What does 1 John 5:10-13 mean?

¹⁰ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. ¹¹ And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. ¹³ These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:10-13 KJV)

The Son of God and life

In these words we may observe the privilege and stability of the real Christian: He that believes in the Son of God has been truly persuaded to cling to Him for salvation and has the witness in himself (1 John 5:10). He not only has the external evidence that others may see but also a personal testimony for Jesus Christ. He can speak of what Christ has done for his soul and what he has found in Him.

1. He has clearly seen his own sin, guilt, and misery, and his deep need for such a Savior.
2. He has seen the worth, beauty, and role of the Son of God, and how perfectly suited He is to meet all his spiritual needs.
3. He admires the wisdom and love of God in providing and sending such a Savior to deliver him from sin and hell, and to bring him into peace and communion with God.
4. He has experienced the power of Christ’s word and teaching—convicting, humbling, healing, reviving, and comforting his soul.
5. He finds that Christ’s revelation is not only the clearest expression of God’s love, but also the most effective way to stir and deepen love for God in return.
6. He is born of God through the truth of Christ (1 John 5:1). He has a new heart, new desires, and a new joy, and is no longer the same person he once was.
7. He experiences an inner struggle with sin, the flesh, the world, and unseen spiritual forces—just as the doctrine of Christ describes and prepares him for.
8. He finds strength through faith in Christ to overcome the world and press on toward something better.
9. He recognizes Christ’s intercession in heaven through answered prayers made in His name and according to His will.
10. He has been born again into a living hope, a confident trust in God’s love, overcoming fear of death and hell, and looking forward to eternal life. He is marked by the Spirit and sealed for redemption. Such assurance the believer has: Christ is formed in him, and he is growing into the full likeness of Christ in heaven.

The sin of unbelief is greatly aggravated: He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he does not believe the testimony God has given about His Son (1 John 5:10). He essentially claims that God did not send His Son, despite the clear evidence. He implies that Christ is not truly the Son of God, or worse, that God sent Him to deceive the world, endorsing a religion that is pure, holy, and heavenly—but supposedly false. This would make God the source of a lie, which is a terrible accusation.

The content of God’s testimony about Jesus Christ is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11). This is the heart of the gospel and the sum of what all the witnesses declare.

1. God has given us eternal life. He purposed it for us, prepared the way to it, promised it, and grants the right to it to all who truly believe in His Son.
2. This life is in the Son. The Son is life—eternal life in Himself (John 1:4; 1 John 1:2). He is the source of our spiritual and eternal life (Colossians 3:4). Therefore:

First, he who has the Son has life (1 John 5:12). Union with the Son means union with life. Whoever has the Son has a right to eternal life. God has honored the Son this way; we must do the same.

Second, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12). He remains under condemnation (John 3:36), rejects the very one who is life, and provokes God by calling His testimony a lie.

The apostle writes these things for the benefit of believers.

1. For their assurance and comfort: “These things I have written 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). With all this evidence, it is only right that there should be those who believe. May God increase their number! Believers have eternal life—by covenant, in their hearts, and in their Lord. They can know they have eternal life, and should be encouraged and comforted by this hope. They should treasure the Scriptures, which bring such comfort and assurance.
2. For their perseverance and growth in faith: “And that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13). Believers must endure to the end. To stop believing is to abandon eternal life and fall into ruin. So the truths and benefits of faith are shared to strengthen and encourage believers to stay faithful.