Who is Jesus? How to Have Eternal Life

“I write these things 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, ESV

WHO IS JESUS?

The testimony of Jesus confirming who He is:

[Jesus asked his disciples,] “But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17, ESV)

“The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’” (John 4:25-26, ESV)

The testimony of God the Father confirming who Jesus is: 

“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16-17, ESV)

HOW TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

“Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:10-13, ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, ESV)

“We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:15-16, ESV)

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:21-24, NIV)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And that is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesian 2:8-9, ESV)

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31, ESV)

Why would God offer us forgiveness and eternal life?

“…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10, ESV)

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved.” (Ephesians 2:1-5, NIV)

“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.” (Titus 3:3-5a, NIV)

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17, ESV)

“…he [Jesus] was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6, NIV)

Faced with a choice.

God gives every human being the choice to receive his gift of eternal life, or to reject it. It is the most significant and most consequential choice any of us will ever make during our lifetime on earth.

Will you choose to deny that Jesus is who he claims to be in the Bible, and reject God’s grace? Or, will you choose to humbly turn from sin, and place your faith in Jesus? Will you choose to be reconciled to God and receive eternal life; a gift from a loving, kind, merciful God who cannot lie?

“Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” (Proverbs 30:5, ESV)

JEFF ROSENAU is founder and president of the ministry, Christlike Dialogue. He is the author of Christlike Dialogue and When Christians Act Like Christians. Jeff has over 30 years’ experience teaching biblical principles that equip people to engage in conversations that are honoring to God.