Helping Words

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
“DID you say that all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ have eternal life?”
Scripture says so (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)), “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” We will notice some things about eternal life. First, it comes to us in the way of righteousness. Grace is reigning “through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21).) God has made His beloved Son to be sin, and by the means of the cross of Christ a righteousness suited to God Himself has been made on behalf of the sinner; and on the ground of this righteousness, which has satisfied God’s claims and met the sinner’s need, God is from His throne proclaiming that eternal life is a free gift. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).) God stands towards the sinner as a giver. What does a giver require but a suited receiver? And it is to those who are perishing that God gives eternal life.
“Your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:33For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)); there is its eternal security. No power on earth or hell can touch it; so that if we want to know where the believer’s life is, we look up to heaven and see by faith the glorified Person of the Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God.
God has specially said, by His servant John, “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” (1 John 5:1313These 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. (1 John 5:13)), in order to give the believer a full, certain, present knowledge of the possession of life.
Paul, the chief of sinners, says, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:1212For 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. (2 Timothy 1:12)); and also asserts of real Christians that “We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (1 Cor. 2:1212Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12).) God, who has given us eternal life, has written to tell us that we have it, and has sent the Holy Ghost to give us the happy consciousness of the things so freely given.
“But,” it may be asked, “are there any means by which I may know that I have this blessed gift?”
The apostle John gives us a very sweet and simple test by which a Christian may know if he has eternal life. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:1414We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (1 John 3:14).) Do you really from your heart prefer the company of the people of God to that of any others simply because they are His people? I well remember the time when I would rather be anywhere else than in the company of those who made Christ their theme. Now, through God’s grace, it is my joy to be with those who love Him? Is it yours? Paul, Peter, and John give it as a mark of a child of God. Loving the brethren will not save you, but John tells us that this is a sure sign to indicate those who are saved. Again, Peter says, “Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.” (2 Peter 1:22). Paul also gives thanks to God: “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints.” (Col. 1:3,43We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, (Colossians 1:3‑4).) We can quote only a few passages. Let the reader take a pencil and underline in his Bible all the texts in which the word “know” occurs; and, if honest, he can never utter such a sentiment as this— “I cannot tell whether I have eternal life, and I do not think there are many who can do so.”
God has written with the utmost clearness, and with the most divine certainty, the precious assurance in His word that, “We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:2020And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20).)