1 John 5:20
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.
1 JOHN 5:20
Verse 20 anchors confidence in Jesus as the revelation of the true God and the giver of eternal life. “The Son of God is come” declares the historical incarnation—God becoming human in Jesus. John emphasizes that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection reveal truth that human reason alone cannot uncover. The phrase “an understanding” is about spiritual insight—knowing the truth about God, ourselves, and reality as God intends. Believers are “in him that is true,” meaning union with Christ by faith, which secures eternal life. This is not abstract theology; it’s a present, lived trust that God has made known what truly matters.
This verse affirms the core Christian confession: Jesus is the true God and the source of eternal life. The Trinity-related language (“this is the true God, and eternal life”) centers on the unique person of Christ as the revealer and mediator of life with God. It counters false gods and counterfeit paths by grounding reality in the Father’s and the Son’s truth. The certainty given is not speculative but relational: knowledge of God comes through Jesus and results in union with him and life that never ends.
How to live this truth today:
- Rest in Jesus as the definitive revelation of God. When you doubt, return to the gospel—who Jesus is, what he did, and what he promises.
- Cultivate spiritual understanding through Scripture, prayer, and community. Let the truth about Jesus guide your decisions, rather than cultural narratives.
- Practice trust in the life God offers: not merely fire insurance for heaven, but daily communion with God through the Son.
- Share this assurance with others who hunger for clarity in a noisy world.
Cross-References: John 1:14; John 14:6; Colossians 1:15–20; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:1–3