How to know you have Eternal Life.

[DeepWater]

There is a simple way for you to know that you as a born again believer in Jesus, in fact, have Eternal Life.
And to know, all you have to understand, is what Eternal Life actually is..
Thats the key.
Now, you think of it as being alive forever, or, never dying spiritually., etc.
So, right here we have see there is a distinction between :Eternal life:, and "living forever".
Saint, everyone lives forever, as your body is just a temporary "house", and the real you will leave it one day, as the real you never dies.
Isn't it interesting to know that everyone who is in the obituary column today in the newspaper had no idea yesterday that they would be in a column that says...."DIED", today?

So, everyone lives forever, but not everyone has Eternal life and most Christians dont even know what Eternal life is, actually.
Lets look at how you can KNOW that you have "eternal life" by understanding what it actually is..

Lets say you have your bible, and you read this verse in 1 John 5:11

"""11: ""And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."""

Now this verse just told you WHAT eternal life actually is..
"this life is IN his SON"..
See that?.....that verse is telling you that JESUS HIMSELF >IS< Eternal Life.
Jesus, is eternal life.
("I am the way, the truth, the LIFE") John 14:6

Now read this..

"""12: ""He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.""""

See that?
You are now come to understand that if you have Jesus, you have Eternal life, and if you dont, you dont have eternal life.
Clear and simple, isnt it?
And THAT, is the difference between living forever, and having Eternal life.
See, the Christian has Eternal life, because they have the ONE who >IS< eternal life, whereas the lost person, the unbeliever will live forever, but they dont as a Christ Rejector have eternal life, so their destination is different in the end, then yours, if you are a Christian.

And finally.....so that you can KNOW you have Eternal life...

13: ""These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.""

You are told that you can KNOW, and the reason you know, is that you understand that Eternal Life IS Jesus, and if you have him, if you are born again, then you know.

Now, from now on when you hear this...."Christ IN YOU the hope of Glory"....or that you are "In Christ"........you can put these scriptures together with your knowledge that Jesus IS Eternal life, and realize that as Jesus is IN YOU and you are IN HIM.....and because he IS Eternal LIFE< then you have it, and you know.
This explains also why you are "seated in heavenly places" Ephesians 2:6.... as you are seated there right now because the ONE who is Eternal life is seated there and you are "in Christ".


DW
<><

 

[CharlesC]

Yes, 1 John we all should read more than once, to make sure we walk in the Faith.

 

[Steeno7]

Yes . We have eternal life because we have a Person, Jesus Christ...in whom is eternal life. Good post.

 

[Wordkeeper]

There is a simple way for you to know that you as a born again believer in Jesus, in fact, have Eternal Life.
And to know, all you have to understand, is what Eternal Life actually is..
Thats the key.
Now, you think of it as being alive forever, or, never dying spiritually., etc.
So, right here we have see there is a distinction between :Eternal life:, and "living forever".
Saint, everyone lives forever, as your body is just a temporary "house", and the real you will leave it one day, as the real you never dies.
Isn't it interesting to know that everyone who is in the obituary column today in the newspaper had no idea yesterday that they would be in a column that says...."DIED", today?

So, everyone lives forever, but not everyone has Eternal life and most Christians dont even know what Eternal life is, actually.
Lets look at how you can KNOW that you have "eternal life" by understanding what it actually is..

Lets say you have your bible, and you read this verse in 1 John 5:11

"""11: ""And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son."""

Now this verse just told you WHAT eternal life actually is..
"this life is IN his SON"..
See that?.....that verse is telling you that JESUS HIMSELF >IS< Eternal Life.
Jesus, is eternal life.
("I am the way, the truth, the LIFE") John 14:6

Now read this..

"""12: ""He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.""""

See that?
You are now come to understand that if you have Jesus, you have Eternal life, and if you dont, you dont have eternal life.
Clear and simple, isnt it?
And THAT, is the difference between living forever, and having Eternal life.
See, the Christian has Eternal life, because they have the ONE who >IS< eternal life, whereas the lost person, the unbeliever will live forever, but they dont as a Christ Rejector have eternal life, so their destination is different in the end, then yours, if you are a Christian.

And finally.....so that you can KNOW you have Eternal life...

13: ""These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW KNOW KNOW KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.""

You are told that you can KNOW, and the reason you know, is that you understand that Eternal Life IS Jesus, and if you have him, if you are born again, then you know.

Now, from now on when you hear this...."Christ IN YOU the hope of Glory"....or that you are "In Christ"........you can put these scriptures together with your knowledge that Jesus IS Eternal life, and realize that as Jesus is IN YOU and you are IN HIM.....and because he IS Eternal LIFE< then you have it, and you know.
This explains also why you are "seated in heavenly places" Ephesians 2:6.... as you are seated there right now because the ONE who is Eternal life is seated there and you are "in Christ".


