The Best and Most Difinitve Self Test for the Presence of Eternal Life

[NewLifeInChristJesus]

1 John 5:11-12 (NKJV) says, "...God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

The best way for Christians to know that they possess eternal life is for them to know that Jesus lives in their hearts. As the verses above say, if Jesus lives in a person's heart, that person has eternal life; if Jesus does not live in that person's heart, that person does not have eternal life. The reason for this being true is that eternal life exists in Jesus. Having Jesus in your heart, therefore, is both necesary and sufficient for having eternal life.

As a result, the best and most definitive self test for the presence of eternal life is for a Christian to know and understand that Jesus lives in their heart. This is the test recommended by Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) - "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."

The Bible speaks of other things that are true for those who possess eternal life, but no self test is as difinitive as this one.

 

[Clare73]

1 John 5:11-12 (NKJV) says, "...God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."
The best way for Christians to know that they possess eternal life is for them to know that Jesus lives in their hearts. As the verses above say, if Jesus lives in a person's heart, that person has eternal life; if Jesus does not live in that person's heart, that person does not have eternal life. The reason for this being true is that eternal life exists in Jesus. Having Jesus in your heart, therefore, is both necesary and sufficient for having eternal life.

As a result, the best and most definitive self test for the presence of eternal life is for a Christian to know and understand that Jesus lives in their heart. This is the test recommended by Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) - "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified."

Paul is not asking there, he is telling them that Jesus is in them--unless they are disqualified.

 

[NewLifeInChristJesus]

Actually, it is a question. He is asking them if they recognize the fact that Jesus is in them, which of course may not be true. I think this is the plain reading of the NKJV. But other translations indicate the same thing:

• Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (2 Co 13:5). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
• Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? The New International Version (2 Co 13:5). (2011). Zondervan.
• Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2 Co 13:5). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.
• Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2 Co 13:5). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
• Your own selves try ye, if ye are in the faith; your own selves prove ye; do ye not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if ye be not in some respect disapproved of? Young, R. (1997). Young’s Literal Translation (2 Co 13:5). Logos Bible Software.

 

[Clare73]

Actually, it is a question. He is asking them if they recognize the fact that Jesus is in them, which of course may not be true. I think this is the plain reading of the NKJV. But other translations indicate the same thing:

• Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? New American Standard Bible: 1995 update (2 Co 13:5). (1995). The Lockman Foundation.
• Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? The New International Version (2 Co 13:5). (2011). Zondervan.
• Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2 Co 13:5). (2009). Holman Bible Publishers.
• Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2 Co 13:5). (2016). Crossway Bibles.
• Your own selves try ye, if ye are in the faith; your own selves prove ye; do ye not know your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, if ye be not in some respect disapproved of? Young, R. (1997). Young’s Literal Translation (2 Co 13:5). Logos Bible Software.

"Do you not know that Jesus is in you?" is a statement in the form of a question.

 

[bling]

How do you know the indwelling Holy Spirit is personally in you?

 

[NewLifeInChristJesus]

Good Question. The conversation Jesus had with His disciples just before the end of His earthly ministry provides the answer:

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”​

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
​

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him". The New King James Version (Jn 14:19–23). (1982). Thomas Nelson.​

Jesus manifests Himself (i.e., He makes Himself known) to those in whom He lives from inside their hearts. He is hidden from others in whom He does not live. So the answer is that you know He is inside you if He makes Himself known to you. There really isn't any other proof available.

 

[NewLifeInChristJesus]

These two statements are interesting to me: "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son". (1 Jn 5:11 NKJV)

The first statement is that God has given us eternal life (i.e., He has given us life that has no end). The second statement is that the eternal life He has given us is the same eternal life that is in His Son, Jesus Christ. We who have been given eternal life possess the same same eternal life that Jesus posses. That is a lot to wrap our heads around.

John's gospel records these similarly amazing words of Jesus:

"For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." (Jn 5:21 NKJV)​

"For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself" (Jn 5:26 NKJV)​

The life that Jesus possesses is the same life that the Father posses, and it is the same life that they have given to us. And we have it for only one reason -- because Jesus Christ, our Creator and our Savior, has come to make His home in us. This is truly amazing. And it is the jumping off point for everything pertaining to life and godliness.