JESUS IS GOD WHO GIVES ETERNAL LIFE

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

The question of eternal life lies at the very heart of human existence. Every civilization has wrestled with the realities of mortality, the fear of death, and the longing for immortality. The Christian faith uniquely proclaims that eternal life is not merely a philosophical abstraction or mythological hope but a reality given through the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In 1 John 5:11–13, the apostle John establishes with clarity that eternal life is both a divine gift and that this life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (KJV).

This passage underscores two interconnected truths: first, that eternal life is intrinsically tied to God Himself, who is life (John 1:4), and second, that Jesus, as the Son of God, shares in the divine nature and is the sole mediator of eternal life to humanity. This article will demonstrate that Jesus Christ is indeed God who gives eternal life, exploring the theological, biblical, and soteriological implications of this truth.

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Jesus Christ as the Source of Eternal Life

Eternal life is not an abstract possession detached from God; rather, it is union with Christ, who Himself is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The apostle John consistently presents Christ not only as the giver of life but as life itself. In John 1:4, the Logos is described as the source of life: “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” This demonstrates that eternal life cannot be separated from the person of Jesus, for life is not merely a gift from Him but His very being communicated to those who believe.

Moreover, Christ’s divine prerogative to give life is evidenced in John 10:28, where He declares, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The authority to bestow eternal life belongs exclusively to God. If Jesus gives eternal life, He must be God. The Johannine theology thus portrays Christ as possessing the same life-giving power as the Father: “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John 5:26). This equality in the possession of life demonstrates Christ’s divinity.

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The Necessity of Believing in the Son

John emphasizes that eternal life is contingent upon belief in the Son. In 1 John 5:12, the dividing line is clear: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Eternal life is not universal apart from Christ but is given only to those who embrace Him in faith.

To “have” the Son means to be in union with Him through faith, obedience, and spiritual indwelling. This resonates with John 15:5, where Jesus says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” Denying Christ is therefore equivalent to denying life itself. This exclusivity stands in stark contrast to pluralistic religious claims, affirming that salvation is found in no other name but Jesus (Acts 4:12).

Believing in the name of the Son of God is not a mere intellectual assent but an existential commitment to the person and lordship of Christ. In John 20:31, John states his purpose in writing: “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Thus, eternal life is inseparable from confessing and embracing Jesus as the Son of God.

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Jesus as the Divine Son of God

The confession of Jesus as the Son of God is not a designation of inferiority but a declaration of His divine identity. In Johannine Christology, “Son of God” denotes equality with God, as shown in John 5:18, where the Jews sought to kill Jesus because He “said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.” The Son shares in the divine essence, and therefore His ability to grant eternal life is rooted in His deity.

Christ’s resurrection further affirms His divine power over life and death. In John 11:25–26, Jesus declares to Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Only God has authority over death, and Christ exercises this prerogative fully, revealing His divine identity.

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The Assurance of Eternal Life

1 John 5:13 provides a pastoral purpose: assurance of eternal life for believers. John writes, “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.” This assurance is grounded not in human works but in the finished work of Christ. The believer’s certainty of eternal life rests upon the divine promises of God fulfilled in Christ’s atoning death and resurrection.

The certainty of eternal life is not presumption but faith grounded in divine revelation. As Augustine affirms, “He who has Christ has life; but without Christ there is no life.” Eternal life is both a present reality and a future hope, as believers already participate in Christ’s life through the Spirit while awaiting the fullness of immortality in the resurrection (John 17:3; Romans 8:11).

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Conclusion

The testimony of Scripture is unequivocal: Jesus is God who gives eternal life. As the divine Son, He embodies life in Himself and shares this life with all who believe in His name. To reject Jesus is to reject life itself, for “he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). Eternal life is not found in philosophies, religions, or human achievements but only in Christ, the Son of God.

The implications of this truth are profound for humanity and creation. Every man, woman, and nation must look to Jesus Christ for eternal life. Believing in His name brings assurance, while denying Him leads to spiritual death. The Christian proclamation, therefore, remains centered on Christ, the giver of life: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

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References

• Augustine. Confessions. Translated by Henry Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.

• Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.

• Köstenberger, Andreas J. John. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004.

• Morris, Leon. The First Epistle of John: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove: IVP, 1984.

• Stott, John. The Epistles of John: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964.

• Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.

• The Holy Bible, King James Version.

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