“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” – 1John 5:20
LIGHT FOR NOW: The divine nature is not merely the possession of eternal life; it is the privilege of personally knowing the God who is eternal life. Christianity is first and foremost a relationship before it is a religion.
One of the greatest blessings of redemption is not merely that our sins are forgiven. Nor is it merely that we have escaped judgment. The highest blessing of salvation is that we now know God. John writes: “And we know that the Son of God is come…” Christianity is founded upon a historical reality. The Son of God truly came into the world. He was not merely a prophet; not merely a moral teacher; not merely a religious reformer. He is the eternal Son who became flesh to reveal the Father.
John continues: “And hath given us an understanding…” Notice that this understanding is given. The natural mind cannot truly know God by its own reasoning. Human intelligence may discover many things about creation; but only God can reveal Himself. The word “understanding” comes from the Greek word dianoia, referring to the faculty of spiritual perception, insight, or enlightened understanding. Through the Holy Spirit, believers receive the capacity to know God personally.
John explains the purpose of this gift: “That we may know him that is true”. The Greek word for “know” here is ginosko. It speaks of personal, intimate, experiential knowledge. This is not merely intellectual information; it is relational knowledge. Just as a child knows his father through daily fellowship, believers come to know the Father through continual communion with Him. This is one of the greatest evidences of the divine nature. We have not merely learned about God. We have entered into relationship with Him.
John then declares: “And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ”. Again, we encounter one of the central truths of the New Testament: Union with Christ. The believer’s security does not rest upon his own ability to hold on to God. It rests upon the fact that he has been placed in Christ. Everything we enjoy flows from this union; our righteousness, our peace, our sonship, our inheritance, and our eternal life.
Finally, John concludes with these majestic words: “This is the true God, and eternal life”. Notice that eternal life is not merely endless existence. It is life found in fellowship with the true God through His Son. Jesus Himself said: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent”. The divine nature therefore draws us continually into deeper fellowship with God. Christian growth is not merely accumulating doctrines. It is growing in the knowledge of the Father through the Son by the Holy Spirit.
The more we know Him, the more we trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we resemble Him. The more we resemble Him, the more His divine nature becomes visible through our lives. This is why Paul counted everything else as loss compared to “the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus”. Nothing compares with knowing God; no earthly achievement, no human recognition, no material possession. The greatest privilege of the believer is intimate fellowship with the Father.
Today, never reduce Christianity to religious activity. It is the life of God shared with man. It is communion with the Father. It is union with the Son. It is fellowship with the Holy Spirit. This is the glorious privilege of every partaker of the divine nature. Hallelujah!
INSTRUCTION: Spend time today not merely studying about God but fellowshipping with Him. Read His Word prayerfully, worship Him sincerely, and enjoy the relationship that Christ has made possible.
CONFESSION: Father, thank You for giving me the understanding to know You through Jesus Christ. Thank You that I am in Christ and that Your eternal life is at work within me. Draw me into deeper fellowship with You each day, that I may know You more intimately and reflect Your divine nature more clearly, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Glory!
For More Light; get the message, “Now we are in Christ” by Dr. John Linus
QUOTE: The greatest evidence of eternal life is not merely that we shall live forever, but that we know the Father through His Son.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 1JOHN CHAPTER 5; EVENING: JOHN CHAPTER 17:1-26
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 