This I have written to you, the ones believing in the name of the Son of God, in order that you should know that you have Life Eternal by believing in the Name of the Son of God. (1John 5:13 DLT)
For some reason and for the majority of humanity, even after experiencing this life of pain, confusion, and challenge, the gaining of something called ‘life eternal’ sounds really inviting. But no one equates that eternity with this type of living going on forever.
Eternal life for most is really the proverbial escape from this life to something much better. It is a program for happiness and an escape from fear, pain, and an angry god. In this life, all sorts of hopes are offered to us, promising to release our fear of death and judgement and call us to live at peace with some god, ourselves, and everyone else.
The verse above specifically presents this hope but in the God of the Bible. It invites us to confirm and validate our worth by our having embraced the Name of the Son of God and an encouragement to continue to do so. But what is the Name of the Son of God?
For most it is Jesus. Many have returned to the hebrew word of Yeshua.
Let us first focus on the name Yeshua. It is two words run together; ye and shua. The ye is a shortened form of the Name of God, the I AM WHAT I AM that Moses talked to at the burning bush. Shua means to save (make whole, complete, healthy). So the name Yeshua ends up a statement of fact; ‘I am your wholeness, completeness, and your health’. Jesus is the greek equivalent of Yeshua. In short, the Name we trust is an Eternal Living promise which if we believe it, we know we are completely completed, totally whole, and forever healthy. This is Life Eternal and His Living in us.
Verse 13 is John’s conclusion of the previous two verses:
And this is the testimony; "God has given us Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son. The one who HAS the Son HAS The Life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have Life.” (1John 5:11, 12 DLT)
