THOSE WHO WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED

Shalom, beloved in Christ!
Welcome as we study the Word of God together. Today’s teaching comes from:

Acts 13:46–49
“Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.
For so the Lord has commanded us:
“I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles,
That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.”’
Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”

This is a very sobering truth — to hear that some people were ordained to eternal life, while others were not. It reveals that salvation is not a random event, but part of God’s perfect plan, established before the foundation of the world.

God had already determined the full number of those who would be saved, and He wrote their names in His Book of Life.

Revelation 17:8
“And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”

Also read:

Ephesians 1:4
“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

That is why the Lord Jesus said:

John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

This means that believing in Christ and following Him faithfully is not merely a human decision — it is the result of God’s eternal purpose. Before the world began, He chose certain people and placed within them a spiritual response to believe when they hear the Gospel.

That is why you may see one person who has grown up in church, raised in faith, attending services for years — yet salvation seems unimportant to him. Meanwhile, another person who knew nothing about God — perhaps a Muslim, a Buddhist, or a person from a non-Christian background — hears the message of Jesus once, and immediately his heart burns within him. He abandons everything to follow Christ, regardless of what his family or community may say.

You may ask, why is that?
It is because he was ordained to eternal life, while the other was not.

The Bible affirms this again:

2 Timothy 2:19
“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’”

HOW CAN YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE?

The Scripture we read earlier gives us the answer — it says, “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

That means those who were chosen responded immediately when they heard the Gospel. They believed the message, were baptized, continued steadfastly in the faith and holiness, and daily practiced what they had been taught by the apostles.

But others — those who were religious, traditional, or self-righteous — were the ones whom God rejected. They remained unchanged, just as they were.

Even today, the same principle applies. If you have heard the Gospel many times but still remain unmoved, or if salvation seems unimportant to you, then you must understand this truth — you have not yet responded as one ordained to eternal life.

For if you were ordained, you would not resist or argue when you are told to repent. Your heart would respond quickly to the call of Jesus Christ.

The Bible says:

Matthew 7:14
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Perhaps today, God is speaking to you. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is stirring in your heart right now. If you feel conviction and a longing to turn to Jesus, that is not coincidence — it is because you are among those appointed to eternal life.

Therefore, do not harden your heart. Accept His call today and give your life fully to Jesus Christ, so that your name may be confirmed among those written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world.

A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

If you are ready to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, this is the wisest decision you will ever make — one you will never regret. Wherever you are right now, take a quiet moment alone. Kneel down and say this prayer sincerely, believing that God is beside you and listening:

“O GOD THE FATHER, I COME BEFORE YOU, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I AM A SINNER. I HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU IN MANY WAYS AND DESERVE JUDGMENT. BUT YOU, MY GOD, HAVE SAID IN YOUR WORD THAT YOU ARE A MERCIFUL GOD, SHOWING COMPASSION TO THOUSANDS WHO LOVE YOU.
TODAY I COME BEFORE YOU SEEKING YOUR MERCY AND HELP. I REPENT OF ALL MY SINS WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, AND THAT HE IS THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. I ASK THAT THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF YOUR SON CLEANSE ME FROM ALL MY UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
MAKE ME A NEW CREATION FROM THIS DAY FORWARD AND FOREVER.
THANK YOU, LORD JESUS, FOR RECEIVING ME AND FORGIVING ME.
AMEN.”

If you have prayed that prayer in faith, your next step is to confirm your repentance through action. Whatever sinful things you used to do — leave them behind completely. Once God sees your true change of heart, He accepts your repentance and comes to dwell within you through His Holy Spirit.

You should also find a living church where you can fellowship with other believers, worship God, and grow in His Word.

Finally, seek baptism by immersion in water in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins — this completes your step of salvation.

Be greatly blessed!
Please share this message with others, that they too may know these good tidings of eternal life.

If you would like to receive more teachings like this through email or WhatsApp, send us a message in the comment box below, or contact us at +255 789 001 312.
You can also join our WhatsApp Channel by clicking here: WHATSAPP LINK

Print this post