What is the Gospel message? It is you are saved eternally!
Now I want to use an illustration using the question, “Why should I let you into heaven”. And I want to use this illustration in two ways. First, let us say you came forward wanting to be saved. You were told about Jesus, His death and resurrection for you and His promise of everlasting life, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. and you believed in Him for His promise. And before you could do anything you dropped dead. And then at heaven’s gates, you were asked why should I let you enter, what would you say? You could not say, I have been baptized! You could not say it is all the things I have done! All you could say is Jesus promised me everlasting life and I believed Him.
Second, The same thing happened but you did not drop dead but lived for many years and then you committed some awful sin and died as a drug addict or whatever without an opportunity to repent or confess your sins. And you stood at heaven’s gates and were asked. Why should I let you enter, what would you say? It is the same answer. It is the only answer that gets you into heaven, “Jesus promised me everlasting life and I believed Him ”. Jesus is the only One who can guarantee you everlasting life. He is the One who took your sin in His own body and paid your sin debt. Please read the following verses carefully and prayerfully.
What is the Gospel message? It is you are saved eternally! The believer is saved, secure, safe forever. The Lord Jesus said the believer is eternally secure., John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. I like to use V15 and 16 together because they show eternal life and everlasting life are like terms, in V15 but have eternal life – in v 16 but have everlasting life, Jesus gives both = They are synonymous terms.
Upon believing Jesus for His promise of Life, you are united with Christ, Eph_5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For you to lose, by any means, the life He gives you means His life would have to be terminated for you to lose your eternal life. Eternal life and Everlasting life both mean forever.
Joh 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. Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. Joh 6:48 I am that bread of life. Joh 6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. Joh 6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. Joh 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
And the offer is made again in a concluding invitation given by the LORD, Rev 22:16-17 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The word “take” means to lay hold by taking - accept what is available (offered). Jesus took away the sin barrier between us a God. And Jesus is who is offered, 1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
A quote from Bob Wilken, “a person is not saved by believing that Jesus gives him a chance to make it to heaven if he perseveres in faith and good works. A person is saved by believing that Jesus guarantees him everlasting life that can never be lost simply based on his present faith in Christ. No strings attached.”
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