Eternal Life from the Creator

Most people wish that they could have eternal life and live forever. What about you? Even though all people know that they will die someday, they hope that they can live forever in a better place after death. That is why they follow a religion for such a hope. What about you? Many others do not care about their souls or their life after death because they think that humans are just material without a soul, and death is the end of all things. Thus, they want to enjoy their life onearth as much as they can, “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor 15:32). Sadly, many are deceived by such a lie! God’s Word warns us, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor 15:32). We must keep ourselves from evil companionship and worldly mindsets, teachings, values, philosophies, or religions because theywill corrupt our good manners and characters. What about you?

From God’s Word, we know that the first man Adam was created with God’s breath, so man has an immortal soul(Genesis 2:7). However, due to Adam and Eve’s sin, “death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). All people, including you and me, will die someday because all have sinned. However, death is not the end of all things. After death, there are only two places for humans to stay: either in Heaven with the Lord or in Hell with theunsaved people. On Judgment Day, the unsaved “shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into lifeeternal” (Matthew 25:46). The everlasting punishment for the unsaved or eternal life for the righteous, which one will you choose? As none is righteous, so eternal life is from God the Creator alone. You and I must be saved in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be serious about this important matter!

WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?

The Jews know the living and true God, their Creator, through His Word, the Holy Bible. They know that theymust keep God’s commandments to inherit eternal life. They have tried their best to do that. The Bible tells us about a rich young ruler, who came to the Lord Jesus and asked Him, “Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17). This young man might have asked the Jewish leaders like the high priest, the scribes/the teachers of the law, or the Pharisees, but he was not satisfied with their answers, so he came to ask the Lord Jesus that question. “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” is a question that many nowadays do not have in their hearts and minds! What about you? Have you ever had such a question in your heart and mind?

As there is none good except God the Creator, the Lord wanted to test if this young man believed that Jesus was God when he called Jesus good, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” (verse 18). The Lord Jesus is God, so He knows the answer, saying to that young man, “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother” (verse 19).This young man answered, “Master, all these have I observed from my youth” (verse 20). This rich young man had tried to keep God’s commandments from youth, which was rarely seen among many rich young people nowadays. He alwaysthought about what he could do to have eternal life. However, that is not enough! He had to keep God’s commandmentsin his heart with his love for God and his neighbour. The Lord Jesus loved him and said to him, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up thecross, and follow me.” (verse 21). If you hear someone, even a pastor or a religious leader, tell you to sell all your things and give to the poor to follow the Lord Jesus, you should not do so because they are not the Lord Jesus. Only when the Lord Jesus speaks His Word with all His authority and blessings to us, shall we obey.

The Lord Jesus wanted to test this young man whether he truly kept God’s commandments to love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength and love his neighbour as himself (Mark 12:30-31). However, this young man failed because he loved his wealth and riches above God, and he did not obey to follow the Lord Jesus, who is God! That is a sin of idolatry! What about you? This young man did not deny himself nor choose the Lord Jesus, so he left! What about you? Do you want to deny yourself to follow the Lord Jesus? We see many people forsake all things they hadin the world, join a religion, shut themselves in a temple or a monastery, and hope that they will have eternal life.However, that is not enough! The most important part is to come to the Lord Jesus Christ, take up the cross or deny oneself, and follow Him!

WHO CAN BE SAVED?

Then, the Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom ofGod!” (Mark 10:23). The disciples were astonished because they thought the rich were blessed by God and had a better chance to earn their merits to inherit eternal life through their good works and charitable works. Have you ever thought like that?

Then the Lord Jesus said to his disciples again, “Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter intothe kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (vv 24-25). The Lord shows that the rich usually trust and rely on their riches, so they do not trust and rely on the Lord to inherit eternal life. They do not want to humble themselves in repentance and deny their self-will to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The Lord confirms that the rich can never enter into the kingdom of God just as a camel can never go through the eye of a needle! That is the truth!

The Bible says that the disciples “were astonished out of measure,” saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?” When the young man asked the Lord, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” The focus is on self or the ego “I,” and what I can do. What about you? You may still have that same question and need to hear a lot ofapplications to know what you will do to have eternal life without a constant reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ. However,when you and I can understand the truth of the Lord Jesus’ word, we shall ask a better question, a more correct question, “Who then can be saved?” because whatever we can do cannot save us without a constant reliance on the Lord Jesus.

