1 John 5:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Satan’s dark suggestion to the believer’s soul that God wishes him to remain always in doubt about his eternal destiny is a lie, for the Lord delights in the confidence and boldness of his people. Those who trust in the Lord should also be certain that God has given them eternal life, for faith is the condition of salvation which the Lord will always honour. Assurance is not some exceptional experience only belonging to a few, but should be the normal experience of all believers. It is our duty to pursue it, so that we enjoy salvation now by way of anticipation, even while still in our mortal state. This is only possible by faith as we take hold of the God who cannot lie and whose promise we can depend on. That promise is contradicted by what we see in this world, for we are surrounded by change and decay, and the universal application of the law of death. Many in the world try to convince themselves that these things are part of normal existence and not to be feared, but the Bible calls death the king of terrors and the last enemy; the effort to contort our being into accepting death as normal is deeply painful for us. John also tells us that faith should continue and increase. He writes to those who already have faith, but he writes in order that they should have more faith. We have faith but that faith must be exercised constantly and grow throughout life. Faith is always tested by the Lord but the result is that it is refined and purified.