By Dan Maines

The One Who Has The Son Has The Life
Introduction
† 1 John 5:12 states one of the clearest truths in all of Scripture about where life is found. (John 14:6; Colossians 3:4)
† It doesn't teach that all people possess immortal life by nature. (1 Timothy 6:16; Romans 2:7)
† It doesn't teach that those outside of Christ continue living forever in another form. (John 3:36; Romans 6:23)
† It teaches that life belongs to those who have the Son and to no one else. (John 5:26; 1 John 2:25)
† Once immortality is understood as a gift given only through Christ, the Bible's consistent message of life versus death becomes clear. (Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54)
1 John 5:11
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
† Eternal life is not described as something that exists naturally within mankind. (Romans 2:7; 1 Timothy 6:16)
† God gave eternal life, showing that it is a gift and not an inherent possession. (Romans 6:23; James 1:17)
† John specifically locates eternal life in the Son. (John 14:6; Colossians 3:4)
† If life is in the Son, then outside the Son there is no life. (John 3:36; Acts 4:12)
1 John 5:12
The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
† John divides humanity into two groups, those who have the Son and those who do not. (Matthew 25:32-33; John 3:18)
† Those who have the Son possess life because Christ Himself is the source of life. (John 14:6; John 11:25)
† Those who do not have the Son do not have life. The verse doesn't say they possess life somewhere else. (John 3:36; Romans 6:23)
† It doesn't say they have eternal life in torment or immortal existence regardless of Christ. (John 10:27-28; 1 Timothy 6:16)
† Those who have the Son have life. Those who do not have the Son do not have life. That's Conditional Immortality in one verse. (Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54)
John 5:26
For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; :
† Life originates in God and is possessed inherently by Him. (Psalm 36:9; Acts 17:28)
† The Son is the divinely appointed source of life for mankind. (John 1:4; John 14:6)
† Scripture consistently points to God and Christ as the source of life, never to man's nature. (1 Timothy 6:16; Colossians 3:4)
† Apart from Christ there is no access to eternal life. (Acts 4:12; John 3:36)
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.
† Jesus contrasted perishing with eternal life. (Matthew 7:13-14; Romans 6:23)
† The opposite of eternal life is not eternal torment, it is perishing. (Psalm 37:20; Malachi 4:1-3)
† Those who believe receive life. (John 5:24; 1 John 2:25)
† Those who reject the Son perish. (Luke 13:3; 2 Peter 3:9)
† The language is life versus destruction, not one kind of life versus another kind of life. (Philippians 3:19; Matthew 10:28)
John 3:36
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
† Jesus said the unbeliever shall not see life. (John 5:40; Romans 8:6)
† The text doesn't say the unbeliever will see life in another realm. (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:4)
† Eternal life belongs to believers alone. (John 10:27-28; 1 John 2:25)
† Outside of Christ there is no promise of immortality. (2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:16)
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
† Death is the earned result of sin. (Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:20)
† Eternal life is God's gift. (Ephesians 2:8; Titus 3:7)
† A gift is something given, not something already possessed. (Romans 5:15; James 1:17)
† Eternal life is found only in Christ Jesus. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)
† Scripture never describes immortality as a natural possession of every human being. (Romans 2:7; 1 Timothy 6:16)
Romans 2:7
to those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life;
† Paul says believers seek immortality. (Philippians 3:20-21; Titus 1:2)
† People do not seek what they already possess. (Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 11:6)
† Immortality is something God grants to His people. (1 Corinthians 15:53-54; 2 Timothy 1:10)
† This stands in direct contrast to the idea that every soul is already immortal. (1 Timothy 6:16; Ezekiel 18:4)
1 Corinthians 15:53-54
For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
† Paul describes immortality as something that must be put on. (Romans 2:7; Philippians 3:21)
† Mortality is man's present condition. (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 90:10)
† Immortality is not man's natural condition. (1 Timothy 6:16; 2 Timothy 1:10)
† God grants immortality to those who belong to Christ. (John 10:28; Romans 8:11)
† Death is swallowed up by the life God provides. (John 11:25-26; Revelation 21:4)
1 Timothy 6:16
who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.
† God alone inherently possesses immortality. (Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 57:15)
† Human beings are not described as naturally immortal. (Romans 2:7; Ezekiel 18:4)
† Any immortality possessed by believers is received from God. (1 Corinthians 15:53-54; John 10:28)
† The source of life has always been God Himself. (John 5:26; Acts 17:28)
2 Timothy 1:10
but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
† Christ brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (John 14:6; John 11:25)
† The gospel reveals where immortality is found. (Acts 4:12; John 6:68)
† It is found in Christ, not in human nature. (Colossians 3:4; 1 John 5:11)
† Without Christ there is no promise of everlasting life. (John 3:36; 1 John 2:25)
Ezekiel 18:4
Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.
† God declares that the soul that sins shall die. (Romans 6:23; James 1:15)
† This passage never says the soul is immortal or incapable of death. (Matthew 10:28; Psalm 37:20)
† The penalty for sin is death, exactly as taught throughout Scripture. (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23)
† The only escape from death is through Christ. (John 11:25; Acts 4:12)
Matthew 10:28
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
† God is able to destroy both soul and body. (Psalm 37:38; Philippians 3:19)
† This verse directly refutes the idea that souls are indestructible. (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23)
† The power of God extends beyond physical death. (Hebrews 10:31; James 4:12)
† Eternal life is therefore dependent upon God's gift through Christ. (John 10:28; Romans 6:23)
Psalm 37:20
But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures,
They vanish-like smoke they vanish away.
† The wicked are said to perish and consume away. (John 3:16; Malachi 4:1-3)
† David describes destruction, not endless life. (Matthew 7:13; Philippians 3:19)
† This agrees completely with the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. (Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 3:9)
† The Bible consistently contrasts life with death and perishing. (John 3:16; 1 John 5:12)
Historical References
† Clement of Rome described eternal life as the reward granted by God through Christ. (John 17:3; Romans 6:23)
† Ignatius emphasized that life is found in union with Jesus Christ and apart from Him there is death. (John 14:6; John 11:25)
† Irenaeus taught that life continues only because God grants and sustains it. (Acts 17:28; 1 Timothy 6:16)
† Arnobius argued that immortality is received from God rather than naturally possessed by mankind. (Romans 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54)
How It Applies To Us Today
† Our hope is not in possessing an immortal soul. (1 Timothy 6:16; Romans 2:7)
† Our hope is in possessing Christ. (Colossians 3:4; John 14:6)
† Life is not found in religion, morality, or human effort. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
† Life is found only in the Son of God. (Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:11)
† The gospel calls people to come to Christ because He alone has the words of eternal life. (John 6:68; John 5:40)
† The believer can rest confidently knowing that eternal life is a gift secured in Christ. (1 John 2:25; John 10:28)
† This is the fulfilled perspective we proclaim at Fulfilled Prophecies †
© Fulfilled Prophecies - Dan Maines.
Source Index
† 1 John 5:11-12, John 5:26, John 3:16, John 3:36, Romans 6:23, Romans 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, 1 Timothy 6:16, 2 Timothy 1:10, Ezekiel 18:4, Matthew 10:28, Psalm 37:20
† Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Irenaeus, Arnobius