Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 John 5:12

"He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life." — 1 John 5:12 (ASV)

That Jesus is God’s Son is established by God’s own witness from the time of Jesus’ baptism up to and including his suffering and death. It is a testimony given through the Spirit and confirmed in the heart of those who believe in the Son. The consequence of accepting this testimony from God is the fulfillment of the promise John made in 1:2 to bear witness and to testify to that “eternal life” that was with the Father and has now appeared to us in the Son. Eternal life (which is nothing less than fellowship with the Father, with the Son, and with his people) is present in his Son. Those who have the Son have this life. Those who are without the Son are without life. It is not an idea or a system of belief or even a fact that is the ultimate object of faith; it is a Person. That Person is Jesus Christ. He is to live in us (3:24). His love is to abide and be made complete in us (4:12). We are to live in him (4:13). And this is life eternal.