How to Gain Eternal Life…
Isn’t this marvelous? We are back together again to share a few spiritual gems.
Let’s get into the exciting bits. For starters, what is eternal life? Eternal life is; it is not a state in development.
It has always existed (before God created the heavens and the Earth.) and will always exist.[1] So, let us say it this way: eternal life is a state in which God has always existed [1]
How do I gain eternal life? In the simplest of terms, it is ‘knowing God.’ Unbelievably simple. You may question, ‘Are you sure?’ Sure, I’m sure. Read this scripture:
“Eternal life is to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.”[2]
We have covered this scripture in previous teachings, so we will discuss the state of eternal life, which explains the what and the how.
We will begin by considering two scriptures:
“Of old you laid the foundation of the Earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They will perish, but you will remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
but you are the same, and your years have no end.”
(Psalm 102:25-27 See link above).
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the Earth?
Tell Me if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?”
“On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone
When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
(Job 38:4-7 See link above)
We glean from these two scripture groups that God is eternal, with no beginning nor end, in other words. We also see that the Earth and universe are not eternal, having both had a beginning and will have an end. God was the master creator of the Earth and universe. God gives us a short description of how this creation process took place. But we are non-the-wiser about the eternal state in which God has always existed.
Jesus gave us this little titbit:[3]
“Jesus said to his disciples, Don’t be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After doing this, I will return and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going.”
Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t even know where you are going! How can we know the way?”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” Jesus answered. “Without me, no one can go to the Father. If you had really known me; you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him.”
(John 14:1-7 See link below)
Jesus mentions a few pointers about His Father’s home and that He would prepare a place for each of us. The only direction to eternity is through Jesus. I get thrilled to my tonsils when I read these mysterious words. ‘Mysterious,’ you say, ‘What are you talking about?’ Allow me to explain. ‘…there are many rooms in my Father’s house… I am going there to prepare a place for you…’ What! How can all the believers fit into the rooms Jesus is preparing? (I’m sure they will because Jesus doesn’t tell fibs – ‘I wouldn’t tell you this unless it was true.’) Can you imagine how huge this house must be if this is the case?
No, you can’t, and here’s my point: nobody can imagine what it’s like, so if you can’t imagine, it remains a mystery.
‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?’ I can assure you no one was a twinkle in their mother’s eye at that time – only God and the angelic host. So, we don’t know what eternity is like – only God and the angels do. If you don’t understand what eternity is like, how will you explain eternal life?
You can’t – no one can! But here we are, the lot of us, all believing in some state called eternity, which we can’t explain. If this isn’t wild, then what about us asking how we can gain living eternally? It doesn’t make sense. Or does it make sense?
Of course, it makes sense. How? Because we believe in God’s words, which promise us eternal life. How do we believe? We believe by faith:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”[4]
I translate the scripture like this:
Faith believes what I have desired has already come about, although all my senses say, ‘nonsense!’
God’s house is mammoth, though we cannot see, taste, smell, feel, or hear it – we know it’s there – because God said so.
Until next time
Love and Blessings
Peter-James