Page 108 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

Let us now consider two other apostles who bear the same
confirming witness as Paul and Jesus that eternal life is a
9th Witness: hope and a promise for the future rather than a present
possession.
“BUT YOU, BELOVED, BUILDING
YOURSELVES UP ON YOUR MOST Even in this brief epistle by the
apostle Jude, we find him exhorting
HOLY FAITH, PRAYING IN THE
SPIRIT, KEEP YOURSELVES IN believers that eternal life is
THE LOVE OF GOD, LOOKING something we are looking forward
FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD to receiving rather than it being a

JESUS CHRIST present possession.

UNTO
ETERNAL LIFE.”

JUDE 20-21

10th Witness: Our last witness is the apostle John.
Note that he also confirms that
“AND THIS IS
eternal life is a promise that God has
THE PROMISE THAT given us rather than a present
HE HAS PROMISED
US -- ETERNAL LIFE. possession. Notice that, in context,
he is warning against those who
THESE THINGS I HAVE would “try to deceive you.” I believe
WRITTEN TO YOU this is a prophetic forewarning by the
apostle John of what was going to
CONCERNING THOSE WHO happen to the doctrine of eternal life.
TRY TO DECEIVE YOU.”
1 Jn. 2:25-26

Let us add to this verse from Chapter 2 of John’s epistle in which he states eternal life to be a
promise, these additional verses found in Chapter 5 of the same epistle:

“…AND GOD HAS GIVEN US ETERNAL LIFE,
AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON.

HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS THE LIFE,
HE WHO DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE.

THESE THINGS I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU...THAT YOU MAY KNOW
THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, AND THAT YOU MAY CONTINUE TO

BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD.”

1 Jn. 5:11-13

Here in 1 John 5:11-13 is a Scripture that certainly appears to convey quite plainly that eternal life is a
present possession of the believer, does it not? However, it must be isolated by itself to do so. John
has already told us in the Chapter 2 of this same epistle that he considers eternal life to be a promise
rather than a possession. Has he now changed his mind in these verses from chapter 5? Hardly, for
this is an epistle (a letter) meant to be properly interpreted by its total context. He does not make one
point in Chapter 2 and then reverse his thinking in Chapter 5.

So far we have seen a consistent harmonious view of eternal life presented by the apostle Paul, by
Jesus Himself, as well as Jude and the apostle John. In spite of this consistent flow of verses that call
eternal life a future hope and a promise, it is these verses in 1 John 5:11-13 that are singled out and
used by those who wish to “prove” that eternal life is a present possession. The other verses are
merely ignored because they don’t harmonize with the popular concept being taught. For many, this is
the “proof text” that says it all very plainly, but does it really? Let us dissect what John is saying in
these verses. Perhaps we can see a whole different meaning that is in perfect harmony with all that we
have considered so far.