Hello everyone, welcome to December.

We would be looking at a great subject which we would look at over the next couple of weeks.

As believers, we have certain truths that are settled and already made available. We would short change ourselves if we do not participate and enjoy it to the fullest.

Eternal Life

Eternal life has to be a fundamental belief of the believer. It’s what our faith is built on.

John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

In John 10:10, Jesus gives a brief job description  of the thief and Himself. He says of Himself…I have come so that you have life, not just life but abundant life (superior in quality and superabundant in quantity). He couldn’t be promising human life since we already have that, it can’t be animal life or even plant life as the human life already supersedes them.

He must be talking about something far better. He must be talking about the “God-life”.

What is a God-life?

A plant has a life and characteristics that are accompanied with it. They make their food from Carbon Dioxide and water in the presence of sunlight and chlorophyll. An animal finds its food very differently. Some eat plants, some eat grains, some eat meat. Human are very different in that they cook their food.

The God-life is also very different. It is the same exact quality of life that God has. That Life that is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. It is not a lower version of the God-life, it is the exact same life that God has.

1 John 1:1-2

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—

the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us…

This life is not just an abstract concept. John says it is a person…Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the very life God.

1 John 5:12

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Once we believe on Jesus Christ He becomes our life. This means that the life we now live is the Christ life. It means that just as Christ is the very life of God…He is also our life. So for our existence to “stop”, Christ would have to be done away with.

Of course believers still die physically, but the life we have now has defeated death. Scriptures does not even refer to believers and dying, it says they slept.

Eternal life is not something we would have when Jesus comes. It is a life we have right now. We can start enjoying this life right now.

Gal 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

This life assures me that I shall live forever just like God lives, that I cannot die and even if/when I die physically, eventually I would be raised up. It is not something that might happen, it is sure to happen. And this is true for everyone that has come into Christ.

The blessing of forgiveness:

Col 1:13-14

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Eph 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace—

Salvation is basically forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God empowered by the life of God.

Our concept of forgiveness interferes with how God forgives. We basically forgive from offence to offence. How am I supposed to know that my friend, colleague or spouse would wrong me in a certain way.

God has never been in a position where He quickly tries to come up with plan B when plan A goes to shreds. Therefore He has sorted the sin problem once and for all. God is not forgiving sins from offence to offence. In fact for sins to be forgiven, there needs to be shedding of blood. So if God forgives from offence to offence, blood, Christ’s blood must be shed every time someone asks for forgiveness.

Heb 9:22

In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Since Christ has died once and for all, it means that He has sorted forgiveness once and for all. This is very liberating.

Heb 10:12

But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,

Rom 6:10

The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Its quick maths, God is not forgiving sins today, He has forgiven sins and its the sins of the world…everyone in it, that He has forgiven. The difference is that some people have received this blessing, other have not. And this comes by receiving Christ.

Does knowing that you have been forgiven cause you to sin more?

Paul faced this thought and questions too. “…shall we continue to sin so that grace would abound…God forbid”.

Does an abundance of something cause its abuse? Does an unlimited supply of gas mean I can open it down and waste it? For me it means that I can cook an unlimited variety of dishes. Does the blessing of forgiveness mean we can go on sinning? No, it means we can live this life without blame or fear that maybe…just maybe that one sin slipped under the radar and has not been forgiven.

Luke 7:41-43,47

There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Once we understand how much God forgave us of, Loving Him back won’t be a problem.

Feature Image by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash