Are you experiencing doubt about your relationship with God? In moments of uncertainty, it’s natural to question the assurance of our salvation, especially when we stumble into sin or face spiritual struggles. However, God’s desire is for us to live with confidence in His promises, rooted not in our fluctuating feelings but in the unchanging truth of His Word. God gave us the Bible so we could know Him and live in a way that brings Him glory. He desires that we truly understand His teachings and how they apply to our lives. Simply put, the Lord wants us to trust in Him with complete confidence.
Yet, there are forces at work that attempt to undermine this confidence. Many of us know what it’s like to be joyfully moving along through life, sure of our salvation, until we stumble into sin. Then feelings can take over, causing us to think, “There’s no way I can be saved. If I were truly saved, I’d never have done such a thing.” Overwhelmed by a sense of regret and shame, we find our faith being called into question. But the Lord calls us to operate based on truth, not feelings. As Jesus said in John 16:13, the Spirit of truth will guide us into all truth. Whenever your emotions contradict the Bible, you can be sure that the Scriptures are reliable.
In this post, we examine the certainty of salvation through the lens of 1 John 5:10-15, a passage that offers believers clear assurance. We will exegete the text, highlight key phrases from the original Greek, and explain their significance using the English Standard Version (ESV). By the end, you will be equipped to lay your feelings of doubt before the Lord and embrace the certainty that comes only from His truth. Have your feelings of regret stolen your confidence in eternal salvation? John writes, “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” (1 John 5:13, ESV, emphasis added). Let’s dive in and discover the confidence God offers us.
The Witness of God: Greater Than Human Testimony (1 John 5:9-10)
“If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.” (1 John 5:9-10, ESV)
Exegesis and Original Language Insights
John begins by contrasting human testimony with divine testimony. The Greek word for “testimony” here is marturia, a term often used in legal contexts to denote evidence or a witness statement. In the first-century culture, testimony was foundational to establishing truth, much like in a courtroom today. John’s point is simple yet profound: if we readily accept the marturia of fallible humans, friends, teachers, or authorities, how much more should we trust the marturia of an infallible God? The phrase “the testimony of God is greater” (meizōn estin hē marturia tou theou) emphasizes the supreme reliability of God’s word over any human source.
This divine testimony centers on Jesus Christ, God’s Son. The Greek verb memarturēken (“has borne witness”) is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action with ongoing relevance. God’s witness about Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection, is not just a past event but a living truth that continues to stand as the foundation of our faith.
For those who believe in the Son, John says they “have the testimony in himself” (echei tēn marturian en heautō). This suggests an internal confirmation, which aligns with Romans 8:16: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” The Holy Spirit, dwelling within believers, affirms God’s testimony, giving us an inner assurance of our salvation.
On the flip side, John delivers a sobering warning: to reject this testimony is to call God a liar. The Greek word pseustēn (“liar”) is a stark term, underscoring the severity of unbelief. By refusing to trust God’s witness about His Son, a person essentially accuses the Creator of falsehood, an act of profound rebellion.
Application
In a world filled with skepticism, John anchors us in the reliability of God’s testimony. When doubts about salvation creep in, perhaps after a fall into sin, we must resist the temptation to base our assurance on feelings or performance. Instead, we trust God’s greater witness, confirmed by the Holy Spirit within us. To doubt this is to question God’s character, but to believe it is to stand firm in His truth.
The Content of God’s Testimony: Eternal Life in the Son (1 John 5:11-13)
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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 5:11-13, ESV)
Exegesis and Original Language Insights
Having established the supremacy of God’s testimony, John now reveals its content: eternal life, found only in Jesus Christ. The Greek phrase zōēn aiōnion (“eternal life”) denotes more than endless existence; it speaks to a divine, abundant quality of life (see John 10:10). The verb edōken (“gave”) is in the aorist tense, pointing to a completed act, eternal life is a gift already bestowed upon believers through faith in Christ, not a reward we earn.
John presents a clear binary: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” The verb echei (“has”) is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing reality. If you have a living relationship with Jesus, you possess eternal life right now, not just as a future hope, but as a present certainty. Conversely, without the Son, there is no life, no matter how good a person might seem.
In verse 13, John states his purpose: “that you may know that you have eternal life” (hina eidēte hoti zōēn echete aiōnion). The word eidēte (“know”) is in the perfect tense, implying a settled, confident knowledge. John’s goal is not to leave believers in doubt but to assure them of their salvation. This assurance is for those “who believe in the name of the Son of God,” emphasizing faith in Jesus as the sole basis for eternal life.
Application
God’s testimony is unambiguous: eternal life is a gift given to those who have the Son. When regret or shame threatens your confidence, return to this truth. Your salvation doesn’t hinge on your perfection but on your possession of Christ through faith. John wrote these words so you could know, not guess or hope, that you have eternal life. Let this certainty silence the voices of doubt.
Aligning with God’s Will (1 John 5:14-15)
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15, ESV)
Exegesis and Original Language Insights
John concludes this passage by connecting the certainty of salvation to confidence in prayer. The Greek word parrēsia (“confidence”) means boldness or freedom of speech, a term also used in Hebrews 4:16 to describe approaching God’s throne. This boldness flows from knowing we are God’s children through faith in Christ.
The condition for answered prayer is asking “according to his will” (kata to thelēma autou). The word thelēma refers to God’s desire or purpose, revealed in Scripture and discerned through the Spirit. When our requests align with His will, John assures us that “he hears us” (akouei), a verb implying not just listening but active response.
Furthermore, if we know God hears us, “we know that we have the requests” (oidamen hoti echomen). The verb echomen (“we have”) is in the present tense, suggesting that the answer is already secured, even if we don’t see it yet. This confidence transforms prayer from a desperate plea into a bold declaration of trust in God’s faithfulness.
Application
Prayer is a privilege of the saved, and our certainty of salvation fuels our boldness before God. Rather than bending God to our desires, we align our hearts with His will, trusting that He hears and answers. When doubts about your standing with God arise, approach Him in prayer, confident that as His child, you are heard and your requests, when rooted in His will, are already yours.
Embracing Certainty in God’s Truth
Doubt may be a common struggle, but it doesn’t have to define your relationship with God. Through 1 John 5:10-15, we see that:
God’s testimony surpasses all human witness, providing a firm foundation for our faith.
Eternal life is a present gift for those who have the Son, and we can know it with certainty.
This assurance empowers us to pray with boldness, trusting God’s will and His response.
When feelings of regret or shame steal your confidence, lay them before the Lord. John’s words in 1 John 5:13 are your anchor: “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.” Your salvation rests not on what you’ve done, but on what Christ has done for you. Trust the truth of His Word over your doubts, and live in the certainty of His grace.
Call to Action
If doubt is weighing on you, meditate on 1 John 5:10-15 today. Ask the Holy Spirit to affirm God’s truth in your heart. Write down any feelings of regret or shame, surrender them to the Lord, and replace them with the certainty of His promises. Share this message with someone else who needs encouragement, pointing them to the unshakable hope found in Christ.
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