1 John 5:13 I write these things to you that you know that you have eternal life, to those who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Ταῦτα ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἵνα εἰδῆτε ὅτι ζωὴν ἔχετε αἰώνιον, τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ.
This verse reveals John’s purpose for writing this letter. It summarizes the previous section about the witness of the Holy Spirit to those who believe and receive eternal life. The key word here is “know.” The way we can know we have eternal life is if we have faith in Jesus and live obedience to his command of love. The Holy Spirit will confirm or convict us about this. If we have doubts, then we must turn to God in confession of our sins and reject the life of sinning and darkness. The Holy Spirit will give us strength to overcome and live in a new way. The responsibility is placed on us to respond.
The key question is, what does it mean to believe in the name of the Son of God? The word “believe” can also be translated as “trust.” To believe is to put one’s trust in someone or something. We accept the thing to be true and trustworthy. Jesus is truly the Son of God. This is a trustworthy saying and worthy of accepting. This faith is the open door to deeper insights about the person of Jesus. It is the beginning of a journey of life transformation. It brings us into relationship with God. The Holy Spirit will confirm this in our lives.
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