It All Hinges Upon Jesus
11/21/25 Bible Thought (1 John 5)
Christianity entails not just a generic belief in God. The Scripture says even demons believe (Jas. 2:19). Instead, Christianity is consumed with the person of Jesus Christ.
What we do with Jesus is of paramount importance in this life. Our eternal destiny hinges upon Jesus Christ and our response to Him of either faith or rejection.
As the apostle John draws his first letter to a close, we see that there is a consistent stream of thought upholding the uniqueness and significance of God’s only Son:
Belief in Christ as the Son of God is the basis for the new birth (1 Jn. 5:1; see also Jn. 1:12-13).
Belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God is the basis for one’s ability to overcome the world (1 Jn. 5:4).
Likewise, assurance of salvation is rooted in one’s reception of and faith in Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 5:13).
It’s all about Jesus. John makes the case that the Father has testified concerning His Son (1 Jn. 5:6-9). That said, if we do not agree with what God has said concerning Jesus, we make Him out to be a liar! We cannot “believe in God” without also “believing in Jesus.” It simply doesn’t cut it.
The apostle John puts it plainly:
“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 Jn. 5:10).
Eternal life is found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone (1 Jn. 5:11).
If we could have been saved by our own works or merit He wouldn’t have had to die (see Gal. 2:21). If we were savable apart from divine intervention, then He shed His blood for no purpose.
But when we were utterly hopeless, Christ died for the ungodly (see Rom. 5:6-8). He made a way for us when there was no way. As such, He is now the way (Jn. 14:6). Jesus Christ is not one of many ways to heaven. He isn’t the most efficient way, or most popular way. He isn’t the way of Christians. He is the only way.
Muhammed, Buddha, or any other religious figure of choice will not lead us to the living God. If Christianity is true, then every other religion is a lie. The Christian faith consistently makes claims to exclusivity that prevent it from being just one of many forms of truth.
Faith in Christ-crucified, a personal trust in Him for one’s right standing with God is our only hope. He took our sin upon Himself so that we can take His righteousness upon us (2 Cor. 5:21
The good new though, is that if we have put our trust in Christ, we can live with assurance today:
“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 Jn. 5:13, emphasis added).
If we believe in the name of the Son of God—that is we have trusted in Him for salvation and bowed our knee to Him as Lord, we can know that we have eternal life.
He has given us eternal life (1 Jn. 5:11). It’s a done deal. It’s not as if we have to wait until the day that we die and hope we were good enough. We weren’t, but Christ was. As such, we can and should live with assurance.
But it all hinges upon the person of Jesus Christ.
Challenge for Today:
Do I ever find myself trying to justify my assurance by what I bring to the table? For example: I will go to heaven because I am a good person, I go to church, or I’m not as bad as so and so.
Let us never forget that our assurance must be rooted in the finished work of Christ. He is our only hope.