Why do we need eternal life

Jesus Christ is the medium through which God imparts salvation and the bridge that God uses to connect us. This means that when we receive Jesus, we get this gift. Leading up to Romans , Paul explained that our belief in and application of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in our lives is actually what frees us from our bondage to sin and penalty of death. In other words, because Jesus died, we do not have to die, and because Jesus lived again, we can live again.

This is the great hope that Christians have in Christ. John prophecies in the Book of Revelation that:. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection!

Over such the second death has no power Revelation , ESV. We need to understand that while there are two options presented for everyone in this verse death or life , God desires that we choose life. Someone once said that God is not against us because of our sin, he is with us against our sin. That is explained clearly in verses like:. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance 2 Peter , ESV.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Timothy , ESV. Even more than that, God demonstrated that he wants us to receive life over death by sending his Son to the Earth as a substitution for us and taking the punishment of our death on himself. The Apostle Paul said:. Robert Hampshire is a pastor, teacher, writer, and leader.

He has been married to Rebecca since and has three children, Brooklyn, Bryson, and Abram. Everyone lives forever in either heaven or hell. Everlasting life is a present-tense possession. There are a number of scriptures that speak of everlasting life as something we possess in this life John ; ; ; , John says this is the reason that Jesus came.

Many people have mistakenly thought that the goal of salvation is the forgiveness of sin to avoid hell. Sure, not perishing in hell is an important part of what Jesus came to do. But salvation is much, much more than getting our sins forgiven so we can go to heaven instead of hell. Let me say it this way. Sin was a barrier that stood between us and a holy God. It had to be removed.

Sin is no longer standing between God and man 2 Cor. But to what does that entitle us? Sure, it entitles us to live forever with God in heaven. But there are tremendous benefits right here, right now, on earth. Eternal life is one of those benefits. Eternal life is knowing God. You may be disappointed with that definition. You want there to be something more. This was speaking of much more than just intellectual knowledge.

He had an intimate, personal experience with her. This was speaking of a knowing between a man and a woman in the most intimate way possible. Likewise, when Jesus said eternal life was knowing God, He was speaking of having an intimate, close, personal relationship with God. They think that is reserved for heaven. The Bible says: "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" John You can have an intimate relationship with God now, and be sure you will live with Him in heaven forever.

The best news you will ever hear is that God loves you and has made it possible for you to have eternal life! This raises a number of questions:. In the Bible, God reveals His inner self. He is the Almighty Creator of all things. Knowing the only Ture God means having an intimate, personal relationship with Him - not just knowing about Him. How does eternal life express itself? A person's love for God must show itself in love for people.

Our ability to have loving relationships has been altered by sin. Disobedience is not doing what God says is right. God requires perfection. Jesus said: "Be perfect. How does sin alter relationships?

God must now relate to us as our righteous Judge instead of our loving father. When we are not rightly related to God, our ability to properly relate to people is damaged. We hurt each other. We especially hurt ourselves. We grieve God by disobeying His laws. The only answer to this problem is Jesus. Not only is He true man, He is also true God. The prophet Isaiah, looking forward to His birth years before it happened said: "To us a child is born, to us a son is given.

As True Man, He had perfect sympathy with man and can pay for man's sins. What did He do for us? The apostle Peter declared, "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth" I Peter After thirty-three years of living perfectly, what did Jesus do? He took this list of sins and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's Cross" Col. Then what happened? Luke declared: "He showed himself to these men the Apostles and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

He appeared to them over a period of forty days" Acts This is the most important and one of the best attested facts of history. Now it is possible to receive eternal life. Because you receive a restored relationship your mind must change. Changing your mind about doing wrong is necessary!

God's holy nature will not allow Him to forgive sin without it. But to be sorry for past wrong cannot undo it. The relationship is restored through Living Trust. It is not a blind leap in the dark.