Laying Hold On Eternal Life...

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The expression "eternal life" is not referring primarily to living a long time. Rather, eternal life is the knowledge of God and Christ; and is found also in the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. "Eternal life" does not refer to duration of existence. Rather, it is a kind of life.

I suppose the main difference between the "ticket" doctrine of eternal life, and the true, covenantal doctrine of eternal life is that in the covenantal doctrine, eternal life is not viewed as a one-time pass into Heaven but is seen as a daily working out of the Divine redemption. Also, unlike the "ticket" doctrine, it is seen that we possess eternal life in degrees, according to the effort we have made to walk with God.

(5/2/2010) It is absolutely true that eternal life is a gift. However, it is the gift of an opportunity to attain to eternal life, not a ticket that is handed out to us on the basis of our "accepting Christ." I enclose "accepting Christ" in quotes because what often happens is a religious confession of sorts, not a genuine receiving of the Man, Christ Jesus.

That eternal life is "the gift of an opportunity to attain to life" can be seen in the following passages:

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (I Timothy 6:11,12)

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. (I Timothy 4:16)

Today too much emphasis is placed on what Christ does in the work of redemption. It absolutely is true that all redemption proceeds from Christ. But the New Testament teaches plainly that many responses are expected from us, such as presenting our body a living sacrifice; taking up our personal cross and following the Lord Jesus. If we do not do our part, the work of redemption ceases.

Can you imagine how greatly this understanding is needed today in the Christian churches?

It is obvious from the Book of Romans that eternal life is not a package tied with a bow that is just handed to us. Rather, unlike what was true of the Law of Moses, eternal life is now made available to us. But we have to "take hold" of it by pursuing godly behavior.

The Apostle Paul toward the end of his life was still endeavoring to "take hold" of the inward resurrection which is the prerequisite for receiving the first resurrection, that is, the redemption of the physical body that will occur when the Lord next returns to the physical world.

It appears we have made eternal residence in Heaven the goal of the Christian redemption. It assuredly is not. The goal of redemption, according to the Apostle Paul, is the making alive of our inward nature, and then, when the Lord returns, the making alive of our physical body.

I think sometimes that Christians believe being resurrected means going to Heaven. Resurrection has nothing whatever to do with going to Heaven. Resurrection means making alive what has been dead, whether the personality is in Heaven or upon the earth.

"Death" means the Spirit of God is absent.

The Apostle Paul had as his goal the complete resurrection of his inward nature. This would mean that he was living by the Life of Jesus rather than by his own life. Such resurrection of the inward nature is the necessary prerequisite for the making alive of the mortal body. God never shall make alive the physical body of any person until first the inward nature has met God's requirements for that individual.

Faithful Enoch, and also Elijah, were carried into Heaven, apparently. But that is not resurrection.

In the parable of the sower, the Lord spoke of three degrees of fruitbearing in those who have a noble and good heart, retain the word, and who persevere.

The fruit that is to be borne always is from the Spirit of God. The more of the Spirit ,we have, the more fruit we bear. The fruit is the moral image of Christ, and untroubled rest in the center of God's Person and will.

The forty-seventh chapter of the Book of Ezekiel also tells us of levels of the Spirit. There are the three levels that follow the Divine judgment on us, and then there is the fourth level, the waters to swim in.

The three levels of Ezekiel speak of the increasing work of redemption. The fourth level is the Fullness of God. At this point we are planted by the River of Life and have become a tree of life, like our Lord, because we are filled with our Lord.

The water of eternal life will go out from us into the dead sea of mankind, bringing eternal life to all who will receive it. Thus there is a vast inheritance to those who will never cease pressing forward in the Lord Jesus. This was how Paul lived.

Both the Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." All who are thirsty may come and drink freely of the water of eternal life.

It is my point of view that every member of the new world of righteousness will have a portion of God's Spirit in him or her. There will be no more "sea" of people who are living according to their fallen nature and who can be swayed by demagogues.

How much of the Spirit we possess depends on the diligence with which we obey God each day. God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him.

If we will bear our personal cross and follow Jesus diligently all our life, we will be of enormous benefit to God and mankind, and also to ourselves and our loved ones. Let's do it!

You can hear the morning sermon at morning. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

You can hear the evening sermon at evening. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

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