What does 1 John 5:12 mean?

John summarizes this section by echoing the teachings of Jesus found in John 14:6: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus has life and is life, both abundant life (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16). Part of John's purpose in writing this letter is to counter discouragement. False teachers, it seems, were telling believers that they didn't really have eternal life (1 John 2:25–26).

The need for Christ, and only Christ, is also the message proclaimed by all of the apostles. When brought before the religious teachers, Peter said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Paul taught, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).