Life in the Son

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:31-36).

Some scholars believe that these are the words of John the Baptist, a part of his conversation continued from the previous verses. Others believe according to the grammar of the text that these are the words of the apostle John. Christ followers know these are the words of God, breathed by the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth and wisdom of God to truth seekers… “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Spirit confronts us here with a clear choice. He presents an invitation to believe and obey Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He tells us why we should choose the Son and He tells us about the daily blessings living life in the Son.

The Teacher compels us today to remember and reflect on the most important decision we make in this temporal life. When we responded to the grace of God and believed in Christ our lives were changed completely. Our eternal destiny was transformed from death to life… “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). The way we experience and live life here in the temporal world should be transformed by the same faith we experienced at our new birth… “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). The Spirit of Truth challenges us today to consider whether we are living a life that reflects belief in He who comes from above or he who is of the earth. Through today’s text the Spirit exhorts Christ followers to “walk in Him” every day by revealing three blessings of living out our faith in Christ.

First there is the blessing of knowing and walking in God’s truth. The Spirit inspired John to teach that whoever receives Christ discovers that God is true. God is pleased by those who walk with Christ because they walk in truth… “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4).

Second there is the blessing of knowing and understanding God’s word. The Spirit teaches here that Jesus Christ utters the words of God. We will not hear and understand the word of God from anyone who does not have the Word of God living in them… “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:68).

Third there is the blessing of receiving and living life in the Holy Spirit. The Teacher reveals the truth that Christ gives His Spirit without measure to those who strive to walk with Him in this sinful world… “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

These three blessings combine to grant us a glimpse of eternal life. When we live according to our faith in He who comes from above we experience victory over sin, life above temptation, and the kind of eternal perspective that sees beyond every day trials. When we walk in Him there is no room in our lives for the wrath of God and we experience the real, eternal life God wants for us because… “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

As we grow up into Christ our saving faith becomes living faith and we enjoy the daily blessings of

Life in the Son.