The Mystery of Eternal Life

Have you ever wondered if you will live eternally? Guess what, you will, but there is one condition.

The Bible says in 1 John 5:11-12, "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

When you receive the Son of God as your Lord and Saviour, your sins are forgiven, you are saved from Hell, and you have a promise of a home in Heaven. But eternal life means more than all this; it means you become a "partaker of the divine nature." (2 Peter 1:4) The power to grow doesn't come from within us, but from God. Because we don't have the resources to be truly godly, God allows us to "participate in the divine nature" in order to keep us from sin and help us live for him.

When we are born again, God by His Spirit empowers us with His own moral goodness.

What is eternal life? "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and your Son, Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3) Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ.. You can only get eternal life by knowing God through His Son. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ's love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.

A scripture that we all should be familiar with says this: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

You have eternal life once you believe that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God, and that He came so that we might have life. That is the condition. You believe that He is who He says He is. That simple.

You don't need to wait for eternal life (such as when you die); it begins the moment you believe. You don't need to work for it, because it is already yours. You don't need to worry about it, because you have been given eternal life by God himself --- and it is guaranteed.

Acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God assures you eternal life because the life is in God's Son. Did you get that? The life is in God's Son. There are many religions that don't believe this. But it is not religion that we must have, it is a personal relationship with God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life is a gift from God to all who believe in His Son. You can't get to heaven by doing enough good deeds. Impossible! How does a dirty, sinful person do good deeds?

The Bible says you cannot buy it, "for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Some people hope that they will receive eternal life. In the book of 1 John 5:13, it says we know we have eternal life based on God's promise that He has given it through His Son. God's offering His salvation to us as a gift. Yet some people insult God by trying to buy or pay, with good deeds, for this salvation. You can't buy it! You can't pay for it. You are a sinner. The Bible says we are like filthy rags in the eyes of God. Until you realize that Jesus does exist and He died for your sins, making the ultimate sacrifice, so you would not perish, you are lost! This is the mystery of which the Apostle Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 15:15-52.

Is it important to you to want to have salvation; to have eternal life? I would go so far as to say, "yes." Because if you do not have God's Son, if you have never received Him, you do not have eternal life and you are still lost and headed for judgment and Hell.

Thought for Today: Make sure you have the Son; without Him there is no hope, no matter how good and religious you may be.