Thursday: Christ Gives Us Eternal Life
Because of our sins, we deserve to die. But Christ took our place on the cross and paid the death penalty that, otherwise, rested on us. He, being innocent, took on our guilt and received our punishment so that we, being sinful, could be declared innocent. Through Him, instead of perishing we receive eternal life. John 3:15 makes this amazing promise to us. It says that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (NKJV), a promise repeated at the end of John 3:16.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
Some think that, even after accepting Christ as Savior, the promise of everlasting life will be real only after His second coming. However, the promise of salvation is expressed in the present tense: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life (John 3:36, NKJV). Whoever believes in Christ has everlasting life now, and shall not come into judgment in the final day, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24, NKJV). Thus, even if we die and sleep in the grave, this temporary rest doesn’t take away from the reality of eternal life.
When Jesus becomes our Savior, our life acquires a whole new meaning, and we can enjoy a richer and a fuller existence. I have come, stated Jesus, that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10, NKJV). Instead of transitory worldly pleasures, which fill us up without really satisfying us, He offers us a life lived in a completely different way, full of inexhaustible satisfaction in Him. This new abundant life includes our whole being. Jesus performed numerous miracles to restore the physical life of many people. But above all, He wanted to give them a renewed spiritual life, clean from sin, filled with faith in Him and the certainty of salvation.
What metaphor did Jesus use to express the results of accepting Him? What does that mean in our practical daily living? See John 6:35, John 6:47-51.
Meditate on the concept of eternal life. It is not only an imperishable existence but above all a blessed, satisfying, and happy life in loving communion with God in the new earth. Although we are still living in this world, how can we start to enjoy, even partially, what it means to have eternal life?
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Knowing what you do now about the Creator, if eternal life was not offered to you (not a part of the promised package/outcome) would you still choose to serve the Lord? What does the answer reveal?
That Jesus is Creator is enough for us to recognize that we owe Him everything, our very existence. If humans can be so zealous with the claims on things they make from pre-existing matter, what says He who called from matter from nothing?
That He loves us is a bonus reason to surrender our devotion. This makes our loyalty sweet.
That He promised eternal life, abundant and joyful, is out of this world.
Amazing that Jesus has gone to prepare a new world for the faithful, and more amazing that Jesus himself will be there!
I would still serve the Lord, even though eternal life was not promised.
We have eternal life with Jesus. If died with Him we will be raised with Him. Please Saint in your prayer, pray for Philangani Innocent Phoseka because I have constant pains but I believe that Christ Jesus will heal me with his mercy.
How wonderful to know that just to believe in him we have eternal life. Philangani may the God of Abraham have mercy on you and heal you. Our Lord has already fought and won the battle for us. May he forever be praised.
Will do.
Speaking experientially, knowing God is the beginning of eternal life. When we walk with the Lord in the light of his words, what glory, what joy we experience? Eternal life begins when we trust and obey King Jesus. I know individuals who indicated that they have been smoking since they were age 8 years old. you can't avoid seeing the signs of premature aging in them Sad to say they don't know God. Those who know God are so priviledged; he gives us peace, longevity, contentment and joy and a future with certainty.
He paid the debt, He did not owe. I owed the debt, I could not pay, I needed some one wipe ma sins away. But now I sing a brand new song 'amazing grace' Lord Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay. This ma song of victory and salvation in through Christ Jesus. AMEN!
Life eternal is given only to those that overcome sin, not the sinful, otherwise God would not have put Adam out of the garden, put a curse on the pair, and block the entrance with an angel with a flaming sword. The whole plan of redemption is to save us from sin, not to save in sin once we believe in Jesus.
Christ is our example , He came into this world when Satan had full control over the world (10 Horn = civil authority) and (7Heads= church) as the dragon of revelation 12 . and lived the overcomer’s live , showing that by being obedient as Abraham was, we can be obedient as well, Jn_4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world2Pe_2:20
There was never such an assemble in heaven until 1844. What is the event which caused the Book's seals to be broken? -- this is the period for blotting out sin and sinners. There we see One on the throne, then the Lamb, next the elders, and the myriads of angels round about the throne, also the "beasts," who themselves testify that they are a symbolical representation of the redeemed, for they say, "for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." Rev. 5:9.
What else could such an assembly as this represent but a Judgment. There we see the Judge of Justice, our great Advocate, sitting on the throne, then the Lamb, and the jury of twenty-four, also the angelic witnesses, and the four beasts representing the redeemed. Moreover, The Revelation itself most emphatically declares that the event prophetically is the Judgment in session, for it says: "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:7.
If we are still sinful we cannot have eternal life. We will die in our sin
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Jesus give eternal life only to the overcomer.
Lennox, here are some questions for the saints to think about:
Exactly what is sin?
Is it a sin to want something better than what we have? Is this different than covetousness?
If it isn’t then is there something wrong with hoping for the promise of eternal life including life without pain and suffering?
What kind of a person will be safe to save?
Precisely what are we to overcome?
If Jesus never sinned and never had a bent to sin then what did He overcome? If He did how did He do it?
We speak of self sacrificing love but is there such a thing as sacrifice without love (1 Cor 13:3; Mat 7:22-23)?
If you spend money on someone you love is that sacrifice?
How is real love manifested?
The position you have taken in this undermines assurance of salvation. Salvation is a here and now experience when one believes and not a future phenomenon. It explain why some Adventist christian find it hard to say 'I am saved' and would rather say 'I will be saved'
John 5:24 clarify this,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
What does it mean to be saved? If I answer yes I am saved whwn asked the question , if I am saved, does That mean once saved always saved, am I saved on Monda but on Tuesday can be unsaved?
Of course I don't believe in once saved always saved teaching. However it's good for a christian who is born again to admit that s/he saved. This strengthen the assurance of salvation.
Thank you Jesus for paying the debt for us, it is only in christ we can find the joy and satisfaction, lets always trust and obey Him for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey
Jesus told his disciples plainly, I am the way, the truth and the life. We refer a lot to the truth and the way to God but when it comes to philosophy which depicts Christ as the life of men we seem to be silent.Jesus often taught that he was himself the source of all things that are alive,if one understands this to be so,suddenly the world opens up in a new way.For though we were dead through transgression, now we are alive by faith. That life is hidden in Christ forever and ever, just as long as we don't rebel against Gods plan for our redemption.
John 3:16-What a blessing! Christ our substitute restored the fellowship lost by the1st Adam by becoming one with us that we may have fellowship with the Father once again and died on Calvary cross for our sins to atone for our transgression of the law!
Jesus want us to understand that he is the bread of life, which means if we humble ourselves he is willing to cleans of from our sins. when Jesus heal the sick it was physical sickness and when our father in those day eat manner they die, but Christ is the true manner if we feed on his word daily we will never hunger and we never die. For God so love the world that he gave is only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in should not perish ,but have everlasting life.John3:16
Your ending has the inspiration that comes from Heaven.
"He offers us a life lived in a completely different way, full of inexhaustible satisfaction in Him. This new abundant life includes our whole being. Jesus performed numerous miracles to restore the physical life of many people. But above all, He wanted to give them a renewed spiritual life, clean from sin, filled with faith in Him and the certainty of salvation."
Oh, What matchless love of our Savior! Who can comprehend it? It is beyong all understanding!
Throughout this week I have meditaded upon the words of this song (I'd shared stanza 3 earlier) by Frederick M. Lehman and I have been blessed. May you be blessed and touched, too.
The love of God is greater far,
Than toungue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyong the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measreless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure -
The saints' and angels' song.
Ooh how nice it is to love him and trust him after all he first loved us!
He loved me while i knew Him not