Do You have Eternal Life?
Jesus Christ said, “And this is eternal life, that they
may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:3).
How do you obtain eternal life? Have you experienced the real thing? What is this knowledge of eternal life?
Life eternal is God's life in us produced by
His Holy Spirit. It issues in a personal encounter with a holy God
who in His grace forgives us of our sins based on the atoning death of
Jesus Christ. No one can have His life and not be changed. God is holy
and His Spirit makes us aware of our sinfulness and of our deep personal need
of His grace. It is by His grace that we are turned to Christ who is our
Savior. This knowledge occurs only where God’s Holy Spirit is at work
beforehand to make it possible, and it always changes us, issuing in a
heart response and true devotion to Him.
When we become aware of the true and living God we are confronted
with our sinfulness and depravity as opposed to His holiness and righteousness. We are all
together corrupt and He is altogether holy. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom.
6:23). Our sin bars our entrance into the presence of a righteous God.
Have you ever been really disturbed knowing
that you must ultimately deal with One in whom is no sin at all, who
cannot tolerate sin in any form and who must judge it?
All knowledge of God begins with His holiness and
the reality of your sin.
It is good to remind ourselves that we cannot fool God. He is always
aware of who we are and what we are thinking and doing. Only the fool says, “No
God!” “No God!” Nothing catches the LORD God by surprise. “For all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).
This is where the good news of Jesus Christ is so very important to
us. God applies these truths to us personally. God’s free gift is eternal life to
those who will respond to His free offer of saving grace.
Jesus Christ went to the cross and died for sinners. “For while
we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for (instead of and in behalf of)
the ungodly” (Rom. 5:6). Moreover, “God demonstrates His own love toward us in
that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8).
We are without excuse because God has taken every measure to
demonstrate His love for lost sinners. He has made us aware of His holiness, our
sinfulness, and God’s saving grace through faith in the death of Jesus Christ.
The good news which you have just read is “the power of God for
salvation to everyone who believes. . . For in it the righteousness of God is revealed
from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by
faith’” (Rom. 1:16-17). Our holy and righteous God is both “just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (3:26). He can be so because Jesus paid
our debt for sin.
Eternal life is this personal knowledge of God who has revealed
Himself to us by applying these truths to us by the work of His Holy Spirit. Eternal life
is to be found in this knowledge of Him in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
The fullness of God’s personal revelation of Himself is found in
the One who died for us, paid the price of our sin, rose form the dead, has satisfied
God’s justice, and has taken up residence in our hearts through His indwelling
Spirit. This is eternal life, to know Him in His saving grace.
Do you know Him? To know God in a personal, intimate, love
relationship with Him is to have eternal life.
God has made provision to blot out every sin you have committed and
therefore remove every barrier to His holy presence. Will you come boldly to His throne of
grace knowing all your sins are under His blood? “I came that they might have life
and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). To know Him in saving grace is to have
eternal life.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
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