Eternal Life: Are You Sure That You Have It?

Temple Baptist Church - 5-5-2013

John 10:27-31

 

Introduction: This morning, I want to look at one of my favorite portions of scripture!

 

A.  John 10 is one of the “great” chapters in the New Testament as our Lord explains so simply the way of salvation verses the way of religion.  He called the religionists “thieves and robbers” because they rejected the “Door” of salvation. 

 

1.  You cannot have eternal life until you have life!  Every true believer can sing with Fanny Crosby, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine; Oh what a foretaste of glory divine!”

 

2.  Religion is man-made and involves a devilish mixture of faith and works!  I emphasize the word “devilish!”  Religion is Cain worship with man’s goodness meriting favor with God and, therefore, salvation.  Galatians 2:16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

 

B.  Religion hates true salvation because true salvation changes the repentant believer and exposes the religionist.  Verse 31 shows the true heart of the religionist:  “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.” 

 

1.  My, how the religious crowd hated the Lord Jesus!  They still hate Him today and the “Jesus” that they worship is “another Jesus!”  The Jesus of the bible indicted the religionists of the day as He said, “Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites!”  It was this crowd who cried, “Crucify him!”  In a parable, He spoke of them:  “We will not have this man to reign over us!”

 

2.  Religion is an enemy of the Christ of the Bible for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is set forth in these verses:  the blessed doctrine of “Eternal Life.” 

 

C.  It is one if not the most hated of all doctrines found in the Bible because it destroys the goodness of man and man’s ability to both earn and keep his salvation.  One famous so-called God called preacher called the biblical doctrine eternal security a doctrine of devils.  I do not like the preceding term “eternal security” because it is not a biblical term.  The bible says, “Eternal life.”  Eternal life is the only kind of life that God gives.

 

D.  You would think that “eternal life” is something that every sinner would love to have but  this is not the case.  Man believes that he is essentially good and that God should accept his “offering.”  This thinking is as old as time and is described in the New Testament as the “way of Cain:”  It is man offering to God his goodness and merit instead of bowing to the righteousness of God which no man can measure up to.

 

Genesis 4:1-8  And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

 

E.  I thank God for salvation through the finished work of Christ.  I thank God for life more abundantly.  I thank god for His mercy and grace to this poor old sinner.  I thank God for a salvation that is eternal: “Eternal Life!” 

 

1.  I am the least of all saints and the worst of all sinners!  I am so glad this morning that salvation is of the Lord and I will go to Heaven on day by the amazing grace of God!!

 

2.  The words everlasting and eternal are used many times in the Bible:  Everlasting Life” 11 times,  “Eternal Life” 26 times.  A man once said that “One who does not believe in ‘eternal security’ is doomed to live in ‘eternal insecurity.’" 

 

1. The Meaning Of The Word Eternal – it means for ever and for ever and for ever…

 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 

1 John 5:11-13  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12  He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

 

2.  Eternal Life Is An Unconditional Covenant Of God – this means that it does not depend upon us but upon His promises!

 

John 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

 

John  10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

 

Romans 8:1  [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

1 John 2:25  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

 

3.  Eternal Life States The Sufficiency Of Christ’ Death – His sacrifice is sufficient to not only save but to save eternally.

 

Hebrews 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

 

1 John 2:1-2  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

4.  Eternal Life Depends Upon The Ability Of God To Keep That Which Belongs To Him – Eternal Life is the responsibility of God, not man!

 

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

 

2 Timothy 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 

1 Peter 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

Jude 24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

5.  Eternal Life Is Our Lord’s Prayer For Us – His prayers always get answered!

 

John 11:41-42  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42  And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

 

John 17:11  And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

 

Hebrews 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

 

6.  Eternal Life Is A Product Of The Integrity Of God’s Word – if God said it, you can “take it to the bank!”

 

Matthew 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

 

1 Peter 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

1 John 2:25  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

 

7.  Eternal Life Is The Fidelity Of God’s Love For Us – He has loved us with an everlasting love!

 

John 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

Romans 5:8-11  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11  And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

 

Romans 8:34-39  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

8.  Eternal Life Has The Seal Of The Indwelling Holy Spirit – we that are saved have the Spirit Of God living in us until the day He takes us home!

 

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 

Ephesians 1:13-14  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

 

Conclusion:  Not wonder the Devil hates the doctrine of Eternal Life!  He may try to rob you of your peace and profitableness but he CANNOT rob you of your salvation!  Glory to God!  We are saved!  We are secure!  We are safe!  FOREVER!  Eternal life is the only kind that God gives and not to have it is not to be saved!