Eternal life is not a reward you earned, it a gift that you receive!
The essence of the Gospel message found exclusively in the Bible is that: Christ gave His life for us, so He could give His life to us, that He might live His life through us. You can know that you are right with God if accept what God says:
You were born a sinner:
A person does not become a sinner through sinning, they are born a sinner:
"Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for all have sinned." -Romans 5:12
Sins in your life are a result of a "sinful nature." It is natural for you to sin because you were born this way. It is this sinful nature that separates you from naturally having eternal life. God gave us His Law that we might see that we are sinners...This Law is called the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20:
- No other Gods before Me.
- Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image...
- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain...
- Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy...
- Honor thy father and mother...
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thous shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness. [lie]
- Thou shalt not covet.
These are just ten of the 613 aspects of God's Law. The New Testament tells us that to break one them is to be guilty of all because they come together as God's LAW not His laws.
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilt of all." -James 2:10
The Law demands absolute perfection 100% of the time if righteousness comes by observing Law. The penalty for sin, breaking God's Law, is eternal death, or sepreation from God:
"For the wages of sin is death..." -Romans 6:23a
The fact that we natural sin shows that we are born in spiritual darkness and without eternal life:
"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens...strangers...having no hope...without God in the world." -Ephesians 2:12
God loves you even though you are a sinner:
Jesus came into this world and lived the life that you cannot live, a perfect one, yet gave His life in the place of sinners:
"But God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8
Jesus graciously gave His life for you to provide you with eternal forgiveness. You cannot provide this forgiveness for yourself, that is call self righteousness:
"Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone that believes." -Romans 10:4
Jesus loves you unconditionally, as a sinner, were you are not right now. He knows who you are and what you have done and what you are doing....and He still loves you. He gave His life on the cross as a sacrifice for your sins. This is no strings attached love.
Jesus wants to give you eternal life in place of eternal death:
"...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." -John 10:10
"...and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." -John 10:28
The Bible tells you that you are dead in trespasses and sins, spiritual death right now. So what does a dead man need more than anything else? LIFE!!! Jesus died so you can have the forgiveness of your sins, and He rose from the dead in order to provide you with eternal life...His Life!
"For the bread of God is He [Jesus] which comes down from Heaven, and gives life unto the world." -John 6:33
Jesus wants you to receive Him, Eternal life, as a gift:
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast." -Ephesians 2:8-9
If eternal life were gained through religious effort, we would boast and brag about out righteousness. You see, Eternal life is not a work, a church or a deed....eternal life is a PERSON, Jesus Christ!
Will you receive eternal life, the forgiveness of sin that has been provided for you through faith alone in Jesus alone?
"But as many as received Him [Jesus] , to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." -John 1:12
You might have a religion, an opinion or a church...but do you have the eternal life of Jesus?