5:11-12 And this
is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and
he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
The nature of this witness is clearly evidenced in this
verse. John states matter of fact that the message he presently conveys is the
testimony God gave of His Son. God has given us eternal life, but this eternal
life is only found in Jesus Christ. This is the essence of the Christian life.
Paul writes, “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who
is our life appears (at the Second Coming), then you also will appear with Him
in glory,” Colossians 3:3-4.
Jesus testified “I am…the life,” John 14:6. He also
warned the religious leaders of His day “you are not willing to come to Me that you
may have life,” John 5:40. He stated numerous times without reservation
that His reason for coming was to give life to the world, John 6:33, 35;
10:10-11; 11:25-26, etc. On a number of occasions the Father spoke directly to
the people during the days of Jesus’ ministry. The first recorded time was
during Jesus’ baptism, when the Father said “You are My beloved Son; in You I
am well pleased,” Luke 3:22. God was giving His approval to the person
and ministry of Jesus. He went on record, as it were. The second time was a
more intimate setting. On the mount of transfiguration God came in a cloud and
told the apostles, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Luke 9:35. Again the Father
addresses Jesus as His beloved Son, informing the apostles that they should
listen to what Jesus was saying. Moses penned the Law and he pointed to the
coming Christ. Elijah stood on behalf of the prophets and likewise pointed to
the Coming One, Matthew 11:3.
To reject God’s answer to sin and separation from Him is
to reject life. John writes that the one who has Jesus Christ has (eternal)
life. The one who rejects the gospel does not have life. The unsaved have no
spiritual life. The dead were brought out of the camp in Old Testament times
and buried, because the dead were considered unclean and defiled God’s people
if they chanced to touch them, Leviticus 21:1, 11; 22:4-7; Numbers 5:2, etc. It
is symbolic that God will not permit anything that defiles into His kingdom. If
you are spiritually dead when you pass away, if you do not have eternal life in
Christ Jesus, you too must go outside the gates of the city, where everything
defiled is placed, Revelation 21:8; 22:15. If you do not have life, if you do
not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you shall not enter His kingdom,
Matthew 25:10-12.
Great explanation, Ian.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to see the number who, like the religious leaders, refuse to come to Christ so they can have eternal life, but are determined to get it on their own. As Romans 10:3 declares, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."