We are carrying baggage with external difficulties. We have internal battles. We have troubles and apprehensions.
God gives a great promise! (Rom 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let’s look at some scriptures where God promises eternal life. It gives us great hope and comfort.
Can God lie? Can we trust His word? (Tit 1:1-2) “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” God made this promise since before the beginning of time, before the existence of the earth and its solar system. God is ETERNAL. He is everlasting, without beginning or end. The promise of eternal life is a sure thing, and what God promises is a sure thing. God is the true bread of life (1Jn 2:24-25, 1Jn 5:7, John 6:32). We are appointed to eternal life (Acts 13:46-48). We come to the point where we must believe, and if we believe we will obey God. This is not an idle promise. God makes us holy by His presence; we must believe and obey Jesus Christ as the source of eternal salvation (John 3:14-17).
Jesus is the author of eternal salvation. What must we do? (Hebrews 5:9) What shall we do to inherit eternal life? (Luk 10:25-28) “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?" So he answered and said, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND,' and 'YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you will live." If we love Him, we must keep His commandments for the wages of sin is death. (Rom 6:23)
Ever receive anything really valuable? Someone paid the price for it before you received it. Jesus paid the price with His life for our access to eternal life! How does a Christian have eternal life now?
(Eph 1:11-13)
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eternal life begins with God’s Holy Spirit in us. We are in the beginning of an eternal relationship with God!
(2Co 1:18-21) But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God,
Be more diligent. Being diligent is the key to entering into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Peter 1:10-11).
God has promised our destiny of eternal life! He has promised to wipe out death, and wipe away every tear! (Rev 21:1-5).
Fred Crow is an elder with United Church of God; pastor of the Eureka and San Jose, California congregations. Fred retired from the aerospace industry in 2015. He has two daughters and eight grandchildren. He wrote a newspaper column, was a published cartoonist, taught scuba diving, and is a writer, photographer, and traveler.
