Examining Christian Certainties (Part Six)

From the heart of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Expositor & Teacher. The third of these Christian certainties is, “And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20). John continues, “we are in Him who is true.” The phrase “in Him” is important to understand and embrace. It refers to the “abiding life” of obedience to God’s commands (see John 15:8). Lastly, we abide in “His Son Jesus Christ” who is “the true God and eternal life.” In John 17:3, Jesus said, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” According to Jesus’ words, eternal life is intimately knowing the Father and the Son! Let’s take a few precious moments to behold the wonder of the Son! Scripture teaches there’s one and only one God, eternally existing and fully expressed in three Persons (Godhead), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9) is EQUALLY God, each is ETERNALLY God, and each is FULLY God—not three gods but three Persons of the one Godhead. In other words, to abide in God and to abide in Christ is the SAME thing! Why? Because Jesus and the Father are the One God! Abiding in Jesus is the SAME experience as abiding in the Father, for they are the One God. Jesus said to His Jewish opponents, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Jesus claimed to be one with the Father as part of a larger argument to note that He had existed from eternity past, and lived in perfect oneness with the Father. Be encouraged!