It is hard for us to fathom anything that does not have a beginning and an end. Everything we have ever known on this round ball has a beginning and an end. Every day babies are conceived, and then one day, they enter this world where they will live until they die. This is the end of this life. Yet, once God created you in your mother’s womb, from the day of conception, you became a living soul. Though you may change residences, your life will never end. You were created as an eternal being in the image of God, unlike anything else on earth. Pets, plants, or whatever lives, except mankind, will die and go back to dust. Therefore, it would greatly be to our advantage to prepare for our eternal life more than our physical one.
First, we have His provision for eternal life. Because man sinned, he was separated from God. God’s heart was broken because this creation was made in His image and created for His glory. He longed to have a relationship, and for us to spend eternity with him. Again, because of His love, He made a plan.
John 3:16-17 “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
He knew man completely and wanted man to understand that salvation was all of Him. We, because of our sinful nature, could not do anything to merit salvation on our own.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Second, we have the opportunity to live a very fulfilling life here that will prepare us for the promise he gave. I look at this life as a practice run. Like a dress rehearsal. You start out with a script that seems like too much to learn. You, by yourself, sit down and read through it, and long before you let others see you, you stand before a mirror and work on your lines. Try as you may, to go through the whole play, it just doesn’t work until you get all the characters together and to do their part. Life is like that. You start out a sinner, doomed to Hell. Finally, one day you rehearse in your mind, the play of your life. As you look to the future there just seems to be more of the same old you. Then it happens! Someone tells you of eternal life that can be yours and how to attain it. Now, for the first time, all the pieces of life come together. You have a purpose to live, and a promise to live forever. God has promised eternal life to those who will put their faith in Him.
Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”
Third, we must realize there is a condition to this promise. We must continue in our faith in Him. He paid the price and made a way for us to be redeemed back to Him. It cost us nothing but cost Him the death of His Son. If we walk away and have no desire to live for Him, we can forfeit this grand opportunity of eternal life. Think about it, would you force someone to spend time with you? Would you bring someone into your home when they didn’t want to be in your presence?
Colossians 1:20-23 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”
God has promised us eternal life over and over throughout His love letter to us. He has made provisions and has equipped us for the task of maintaining our relationship. However, there are many passages that make it clear we must continue.
