we have in Jesus that gives us Joy. Paul says in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Fullness of Joy is all about abiding in obedience to Jesus. As He tells us in John 15:10-11 0 If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
It is important that we abide in Christ, remain in Him, because one day we’re going to have to stand before Him, in all His Holiness, Radiance and Glory, and give an account of our lives, and so John gives us the best advice that he can in 1st John 2:28 28 Now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not [j]draw back from Him in shame at His coming.
And not only that, abiding in Christ, we will have confidence when we stand before Him. 1st John 3:21 reminds us 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. Abiding in Christ, living for Him gives us the confidence to come boldly before the Throne of Grace with Petition in Jesus’ Name, guided by the Holy Spirit. It is this abiding, living out our confession that Jesus is the Son of God that results in fruit-bearing for the Kingdom of God. When we are called to give an account for what we have been given, we want to hear Jesus say as in Matthew 5:21 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.’ And the way that we do that is to abide in our confession of Jesus, abide in the Gospel, let God’s Will be done through your life as a faithful bond-servant. Make Him as Lord and Master of your life, and do the Will of the Father.