How to Have Full Assurance of Eternal Life

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

Understanding the Assurance of Eternal Life

In Christian theology, a natural tension emerges. On the one hand, the New Testament urges circumspection regarding sin and the potential for regression. “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation,” Jesus warned (Matthew 26). The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Paul also warns that he who thinks he stands should take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10). Because the flesh is weak, Christians must stay on guard against temptation and sin, which places the soul in jeopardy.

On the other hand, John tells us how we can know we remain in God’s good graces. We have fellowship with God when we walk in the light, practice righteousness, and confess our sins. We keep His commands, including loving our brethren. We know we have fellowship when we remain faithful to the gospel and by the Spirit He gave us. While it is good to test ourselves to see if we are in the faith, it is also possible to have the assurance of eternal life and know we are on the path (1 John 5).

The Confidence We Have in Prayer

This confidence allows us to know that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. One of the great blessings of the Christian faith is that God grants us complete access to Him through Jesus Christ (John 14). The sacrifice of Jesus brings us into a relationship with God; no other person or religious persuasion connects us with the divine. To go to God means to go through Jesus. We approach the throne under His authority, and He responds to our prayers so that the Father may be glorified.

However, John offers a clarification: God hears us when we ask according to His will. It is easy to interpret the promise of Jesus as an open-ended promise where He does whatever we ask, but that cannot be the meaning. God is light and cannot be associated with sin. If I ask for something sinful or with sinful intentions, God will not answer. Only when my prayers are “in the light” can I be certain He responds. We must remember to pray for things within the will of God for true assurance of eternal life.

Distinguishing Between Sins and Intercession

God will hear our prayers for the sins we see in our fellow Christians. All sins are equal in one respect: if I fail to confess or repent of any sin, such as habitual lying or greed, it is enough to condemn my soul. However, some sins are more serious than others. Jesus speaks of the unforgivable sin and “greater sin” (John 19). John notes some sins lead to death while others do not. Hating a brother is a sin that leads to eternal death, and in such cases, we cannot intercede.

When we see less serious sins, we can intercede on behalf of our brethren through prayer. Petitioning God for our fellow Christians is one way we cover the sins of others with love (1 Peter 4). While any unconfessed sin is enough to condemn us, they are not equal in every respect. Some sins are so serious they jeopardize our salvation, while others are lesser offenses. In those cases, the love and prayers of the faithful serve as a powerful tool for restoration and maintaining our shared hope.