We Have Life in Christ

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John 5: 11)

When John writes "this is the record", that is all you need to know. This record must be read, received,  and believed. Nothing else is needed, and nothing else will suffice.

Now, what is the record for, specifically, or at least how do we get it?

"If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." (1 John 5: 9-10)

If we believe on Jesus, that He is the one whom the Father sent to save us from our sins (John 6: 29; Matthew 1: 21)

Through Christ Jesus, we have peace with God (Romans 5: 1) by His one sacrifice for sins forever (Hebrews 10: 12)

What is produced in our lives: eternal life. This life we  receive through Christ Jesus:

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Romans 6: 4)

and

"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." (1 Corinthians 8: 6)

and also

"For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you." (2 Corinthians 13: 4)

and thus

"In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." (1 John 4: 9)

We have eternal life not through our efforts, but through the gift of God, and this Gift comes through His Son.