how does one lay hold of eternal life?

[EmSw]

I guess I would need more elaboration. Certainly, some people are not really struggling or carrying a cross, because they aren't hearing or believing rightly.

So, are these people who do not do good works saved?

 

[FireDragon76]

So, are these people who do not do good works saved?

Without knowing more details, I'd hate to just guess.

 

[Aseyesee]

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12).

We have to identify what eternal life as a single truth is, if we are going to layhold of what we've been called to, as something consciously tangible to us now.

 

[Ron Gurley]

OP: Q: How does one "lay hold of" "eternal (spiritual!) life"?

A:
"Punch line" to the story of the "Rich Young Ruler": Matthew 19: 16-26
Jesus: "“With people this (rich DOING something to INHERIT "ETERNAL LIFE") is impossible,
but with God all things are possible.”

There are ~200 places in the Bible that state/imply that the GIFT of undeserved GRACE/LOVE/MERCY through spirit-led FAITH/BELIEF
in Jesus the God-Man AND His perfect and completed work on the Cross FOR you as Savior from sin
is ALL that is required for salvation FROM spiritual eternal DEATH/SEPARATION INTO spiritual "ETERNAL LIFE"/PRESENCE in "heaven"...the realm of the TRI-UNE GOD + angels + truly saved BELIEVERS!


John 17 (NASB...JESUS: The High Priestly Prayer...BELIEF in the TRI-UNE God ONLY!
1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said,
“Father, the hour has come;
glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2
even as You (Father) gave Him (Jesus) authority over all flesh, that to all (believers) whom You (Father) have given Him (Jesus),
He (Jesus) MAY GIVE "ETERNAL LIFE".
3 This IS ETERNAL LIFE that they may KNOW (believe in) You, the only true God, and (believe in) Jesus (the) Christ whom You (Father) have sent.
20 “I do (Jesus) not ask on behalf of these (disciples present) alone, but for those also who BELIEVE in Me through their word (teaching the gospel);
21 that they may all be one;
even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You,
that they also may be in Us,
so that the world may BELIEVE that You sent Me.

1 John 5 (NASB)...John: This Is Written That You May Know that Jesus is ETERNAL LIFE
20 And we know that the Son of God has come,
and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are IN Him who is true,
in His Son Jesus (the) Christ.
This is the TRUE GOD and ETERNAL LIFE.

2 Timothy 3 (NASB)...Salvation though FAITH
15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Scriptures)
which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to
SALVATION THROUGH FAITH which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is inspired (BREATHED UPON) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;
17 so that the man of God (BELIEVER) may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

BUT always start with: John 3 as explained in Ephesians 2 !

 

[Ron Gurley]

JESUS the God-Man "WORDS" on : "ETERNAL LIFE"

John 3:13-18 (NASB)...the ONLY requirement for salvation from "eternal death": spirit-led BELIEF / FAITH...SEE ALSO: Ephesians 2
13 No one has ascended into heaven,
but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. (Divine Messiah)
14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; (VOLUNTARY substitutional sacrifice on the Cross)
15 so that whoever BELIEVES WILL in Him have "eternal life".
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten (not made, ultimate epitome) Son,
that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish (spiritually), but have "eternal life".
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be SAVED THROUGH Him.
18 He who BELIEVES in Him is not judged;
he who does not believe has been judged already,
because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 4:14 ...WATER = belief in Jesus as Messiah...Samaritan woman at the well
but whoever drinks of the water that I WILL give him shall never thirst; but the water that I WILL give him
WILL become in him a well of water springing up to "eternal life".”

John 6:47,54, 35-36, 40...The "Last Supper" metaphor ...Truly, truly, I say to you, he who BELIEVES has "eternal life"....
He who eats My flesh (bread) and drinks My blood (wine) has "eternal life",
and I will raise him up on the last day.
35 Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life;
he who COMES to Me WILL not hunger,
and he who BELIEVES in Me WILL never thirst.
36 But I said to you that you have SEEN Me, and yet do not BELIEVE.
40 For this is the will of My Father,
that everyone who beholds the Son and BELIEVES in Him WILL have "eternal life",
and I Myself will raise him up "on the last day".”

John 10:28 ...and I give "eternal life" to them (sheep=believers),
and they will never perish; and no one WILL snatch them out of My hand.

John 17:2-3 ...Jesus' High Priestly Prayer to the Father about Jesus' followers
even as You gave Him authority over all flesh,
that to all whom You have given Him,
He MAY GIVE "eternal life".
This is "eternal life",
that they MAY KNOW You, the only true God, and
(KNOW) Jesus Christ whom You have sent.