DW
<><

The bolded text indicates you believe that Christians, those who believe in Christ, have eternal life and Christ rejectors do not have eternal life.

However the text says that those who love one another are the ones who have eternal life:


John 13:35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."


1 John 3:14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

 

[Steeno7]

The bolded text indicates you believe that Christians, those who believe in Christ, have eternal life and Christ rejectors do not have eternal life.

However the text says that those who love one another are the ones who have eternal life:


John 13:35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."


1 John 3:14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.

Those who have eternal life in Christ are those who love one another. Our love for one another isn't the cause of our eternal life, it is the indicator, it is how we know we have Him and have passed from death to life.

 

[Wordkeeper]

Those who have eternal life in Christ are those who love one another. Our love for one another isn't the cause of our eternal life, it is the indicator, it is how we know we have Him and have passed from death to life.

Absolutely. Having a belief in Christ is not the indicator of eternal life and rejecting Christ isn't the indicator of absence of eternal life. Love for one another is.

 

[EmSw]

Those who have eternal life in Christ are those who love one another. Our love for one another isn't the cause of our eternal life, it is the indicator, it is how we know we have Him and have passed from death to life.

1 John 3:14 -
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

I see 'because we love the brethren' as answering why we have passed out of death unto life.

'Because' means 'for the reason that; due to the fact that; because of, by reason of; due to'. We do not pass out of death unto life until we love the brethren. The second part of the passage clearly makes this distinction - He that loveth not abideth in death.

Here again is a passage which states we must do something (love the brethren) before we have eternal life. I know many will reject this, because they do not really believe Jesus and His words.

Jesus said to -
1. love the Lord your God
2. love your neighbor
3. love your enemies

Also, Paul and John said to -
4. love your brother

This covers everyone; we are to love all people. If not, we abide in death. It couldn't be any simpler.

 

[Steeno7]

1 John 3:14 -
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

I see 'because we love the brethren' as answering why we have passed out of death unto life.

'Because' means 'for the reason that; due to the fact that; because of, by reason of; due to'. We do not pass out of death unto life until we love the brethren. The second part of the passage clearly makes this distinction - He that loveth not abideth in death.

Here again is a passage which states we must do something (love the brethren) before we have eternal life. I know many will reject this, because they do not really believe Jesus and His words.

Jesus said to -
1. love the Lord your God
2. love your neighbor
3. love your enemies

Also, Paul and John said to -
4. love your brother

This covers everyone; we are to love all people. If not, we abide in death. It couldn't be any simpler.

You're misreading it. We have eternal life because we have the One in whom is eternal life, Jesus Christ. "I am to way, the truth and the life". Our love for one another does not somehow produce eternal life. But we can know that the One who is Love and who alone has eternal life has taken up residence in our own spirit because His love is being expressed through us to others.

 

[EmSw]

You're misreading it. We have eternal life because we have the One in whom is eternal life, Jesus Christ. "I am to way, the truth and the life". Our love for one another does not somehow produce eternal life. But we can know that the One who is Love and who alone has eternal life has taken up residence in our own spirit because His love is being expressed through us to others.

That's not what the passage says. And, I never said it produces eternal life.

It says, because we love the brethren, we have passed from death unto life.

 

[Steeno7]

That's not what the passage says. And, I never said it produces eternal life.

It says, because we love the brethren, we have passed from death unto life.

No, it says because we love the brethren we can KNOW that we have passed from death to life.

 

[EmSw]

No, it says because we love the brethren we can KNOW that we have passed from death to life.

You are correct; I am sorry.

Let me rephrase my statement. If one does not love the brethren, does he abide in life or death?

1 John 3:14 -
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

When does one pass out of death into life? Is it while he does not love the brethren?

 

[Steeno7]

You are correct; I am sorry.

Let me rephrase my statement. If one does not love the brethren, does he abide in life or death?

1 John 3:14 -
We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.

When does one pass out of death into life? Is it while he does not love the brethren?

We pass out of death into life when we receive the One in whom is life, Jesus Christ.

 

[EmSw]

We pass out of death into life when we receive the One in whom is life, Jesus Christ.

What do you mean by 'receive'?

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.

Those who hear His word and believe on Him that sent Jesus have everlasting life. To hear His word is to perceive, comprehend, understand, and attend to His word. In verse 29, we are told who will come forth to the resurrection of life.

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Here, Jesus gave us His word on who will come forth to the resurrection of life - those who do good. When one truly hears His word, he understands it and attends to it. Loving the brethren is doing good to them. Once one loves the brethren, he no longer abides in death.

