Whoever Has The Son Has Life

Wednesday, April 23, 2014         Whoever Has The Son Has Life

1 John 5: 1-12

John provides a very succinct summary of the entire Gospel in these twelve verses. He uses the word witness, which can also be translated martyr, and suggests that John may have been writing to a church that was facing persecution. In that case, John’s summary is quite chilling. The gods and kings of the world’s culture won their victories by fighting. Jesus Christ, our God and King won his victory by suffering. The gods and kings of the world’s culture won their victories by killing. Jesus Christ, our God and King won his victory by dying. (N.T. Wright)

The authors of the King James Version of the Bible used a manuscript which included a phrase that introduced a Trinitarian formula into John’s summary: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one” (1 John 5:7-8 KJV). However, earlier and better documented manuscripts do not include that phrase. More recent translations render those verses like: “So we have these three witnesses — the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and all three agree” (1 John 5:7-8 NLT). I don’t think John would object to the editorial comment added to his epistle, but he didn’t write the phrase in the KJV.

John closes this passage with a profound statement that has significant implications for the followers of Jesus who take John’s word as authoritative for their life: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:12). This verse is not unlike Jesus’ own words: “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). This is also how the Apostle Peter understood the Gospel: “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

How do you understand these words of John, Jesus and Peter? How do they impact your understanding, and fidelity to Jesus’ Great Commission? (Matthew 28:18-20).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

• Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

• The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

• Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.