Eternal Life

 

 

John 10:27-28My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”         

 

One of the greatest blessings of being saved is knowing we have eternal life.  All of God’s children who have this assurance will never be moved from their steadfastness. May the Lord help each of His people to believe they have eternal life according to the Scriptures.

 

What is eternal life?  In the Bible eternal life is also called everlasting life:

 

John 3:15 “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

 

Eternal life, then, is everlasting life, or life that has no end. May we simply believe God’s record of eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son.

 

We want to notice just a few of the many good reasons why we should believe in the Biblical teaching of eternal life.

 

Jesus Christ is Our Eternal Life

 

We can believe in eternal life because Jesus Christ is our life:

 

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

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

 

When we are born again of the Spirit of God, we receive the eternal nature and life of Jesus Christ Himself into our very souls. 

 

Eternal Life Accompanies Faith

 

Eternal life is imparted to our souls the very moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ:

 

John 6:47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

 

John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

 

The penitent sinner who simply believes in Jesus Christ as the Scriptures teach, has eternal life. We can know we have eternal life, and we can know it even now:

 

1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

 

Eternal Life is the Gift of God

 

We can believe in eternal life because it is the gift of God. It cannot be earned or bought, but simply received as God’s free gift:

 

John 17:2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”

 

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

 

Eternal life is the gift of sovereign grace. It is freely given to undeserving sinners according to God’s eternal purpose, which shall not fail!

 

God is Faithful to His Promises

 

As sinful people we are fickle and sometimes break our promises. We may even take back gifts from those who fail us. But God is faithful and His promises never fail! Though His children fail Him every day, He will never take back His gift of eternal life. God is not changeable like we are, but He is ever faithful to His Word:

 

Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began”.

 

1 John 2:25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

 

Hebrews 13:5 “…I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

 

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for  ever.”

 

Our Life is Kept by God’s Power

 

If eternal life was kept by our power, we would surely lose it. But the Bible teaches that we are kept secure by His power: 

 

John 10:27-28My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”         

 

1Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

 

We Were Ordained to Eternal Life

 

The Bible teaches that God chose a people unto salvation and eternal life:

 

Acts 13:48 “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

 

God chose a people in Christ even before the foundation of the world:

 

Ephesians 1:3  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will”.      

 

The Sealing of the Holy Spirit

 

God’s children are sealed with the "Holy Spirit of promise" until our Lord returns:

 

2Corinthians 1:22 “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”

 

Ephesians 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

 

God Wants His Children to Know that We have Eternal Life

 

1John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

 

God wants His children to have assurance of eternal life. It is the devil, not God, who causes us to doubt our salvation and our eternal destiny. It is a wonderful blessing to know that we have eternal life. There is hope,  confidence, peace, and great joy in knowing we are eternally saved.

 

John 5:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”

 

May the Lord grant each of His children great confidence of eternal life:

 

I have an excellent thought,

better than thoughts of gold:

Far better than dreams of riches,

and wealth that waxes old.

 

Eternal life my thought,

abiding in me now:

Abiding in me forever,

it can never be annulled.

 

It is the gift of God to me,

that none can take away:

None can take His gift from me,

none is greater than He.

 

It is the gift of God to me,

bought with Jesus’ blood:

Sealed by His Spirit in me,

and ordained by His love.

 

So on to heaven I will go,

kept by Jesus’ might:

on to my eternal home,

to Jesus my eternal life.

 

 

Conclusion

 

You can only have the assurance of eternal life if you have repented of your sins, and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. There is no God given assurance of eternal life outside of true saving faith in Jesus Christ. If you do not have this kind of faith, then repent and believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and receive the gift of eternal life.