Why is the Gift of God Eternal Life?<\/h4>\n
When you sit down and reflect on the phrase eternal life, you might be amazed, at times even perplexed. You may wonder how this is possible, and as you ponder deeply, your mind might feel overwhelmed. To think that you can live forever without an end\u2014today, tomorrow, a hundred years from now, a thousand years from now, and even a billion years\u2014yet you keep on living. And it doesn’t stop there: even when a trillion years pass, life continues. Imagine octillions and nonillions, a time so distant, still life remains uninterrupted. Such thoughts may seem unfathomable, but this is the reality we are promised.<\/p>\n
Think about how you feel when 20 or 30 years pass; it feels like it was so long ago, and you may call it the \u201cgood old days.\u201d Now imagine a million years passing, what would you call that era? Perhaps a distant age, like the Stone Age, and its memory would fade away. But God, who is eternal and without end, has promised us this great gift freely.<\/p>\n
The Promise of Eternal Life<\/h4>\n
The Bible speaks about eternal life as a gift of God\u2014something freely given, not earned.<\/p>\n
\nRomans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
God, being infinite and without boundaries, gives us a life that is not aimless or directionless. Eternal life isn\u2019t a passive existence. If that were the case, it would be tiresome. Instead, life will be filled with joy and progress\u2014new and delightful experiences every day. There will be no sickness, no aging, no pain, and no suffering. The world\u2019s difficulties will no longer have any hold over us. We will enjoy endless peace and bask in the glory of God. Every day will be filled with things that glorify Him, and we will worship Him in perfect harmony and unending joy.<\/p>\n
God already knows the details of this eternal life, including the events that will unfold in the far-off future\u2014billions of years ahead. This is why the Bible says in<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0Isaiah 55:8-9, \u201cFor my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
God\u2019s Thoughts and Plans for Us<\/h4>\n
This statement from God affirms that His plans for us are beyond human comprehension. We cannot imagine the depth of what God has prepared for those who love Him. This life on earth\u201470 or 80 years\u2014is not true life. Rather, we are being prepared for an eternal existence that goes beyond what our earthly minds can grasp.<\/p>\n
As we reflect on this, we gain strength to not worry about what we might lose in this temporary world for the sake of our eternal future. We won\u2019t mind losing business opportunities if it means attending prayer meetings or going to church. We won\u2019t be upset by the passing pleasures of the world because we are focused on the eternal life that God has promised.<\/p>\n
\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matthew 16:26 says, \u201cWhat good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?\u201d<\/em> This is a reminder that the fleeting pleasures of this world are nothing compared to the eternal life that awaits us.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Salvation Through Christ<\/h4>\n
The gift of eternal life comes freely through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not something we can earn by good works or religious rituals but by turning to Jesus with a sincere heart of repentance. As<\/p>\n
\nPhilippians 3:7-8 states, \u201cBut whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
When you repent and turn from sin\u2014leaving behind the fleeting pleasures of this world, like drunkenness, immorality, and greed\u2014you count those things as worthless, just as the Apostle Paul did. The next step is to be baptized by full immersion in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins, according to Acts 2:38. Once you do this, God will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit, and you will become a child of God, inheriting the gift of eternal life.<\/p>\n
A Final Reminder<\/h4>\n
As we live this life, we must keep in mind\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nRomans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”<\/em> This eternal life is not found in the world, but in Christ Jesus alone.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
This life is temporary, but the life God offers us through Christ is eternal. Let us not lose sight of this incredible gift and the joy of living forever in God’s presence.<\/p>\n
May you be blessed as you reflect on this promise of eternal life and press forward with faith in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n