1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

My memory of this scripture is relatively new.
It dates back to 2001 and church camp.
That’s the year we did Evangelism Explosion as a lesson.
The verse answered so many questions for me and gave me an answer for others.
Throughout my life, I have run into a few people that did not know if they would go to heaven if they died.
A few have told me no one can really be sure they will go to heaven or they won’t know until they get there.
This little verse dispels that lie all by itself.
John says, “that you may know that you have eternal life”
Of course, John points to his own writings as a prerequisite these things I have written to you.
More or less he says, “If you are a born-again believer and live in the way I have described, then you will know that you will go to heaven and you will continue as a believer on that journey.”
So believers can quit pouting and start shouting because you know where you will go.