ONLY GOD CAN SAVE AND GIVE ETERNAL LIFE

The Lord Jesus gave his disciples the answer, “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). The Lord Jesus confirms that it is impossible for all humans, including you and me, the richand the poor, the Jews or the Gentiles, to enter into the kingdom of God and inherit eternal life without God’s grace, love and power. Can you and I keep God’s commandment to love Him with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves. Can you? It is impossible for all of us to do that all the time. Can you and I take up our cross and deny ourselves, including our self-will, to do God’s will? Can you? It is impossible for all of us to do that all thetime. Can you and I choose to follow Jesus Christ and exalt Him to be our personal Lord and Saviour? Can you? It isimpossible for all of us to do that all the time. The Lord Jesus confirms twice, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” (John 6:44, 65). No man, including you and me, the rich or the poor, the Jews or the Gentiles, can come to the Lord Jesus with our sincere repentance and submission, except God the Father has drawn us to Jesus. The Lord Jesus performed so many miracles, such as feeding a great multitude, healing the sick, casting outdemons, raising the dead and so on. And many came to the Lord Jesus for such material blessings, but they did not denythemselves and exalt Jesus to be their Lord and Saviour. Many nowadays also do the same. They come to the Lord Jesusfor material blessings without exalting Jesus to be their personal Lord and Saviour. What about you?

Then, you and I must be thankful to God when we, including the rich or the poor, the Jews or the Gentiles, can denyourselves, choose the Lord Jesus and follow Him at any cost because God has drawn us to the Lord Jesus and saved us with His eternal life. The Lord Jesus also confirms, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (John 15:16).

THE FRUIT OF ETERNAL LIFE IN A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN

Many think that they will have eternal life after death. Do you think so? However, you and I must be saved, bornagain, and have eternal life now if we want to be in Heaven after death. What is the fruit of eternal life that we can enjoyon earth now? Do you know? Let us find the answers in God’s Word, the Holy Bible.

Have an intimate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus prays to His Father, “And this is life eternal, that they might know (ginṓskō) thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3). The verb “know” here in Greek is ginṓskō. It is not a head-knowledge like knowing a person in history. Many may know many things about God and the Lord Jesus Christ in theBible and even preach and teach about Him,

but they do not have an intimate heart-knowledge and fellowship with Him. What about you and me? Ginṓskō denotes a heart-knowledge with an intimate fellowship like a child, who knows and has fellowship with his or her father. Do you and I truly know God and have an intimate fellowship with Him as our heavenly Father? Do you and I truly know and have an intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ as our great Saviour, our great Prophet, our great High Priest, our great King and our Coming Bridegroom? If not, we do not have eternal life!

Love God and His children

We can never love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength and love others as ourselves without being bornagain to have eternal life. God’s Word says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one thatloveth is born of God, and knoweth (ginṓskō) God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (John 4:7-8). Only when we are saved and born again can we have eternal life to know God and love Him and His children, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him” (1 John 5:1). We should remember that this is not human love but God’s agape love, which “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;” (1 Cor 13:6). The Lord Jesus also tells us that to love Him means to keep His words (John 14:23). What about you and me?

Live a godly life

God is holy, and His eternal life is holy. If we are saved and born again, we are partakers of the divine nature (2Peter 1:4). We shall not keep living in sin as a habit. God’s Word says, “He that saith, I know (ginṓskō) him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4), and “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known (ginṓskō) him” (1 John 3:6). Here, if we keep sinning as a habit, we have not seen God, nor known Him with a heart knowledge, nor had eternal life. Paul shared with us his struggle withhis sinful nature until he found the deliverance in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, saying, “O wretched man that I am! whoshall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25). Paulalso shared with us, “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness,and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:22). Many profess that they believe in Jesus Christ and go to church, but theydo not struggle with their sinful nature nor try to find the deliverance in the Lord Jesus Christ to live a godly life! They are not born again nor have eternal life. What about you and me?

Constantly trust and rely on the Lord Jesus Christ alone

God does not give us eternal life as a separate gift, but as a constant connection with the Lord Jesus Christ, like the branches with the Vine. The branches only have life when they are connected with the Vine (John 15:5). God’s Wordsays, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:11-12). The Lord Jesus says, “My sheep hear myvoice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28). Do you and I truly have the Lord Jesus Christ? If you are not sure, you can invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart and exalt Him to be your Lord and Saviour. The Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). Then, we continue to maintain our fellowship with the Lord in His light with our trust, reliance and submission moment by moment wherever we are at home, at school, at work, or atchurch. If we do so, we have eternal life. If not, we do not have eternal life.

In conclusion, all humans will go to either Heaven or Hell after death. Eternal life is from God the Creator alone. The Lord Jesus says, “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” (John 3:16). God loved all mankind so much that He gave His onlybegotten Son, who came to die for their sins and rose again to save and give eternal life to those who believe in Him, trust in Him, rely on Him, and exalt Him to be their Lord and Saviour. What about you? May God draw us to the Lord Jesus Christ and help us to live by Him and His Word always (Matt 4:4; John 6:57). Amen. HN.