Eternal Life (1 John 5:13)

These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
(1 John 5:13, NASB)

This verse contains one of the main reasons John wrote this book. He wanted to assure his readers who believed in Jesus as Christ that they had eternal life.

Eternal life.

It’s a hard-to-understand concept, but is integral to the Christian faith. Eternity. What does that look like?

Some people believe it’s sitting on clouds playing harps. Others worry about boredom. Still others wonder how eternity is even possible.

We don’t know exactly what heaven will be like. We can’t imagine with our finite, human minds what timelessness is. And the Bible only shares a bit of what it will be like.

We do know we’ll have some kind of home (John 14:2).

We do know there will be no more tears or pain (Rev. 21:4).

We do know we’ll be in the presence—the actual presence—of our God (Rev. 21:3).

We do know we’ll serve God (Rev. 22:3).

But we don’t know everything. I believe the Bible hints at a few other things we’ll experience in eternity. I can’t give you actual passages on these beliefs. They’re ideas I’ve picked up through Bible study and the writings of people of faith whom I greatly admire (i.e., Randy Alcorn, Joni Earekson Tada).

I believe we’ll know our friends and family.

I believe we’ll have jobs to do that fit our giftedness.

I believe we’ll enjoy food—I can’t imagine there won’t be dark chocolate!

And I believe we’ll be so overwhelmed by God’s presence that we’ll sing along with the elders, angels, and other heavenly creatures: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Rev. 4:8).

I, for one, can’t wait!