Bible Readings
John c17v3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
1John c2v25 “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
1John c5v11 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
Gospel Message
There are many different ideas about what life consists of. For some it has been work, progressing on the promotion tree. Or producing some new idea or getting a high salary. However for a lot of people they do not reach high promotion. Others think that “life” consists of just enjoying yourself. Perhaps it is going out for a lot of meals or visiting many cultural places or taking foreign holidays. We all know that such an emphasis leads to an unbalanced life. A number these days think that life is about pop music events, drugs and immoral living etc which often leads to problems and the dragging down of life.
Others think of life is living responsibly. It being a mixture of work, paying your way, although that is becoming more difficult these days, and good pleasures.
However whatever we think we that we have done there is a future to face along with a present that we can know. A lot of life consists of human relationships which can be easy, good or difficult or bad. But what about God’s relationship with us?
We all know that what upsets human relationships. Disrespect, disobedience, selfishness, thoughtlessness, unfairness, broken promises, lying, injustice, theft and so on. But do we realise that these failures fall short of God’s standards. God has given us His law, the ten commandments in Exodus c20 and others which He gave for our good. Deuteronomy c4v40 “You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time.” However are His commandments kept by us? If we kept God laws then we would be the best and happiest society ever. But do we keep God’s laws about our thinking, our words and our actions, which God calls sins? So because in varying degrees we break God’s laws by offending people our relationship with God is also badly affected.
However God has not left us condemned in our sins. He has done an amazing thing about it. God has made it possible that we can be forgiven and more than that we can receive eternal life because “the Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world.” (1John c4v14).
There was once a person who was in court and was known to the judge. The case was bought and the man was found guilty of a crime and the judge passed the appropriate sentence which was a big fine which it seems that the man could not pay. After passing the sentence the judge, took off his judge’s cap, got down from the judge’s chair, went to where the condemned man was, got out his cheque book and wrote out a cheque for the exact amount of the fine and gave it to the condemned man. So the judge both passed the right sentence and then paid for the sentence himself.
That is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1Timothy c1v15 “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
1Corinthians c15v3-4 “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” When on the cross God judged Jesus Christ for our sins and Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins and rose again so that we might not have to suffer the judgment for our sins. That is amazing as God is holy. But what is even more amazing is that if people will admit to the guilt of their sin and believe that Christ took the punishment for their sin, then God will also give the believer everlasting or eternal life. Writing to Christians the apostle John said in 1John c2v25 says “And this is the promise that He has promised us–eternal life.” But what makes it more wonderful eternal life is also a gift for which you pay nothing. 1John c5v11 “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. To receive a gift you have to believe that it is being given to you. Acts c16v31 “So they (the apostle Paul and Silas) said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” God is trustworthy and waiting to be believed so that then He can bless you with many spiritual blessings.