Today would have been one of my best friend's birthday here on Earth. His name was Jerry, and should he have lived, he would have been sixty-six years old today. Memories flow through my mind as I think about our friendship that lasted over thirty years before he took his last breath, and though some of them were great memories and some of them not so great, knowing Jerry was one of the greatest privileges I have ever known. The greatest part of our friendship was that he and I received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, so although Jerry has passed away now, I know that I shall see him again. John the apostle gives us assurance in today's verse that when we have lost someone dear to us, God has provision for their absence. God desires to give every person “Eternal Life”, and this gift is given to all who will receive His Son into their lives. John wrote it this way in the book of First John in chapter five and verse eleven:
And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
In the last few verses of First John, we have been discussing the true witnesses of Jesus that are in Earth and Heaven. The greatest witness of all is God Himself, but just what is the witness that God has given? John says, “God has give to us eternal life.” This “eternal life” is not only being able to live beyond what this physical body can endure, but it is also a “life style”. Jesus lived His life on Earth with an “eternal life” style about Him. His life was different, and people noticed it. He managed problems, encountered dangers, felt onslaughts of malicious crowds, and endured pain like none of us ever will. John has been sharing with us how Jesus came to live as a human so that He would know what it was like to be like us. He knew temptation, and he knew hurt. He knew death and the effects that it has upon humanity, and His purpose was to live and die in such a manner that everyone would have access to fellowship with God. John writes, “this life is in his Son.”
John doesn't give any other source of eternal life. “This life is in his Son”. John promotes this gift from God without regard to any other way, “This life is in his Son”. John doesn't share with us any feat, task, belief or charge that we must accomplish, but rather states, “This life is in his Son”. Eternal life is promised not only to my friend Jerry and me, but is also offered to every man, woman, boy and girl who will simply receive the gift of Jesus Christ's provision and sacrifice for their sins. Jesus rose from the dead whereby He proved that eternal life is available for all, and by simply believing this, you too may enjoy eternal life.
I will see Jerry again, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but there will be a day when we shall rejoin our friendship because of the gift of eternal life that God has given in His Son Jesus. Won't you join with Jerry and me and know the “eternal life” way of living not only on this Earth, but also in the everlasting world to come?
Next time we shall take a look at what John has to say about knowing that you have eternal life, so read ahead and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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