 

[Steeno7]

What do you mean by 'receive'?

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.

Those who hear His word and believe on Him that sent Jesus have everlasting life. To hear His word is to perceive, comprehend, understand, and attend to His word. In verse 29, we are told who will come forth to the resurrection of life.

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Here, Jesus gave us His word on who will come forth to the resurrection of life - those who do good. When one truly hears His word, he understands it and attends to it. Loving the brethren is doing good to them. Once one loves the brethren, he no longer abides in death.

Those who believe in Jesus, receive Jesus. John 1:12.

 

[Job8]

The bolded text indicates you believe that Christians, those who believe in Christ, have eternal life and Christ rejectors do not have eternal life.
However the text says that those who love one another are the ones who have eternal life:

Why do you insert a "however" into this uncomplicated matter? The ones who have eternal life are also the one who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, therefore they can indeed love one another as God loves them. Love (agape = charity or love) is a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor 13), so there is no "however" and there is no conflict between the two aspects of being a Christian.

The fundamental Bible truth is that those who possess Christ possess eternal life, because He Himself is the Resurrection and the Eternal Life. Eternal life is a Divine Person -- indeed it is God Himself -- and this is something which many Christians seem to forget, even though Christ said it many times, and John says it many times in his first epistle.

 

[Wordkeeper]

Why do you insert a "however" into this uncomplicated matter? The ones who have eternal life are also the one who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, therefore they can indeed love one another as God loves them. Love (agape = charity or love) is a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor 13), so there is no "however" and there is no conflict between the two aspects of being a Christian.The fundamental Bible truth is that those who possess Christ possess eternal life, because He Himself is the Resurrection and the Eternal Life. Eternal life is a Divine Person -- indeed it is God Himself -- and this is something which many Christians seem to forget, even though Christ said it many times, and John says it many times in his first epistle.

Free grace theology teaches that fruit may or may not be seen in a believers life. If any theology teaches that love is the required fruit, then they claim that that theology teaches salvation is by works, since it teaches fruit is mandatory.

http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2008/11/lordship-salvation-free-grace-and-easy-believism/



Easy-Believism: The belief that salvation involves a complete trust in Christ for salvation. Repentance is the changing of one’s mind about who Christ is. This change may or may not bring change in the life of the believer. Christ is “Lord” in the sense that he is their God, not in the sense that they have abandoned all known sins. The abandoning of all sins requires a life long process called sanctification.

It really helps to understand that being loving is the desired goal, and Paul is teaching against using independent effort, like Sarah, leading to slavery, Ishmael, and not against good results, like Isaac, born by being loyal to God and believing God and waiting on the Lord.

The son born into slavery knows that becoming loving must happen and in his system, he is the entity that effects the change.

The son born into inheritance also knows that becoming loving must happen and in his system, God is the entity that effects the change, because the righteousness of God requires He honor His promises.

You do know that God promised to make us loving, right?

John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

Genesis 12:8and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.

Zechariah 9:16the LORD their God will save them in that day As the flock of His people; For they are as the stones of a crown, Sparkling in His land.


Genesis 3:15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”



Time to grow up and leave that easy greasy kid stuff and learn to pull your weight with the grown ups:


1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

[Job8]

Free grace theology teaches that fruit may or may not be seen in a believers life.

Where did you get this idea? And what does eternal security have to do with any of the things in your post (which are not even to the point)?

Genuine Christians have eternal life because Christ is in them and they are in Christ. You have not even addressed this fundamental truth.

BTW what fruit did the thief on the cross produce before entering Heaven? On what grounds did this admitted criminal enter Heaven? Did he receive the gift of eternal life?

 

[Cuddles333]

How to know you have Eternal Life.


After hearing the Gospel, if you have had a paradigm shift within yourself so much that everyone who knows you detects the change. It is a very positive change. Some or most, may not want to be around you anymore so you will have to find people of like mind to have as friends. The many scriptures already written in this thread describe how this change occurred and why.

 

[Wordkeeper]

Where did you get this idea? And what does eternal security have to do with any of the things in your post (which are not even to the point)?

How about here:

http://www.faithalone.org/magazine/y2012/12C4.html

Quote
A lot of the gospel confusion stems from not properly understanding the difference between justification and sanctification. Justification is instantaneous, when we believe on Christ alone for eternal life. It is a declaration which comes by faith alone: “But to the one who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” Sanctification, however, is a progressive growth, choosing to be conformed to the image of Christ in our daily life and setting our lives apart for His work. If the distinction isn’t clearly kept between justification and sanctification, not only will our theology and gospel be muddy, but we will begin to look to ourselves or our fruit for assurance, instead of only looking to Christ. Realizing this lifted a tremendous burden as I was beginning to understand the important distinction between justification and sanctification, and that my “fruit” (or lack thereof) did not affect my security in Christ.

