Have you ever found yourself in the middle of reading a magazine article or a book and silently asking the author something like, "So what’s your point?"; or "Will you get to the bottom line"? I must admit that in the midst of reading, I have actually audibly heard myself ask some far away author such questions. Fortunately no one has heard my mumbling, except my wife who enjoys bedside reading with me, and who mercifully allows me to talk to authors who are not present. Thank God for an understanding wife.
The reader of the little but powerful New Testament Letter of 1st John need not be found questioning the author’s bottom line by asking, "What’s your point?" John clearly tells the reader exactly what is his point and why he has penned these inspired words, by giving us both his testimony and purpose for writing.
Here’s a little insight: In the book’s final chapter, John, the now aging Apostle whom Jesus loved; the one who was assigned the care of Christ’s mother (by our Lord Himself from the cross); explicitly assures the reader of both the Letter’s Record and Reason. Listen to what he establishes as the Record:
"And this is the record: 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." I John 5:11-12
No trifler of words is our author John. In thirty-eight words John establishes the beach-head of the ultimate life truth. Moreover he does so in a manner far more accurately and precisely than all of the philosophy texts in all the world’s libraries combined! Here we find God’s Word focusing as a laser beam:
There is a never ending life available from a totally loving God.
Let’s park there for a moment. Just what is this "eternal" life? I once heard an elderly preacher describe the concept of eternity as follows: He said that eternity is the time it would take for a sparrow to fly and deposit all of the sand from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast, one grain in its’ beak at a time! Then he added that this would be the beginning of eternity! Here we find John establishing that the clear record is of eternal consequence. God actually gives this eternal life as a gift to us. Then John reveals the passageway to this kind of life:
The passageway to eternal life is exclusively through God the Son.
Sort of adds a crystal clear perspective, don’t you think? John therefore summarizes his record, his letter, his life, and all that is sacred on this key truth: Eternal life is a state of being totally and forever accepted by God and is gained only through faith in Jesus Christ.
By the way, that Godly acceptance frees us from the condemnation and punishment that our sins require. You see, this acceptance of His Son is a liberating, eternally significant act.
Now to the Reason for his writing. John equally clearly sums up his "bottom line":
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you know that you have eternal life".
I John 5:13
I don’t know about you, but in a world that seems to be a cacophony of opinions, voices, theories and ideologies, it’s both refreshing and reassuring to hear the sacred and timeless bottom line of John: His very purpose, his reason, his bottom line for writing was to offer to the reader the iron clad reminder that those of us who know this Jesus Christ will enjoy that eternal life.
Here’s some advice for the next time you are reading something that causes you to scratch your head and say, (perhaps even audibly), "What’s the point?" Allow your mind to go back to the words of this little letter, inspirationally penned by this loving Apostle of Jesus Christ, and remember the bottom line:
If you are indeed one who has placed your trust in this Son, you know the ultimate bottom line that transcends everything else you will ever hear or read.
Now doesn’t that truth give us a real bottom line perspective?
Bill Tanzey
©2000 Bible Center Church
