Can You Have Assurance of Eternal Life?

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

Many who believe on the name of Jesus are not sure that they have eternal life; they only hope so. Occasionally they have assurance, but the joy is not abiding.

They are like a minister I have heard of, who said he felt assured of his salvation, “except when the wind was in the east.” It is a wretched thing to be so subject to circumstances as many are. What is true when the wind is in the soft south or the reviving west is equally true when the wind is neither good for man nor beast.

The apostle John would not have our assurance vary with the weather-glass, nor turn with the vane. He says, “These things have I written to you, that you may know that you have eternal life.” He would have us certain that we are partakers of the new life, and so know it as to reap the golden fruit of such knowledge, and be filled with joy and peace through believing.

I speak affectionately to the weaker ones, who cannot yet say that they know they have believed. I speak not to your condemnation, but to your consolation. Full assurance is not essential to salvation, but it is essential to satisfaction.

May get it at once; at any rate may you never be satisfied to live without it. You may have full assurance. You may have it without personal revelations: it is wrought in us by the Word of God.

These things are written that you may have it. We may be sure that the means used by the Spirit are equal to the effect which he desires. Under the guidance of the Spirit of God, John so wrote as to attain his end in writing.

~ Charles Spurgeon