“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12
What a terrifying thing it must be to not know Jesus as the Son of God, and what terrifying implications that lack of relationship with him has!
John has built his case over the previous chapters of this letter, exhorting those who read it to understand the full divinity of Jesus Christ and to trust in him. They have heard many differing accounts of who Jesus is; they have been lied to, and false teachers have tried to distort the truth.
John writes to encourage them and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to encourage you. Today, the message of who Jesus truly is often gets distorted in the media, conversations, and even churches. John makes things really simple for you and me: “Whoever has the Son has life.”
Do you have Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible? Is he your treasure? Has he redeemed you through his life, death, and resurrection? Is the Son of God yours?
Do you seek to know him? Are you motivated by a desire to love him more and more? Is he precious to you? If he is, you have life. You have the life only Jesus can give. What a joy it is to know the Son of God and to treasure him, and what a motivation he is to tell a lost world about him!
Many do not know Jesus and, as a result, do not have eternal life. Christian, you are called to share the good news of Jesus to those around you. He brings life, and without him there is only death. In the midst of many distortions, tell those around you about the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the sake of a lost world and lost sinners. By God’s grace, may countless more come to have the life the Son of God gives.
Ryan Williams is a lead pastor resident at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue.
