I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:13

John boils down the purpose for the entire letter of 1 John in this verse: “This is why I’m writing. This is my burden. I want you to know that you have eternal life.”

Not hope you have eternal life. Not think you have eternal life. But know you have eternal life. Like any loving father, our Father in heaven wants us to be secure in our love relationship. He wants us to know who we are and whose we are and what he’s given us. He wants us to have assurance about our eternal destiny.

And who is John writing to? Who gets this assurance of eternal life? Who needs this message? Simply those who believe in the name of the Son of God. Those who are trusting Christ as Savior.

This is a promise to claim and stand upon. If you are believing in Christ as Savior, if you are trusting in Christ and not your own goodness or works, then you can rest on the authority of God’s Word: You have eternal life.