1 John 5:12

12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.

1 John 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 John 5:12

He that hath the Son
Has a spiritual and experimental knowledge of him, true faith in him; who has him dwelling in his heart, and living in him:

hath life:
not only spiritual life, being quickened by him, and living by faith on him, but eternal life; the knowledge he has of him is eternal life; he has it in faith and hope, and has a right unto it, and the earnest of it, as well as has it in Christ his representative, whom he has, and in whom this life is:

[and] he that hath not the Son of God;
no knowledge of him, nor faith in him, nor enjoyment of him:

hath not life;
he is dead in sin, he is alienated from the life of God, has no title to eternal life, nor meetness for it, nor shall enjoy it, but shall die the second death.

1 John 5:12 In-Context

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God hath borne concerning his Son.
11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.
13 These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, [even] unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.
14 And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.