As a young person, waiting to grow up and “do what I want to,” it seems to take forever for the next birthday to come and the school year to end. Then as we get older, we see life ending for many younger than ourselves, and our plans are still not fulfilled; life seems too short. It is difficult to overcome the attachment to temporal things and think about eternal things. Still, the scriptures contain many examples of people living and worshiping in this earthly existence while looking forward to the eternal life that a timeless God has created for them. Let us consider some of the things they said about things Eternal recorded for us in The Bible and see what we can learn.
Eternal God – Father, Son, Holy Spirit
While comparing what men made to what God created, Jeremiah referred to God as the “true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King” (Jeremiah 10:10). Moses prayed to God, as recorded in Psalm 90, “Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God)” (Psalms 90:2). The word used by the Father and By Jesus, stating “I Am He” and “I Am” in Isaiah 41:4, 48:12, and John 8:58 declare their eternal existence with no beginning and no end. God always was, is now, and always will be.
Eternal Revelation – The Word of God
The prophets who were called upon to speak for God knew the eternal nature of those words. Isaiah spoke of the greatness of God and the perfect servant who would bring justice and righteousness and said this about the word of promise. “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Peter confirmed the words spoken by Jesus would stand unchanged forever as he quotes from Isaiah. “‘ But the word of the Lord endures forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you” (1 Peter 1:25).
Eternal Salvation – God’s Greatest Gift
It is difficult for the human mind to consider the gift that God gave to the world. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). As we have discussed in previous blogs, Jesus is the author, prince, and captain of our salvation. The Hebrew writer uses another term to describe Jesus’ work in this passage. “And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9).
Eternal Life – The Result of the Gift
Paul mentions the difference between what man earns and what God gives in his letter to the Romans. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Paul told Titus the reason for his writing was because of “the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago” (Titus 1:2). It was promised long ago but fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We often think of a life with God for eternity as being only for us, this side of Christ’s death. But let’s consider Abraham. “He was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). He knew that he would find rest in that city and would enjoy eternal life with God. The Jewish council that opposed Jesus continually were told by Jesus, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me” (John 5:39). The Old Testament, the Law and the prophets, spoke of eternal life through an everlasting King. Jesus told the Jews that all scripture pointed to Him as the Son of God and the king they should have recognized.
In the letter to the Hebrews, The Holy Spirit points out that all saints, on both sides of the cross in time, will receive eternal life through Jesus Christ. “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance” Hebrews 9:13-15).
Have you taken advantage of God’s offer to give you eternal life by obeying His Son? If not, let us help you.
