“Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

The statement above is one of the most significant realizations a person can make. (John 6:68)

There are 3 life questions that many folks ask about life…

Where are we from?

Why are we here?

Where are we going?

To answer these questions, one needs a divine source. Jesus is the answer to these questions, and His written word is where we will find His answers.

Let’s see how Jesus is the answer to the question of where we are going.

He has the words of ETERNAL LIFE.

There are some 30 specific references in the New Testament to “ETERNAL LIFE.” It seems to this writer that this holds some significance.

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and LEARN OF ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt 11:29) The context of this verse is about learning. “HEARING” is another way the Bible says the same thing. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:” (Mat 7:24). These verses clearly teach there is individual responsibility to Hear & LEARN. Some would have you believe that we’re unable to do either except miraculously. UNTRUE! We are all called by the Gospel message. “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Thess 2:14).

Paul wrote to Timothy to remind Saints to “Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15 ASV). The discourse of Jesus in John 6:26-68 is all about believing and learning of Christ. “I am the living bread which came down out of heaven” (John 6:51). Compare this to what Jesus said to the Devil, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).

The beginning of attaining Eternal Life is LEARNING.

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Matthew 7:24-29 is a link in the chain connecting the first action with the next; we must be INVOLVED in doing the things that we’ve LEARNED. We’re involved by obeying the commands of God. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

The clear teaching by Jesus here, and in other places (cf. Phil 2:12), is that the INDIVIDUAL is responsible to LEARN & get INVOLVED in his own salvation. “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:40b). In the immediate context of this verse, they LEARNED to be baptized in the name of Jesus. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41).

James wrote under the influence of the Holy Spirit, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).

Eternal Life is for those INVOLVED people that obey.

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When we write articles like this some will often decry “LEGALISM” or say that we’re working our way into heaven. Nothing of the sort is being said. Obedience to the will of God is FAITH (Heb 11:6). We trust that God will do what He promises for those that obey Him. God works through our faith. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” (Col 2:12). Eternal Life is for those who are emotionally engaged.

Therefore, that the person striving for Eternal Life must have FAITH from the heart and is not just checking boxes on a list. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Mat 22:37). He said in another place, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). And also, “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Mark 7:6). Those that have Eternal Life in Christ have their whole heart, mind, and soul engaged.

Eternal Life is for those that have FAITH.

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It then stands to reason that as a person LEARNS, is INVOLVED, this person must FINISH what he began. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” (Luke 14:28) The clear teaching here, and other places (cf. John 15:1-6; Rom 11:21), is that there’s no such thing as “once saved, always saved.” The Hebrew writer warned, “but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6).

Eternal Life is for those that ENDURE to the end.

Agape,

Spencer is an evangelist for the Franklin & Juniper st church of Christ in Borger, Tx.

This is part of a series of articles about reasons to Talk About Jesus.