Genuine Christians have eternal life because Christ is in them and they are in Christ. You have not even addressed this fundamental truth.

The question in the thread was: how does a person know if he or she has eternal life? The answer was disingenuous, deceptive, vague, a cloaked attempt to recruit believers to a truncated doctrine: you know you have eternal life if you have Christ.

It is incomplete, requiring people to further enquire: How do you know if you have Christ? If the answer again was that if you have belief that Christ was God then you know you have eternal life, then you should say exactly that: one knows one has eternal life if one believes Christ is God. However there is no Bible verse which says that.

The real answer is more complicated. If you believe that Christ has come to make people obedient to God, and if you believe that this alone puts you in God's good books, in His favor , in His grace, then that counts as being obedient to God. Now you possess Christ. Now you possess eternal life.

As you walk in the revealing light of God, you see your sins, even those you were not aware of or were willing to accept as sins, and as you confess them, the blood of His Son cleanses you of those sins. Of course, being cleansed of sin could lead to pride, so God chooses to leave you weak in the flesh. As you continue to do powerful ministry, people realize that it is not you doing good work, but your ministry is effective because God is with you. Now people realise that being a blessing to the world, the birthright of God's People is inherited not by becoming perfect but by having God on your side, being in God's grace. In seeing this, people will be motivated to be in God's grace. By believing Christ has come to make people obedient to God. Which was what Paul desired:

1 Corinthians 12:9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

BTW what fruit did the thief on the cross produce before entering Heaven? On what grounds did this admitted criminal enter Heaven? Did he receive the gift of eternal life?

He believed Jesus was the Christ, the Seed through whom the world would be blessed, by making them obedient to God, saving them from their body of death, in His Kingdom, as Adam had been created to be pruned and nurtured and saved:

Luke 23:42And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

He was admitted to heaven on the basis of being loyal to God, believing Jesus was the Christ, etc., etc., (see above)...

He possessed eternal life because he possessed Christ because he believed Jesus was the Christ, etc., etc., (see above)...

 

[Steeno7]

How about here:

http://www.faithalone.org/magazine/y2012/12C4.html

Quote
A lot of the gospel confusion stems from not properly understanding the difference between justification and sanctification. Justification is instantaneous, when we believe on Christ alone for eternal life. It is a declaration which comes by faith alone: “But to the one who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” Sanctification, however, is a progressive growth, choosing to be conformed to the image of Christ in our daily life and setting our lives apart for His work. If the distinction isn’t clearly kept between justification and sanctification, not only will our theology and gospel be muddy, but we will begin to look to ourselves or our fruit for assurance, instead of only looking to Christ. Realizing this lifted a tremendous burden as I was beginning to understand the important distinction between justification and sanctification, and that my “fruit” (or lack thereof) did not affect my security in Christ.




The question in the thread was: how does a person know if he or she has eternal life? The answer was disingenuous, deceptive, vague, a cloaked attempt to recruit believers to a truncated doctrine: you know you have eternal life if you have Christ.

It is incomplete, requiring people to further enquire: How do you know if you have Christ? If the answer again was that if you have belief that Christ was God then you know you have eternal life, then you should say exactly that: one knows one has eternal life if one believes Christ is God. However there is no Bible verse which says that.

The real answer is more complicated. If you believe that Christ has come to make people obedient to God, and if you believe that this alone puts you in God's good books, in His favor , in His grace, then that counts as being obedient to God. Now you possess Christ. Now you possess eternal life.

As you walk in the revealing light of God, you see your sins, even those you were not aware of or were willing to accept as sins, and as you confess them, the blood of His Son cleanses you of those sins. Of course, being cleansed of sin could lead to pride, so God chooses to leave you weak in the flesh. As you continue to do powerful ministry, people realize that it is not you doing good work, but your ministry is effective because God is with you. Now people realise that being a blessing to the world, the birthright of God's People is inherited not by becoming perfect but by having God on your side, being in God's grace. In seeing this, people will be motivated to be in God's grace. By believing Christ has come to make people obedient to God. Which was what Paul desired:

1 Corinthians 12:9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.



He believed Jesus was the Christ, the Seed through whom the world would be blessed, by making them obedient to God, saving them from their body of death, in His Kingdom, as Adam had been created to be pruned and nurtured and saved:

Luke 23:42And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

He was admitted to heaven on the basis of being loyal to God, believing Jesus was the Christ, etc., etc., (see above)...

He possessed eternal life because he possessed Christ because he believed Jesus was the Christ, etc., etc., (see above)...

Well, you started off fine, but then you muddied the gospel yourself. Sanctification does not cause justification.