Eternal Life - Assurance That We Possess It

ETERNAL LIFE - Assurance That We Possess It

 

1. Proof from the Bible that we have eternal life.

2. Proof from experience.

(a) We believe - John 3:16. 

(b) We love the brethren - 1 John 3:14. 

(c) We keep His commandments - 1 John 5:2. 

(d) We love God - 1 John 5:2. 

(e) We understand God’s Word - 1 Corinthains 2:12.

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Do you have eternal life? If you ask many people that question, they will answer, "I hope so” or “I expect I will have when I get to Heaven.” Such answers show that the people know little about the Bible. You will never find a "hope so" answer in the Bible. Look at John 5:24 "He that heareth My Word and believeth on Him that sent Me hath everlasting life.” Jesus does not say that maybe the believer will have everlasting life, but that he has it now. Read John 6:47 and 3:36, and you will find that the same thing is true. Then turn to 1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you . . . that ye may KNOW that ye HAVE eternal life.” He does not say, that ye may hope, but, that ye may know.

If I should give you a present, you would not say, "Thank you. I hope I will have the present some day.” That would be foolish. You would know that you had it already. God has given you eternal life (Romans 6:23). You have received the gift, and you have a right to say, "I know that I have it.” If it were something that you were trying to earn, you might well say that you hoped to have it, but you are not earning eternal life. You have received it as a gift, and it is an insult to God to say you are not sure whether or not you have it when He says He has given it to you. If I told you that I had left a package at your house for you, do you think I would like it if you said you were not sure whether I had left it or not? Of course not. Surely we must be as polite to God as we are to people. We can always believe His word.

 

There are a number of other proofs that we have eternal life. Only those who have this eternal life believe. If you believe, you may be sure that you have been born again and have eternal life (1 John 5:1). Those who have eternal life, love other Christians. Read 1 John 5:14. There are some people who are Christians whom you would not like at all if they were not Gods children, because their tastes, and the things they do would not be pleasing to you, but because they belong to God they are your brethren, and you really love them. Those who have eternal life can keep Gods commandments 1 John 5:2. If you did not have eternal life, you could not keep even one of Gods commandments, for those who have not been born again cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Of course we do not keep His commandments perfectly, but the mere fact that we want to, shows that we have eternal life. Christians, that is, those who have eternal life, love God. Unsaved people do not. They may think they do, and they may talk in a religious sort of way about God, but they cannot love the God who sent His Son to die for us unless they have eternal life. Read 1 John 5:2.

 

People who do not have eternal life cannot understand the Bible at all. Perhaps you have heard someone say, "I think the Bible is foolish.” That does not prove anything against the Bible; it merely shows that the person does not have eternal life. Read 1 Corinthains 2:14. If you do not understand French, the language will sound foolish to you. I have seen people laugh and laugh when someone began talking in a language they did not understand. It is the same with the Bible. Until we have eternal life we cannot understand any of it. Now that we are saved, we can understand more every day.

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