Where Will You Spend Eternity?
This week, I'd like for us to take a look at the concept of eternity. We cannot, as human beings, fully understand the scope or magnitude of eternity. We think, "well, eternity means forever", and this is true, but how do we define forever? Let's try to put things in terms that we can relate to, such as a drop of water. Think of your life, your entire life, from the day that you were born, till now, and through till the end of your life, as a single drop of water.
Just one drop of water, encapsulating all that you were, or are, or ever will be. Your entire life as a single drop of water. Now, let's think about that one drop of water in comparison with an ocean. We can't fathom how many individual drops of water there could possibly be in an ocean, in our mind they are innumerable. If one drop of water in this ocean is our entire lifetime, and the ocean represents eternity, what does this tell us? We cannot fully grasp the scope of eternity. But what if this ocean we spoke of is just a drop of water in another ocean? And what if there is no end to the number of oceans? So we see that while we will not be able to understand the full magnitude of eternity as long as we are in this human body, constrained by our feeble concept of time, we have to understand that it is without end. This is really all that we need to understand, that eternity is without end. So, the question becomes, where will we spend it? This is the most important question that we could ever ask ourselves. We have been given free will, and we are free to make the decision as to whether we will spend eternity in heaven, free from pain or sadness, surrounded by the love of God, or whether our time on this earth, and the pleasures that it can bring us, are worth forfeiting this eternal happiness.
Sadly, many people simply do not understand, because they have not been taught, or have never been exposed to the truth, and so in their minds this earthly life is all that there is. No greater tragedy exists than the soul who does not understand its worth. And really, this is what the entire problem is. If we do not understand our worth, and the price that was paid for our soul, we will never come to terms with eternity. We find this most eloquently laid out in John 3:16..."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." This is our main point of focus. We will either inherit eternal life, or we will suffer eternal death. There is no other option. The coming to terms with this reality is paramount to our salvation. The simple fact is, our eternal destiny does not hinge on our belief or disbelief in it. Truth is truth, whether we choose to believe it or not.
So, in light of eternity, what are we to believe? How can we be assured of an eternal home in heaven, as opposed to everlasting punishment? First, we must understand that we are much more than this physical body that we inhabit. We are a living soul, which will live forever. Genesis 2:7 tells us..."And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." While our bodies may wither and die, our soul will continue on for all eternity. Physical death is an absolute, something that all human beings must face. Hebrews 9:27 says..."...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" God has given us the very breath that we breathe, and He sustains us. If we know that we are a living soul which will live forever, long after our physical body is gone, we can begin to look at our life in different terms. Many times we hear the questions asked, "What is the meaning of life? Why am I here?" And these are very valid questions to ask. We all need to have purpose, to find peace, and this question, unresolved, lingers in our minds. Simply put, the reason for our existence is to bring glory to God for His amazing love for us, and to share His love with others.
Understanding that our soul, our very essence, is immortal, is critical to our perspective, for if we do not place the proper value on our eternity, we will not take the necessary steps to ensure ourselves of a home in heaven when this earthly life has ended. So, let's examine these steps...
First, we must hear the gospel... The truth that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a perfect sinless life, and gave Himself as the supreme sacrifice on the cross to pay the price for our sins, in order to reconcile us back to God.
Second, we must believe the truth...Our belief in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, and in His death, burial, and resurrection is crucial to our salvation.
Third, we must repent of our sins...The act of repentance is a changing of our minds, a coming to terms with our sin, and our helpless state to do anything about it apart from Jesus. We must become fully aware that only the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross can save us, and accept His sacrifice on our behalf.
Fourth, we must confess our belief...We must confess our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and in His sacrifice for us.
Fifth, we must be baptized for the remission of our sins...The act of baptism is a necessary step in our salvation as it brings us in direct contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus.
If you have not made preparations for eternity, please do so before it is everlastingly too late! Nothing could be more pressing, or vitally important, than securing a home in heaven when this life has ended. Having read this blog post, you have already taken the first step toward your eternal destiny...you have heard the truth. Now, let this truth sink in, and study the bible in order to cultivate and strengthen your belief, pray for His guidance, and let Him lead you. I pray that you will give your heart to Jesus and secure your place in the Book of Life...
Sadly, many people simply do not understand, because they have not been taught, or have never been exposed to the truth, and so in their minds this earthly life is all that there is. No greater tragedy exists than the soul who does not understand its worth. And really, this is what the entire problem is. If we do not understand our worth, and the price that was paid for our soul, we will never come to terms with eternity. We find this most eloquently laid out in John 3:16..."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." This is our main point of focus. We will either inherit eternal life, or we will suffer eternal death. There is no other option. The coming to terms with this reality is paramount to our salvation. The simple fact is, our eternal destiny does not hinge on our belief or disbelief in it. Truth is truth, whether we choose to believe it or not.
So, in light of eternity, what are we to believe? How can we be assured of an eternal home in heaven, as opposed to everlasting punishment? First, we must understand that we are much more than this physical body that we inhabit. We are a living soul, which will live forever. Genesis 2:7 tells us..."And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." While our bodies may wither and die, our soul will continue on for all eternity. Physical death is an absolute, something that all human beings must face. Hebrews 9:27 says..."...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" God has given us the very breath that we breathe, and He sustains us. If we know that we are a living soul which will live forever, long after our physical body is gone, we can begin to look at our life in different terms. Many times we hear the questions asked, "What is the meaning of life? Why am I here?" And these are very valid questions to ask. We all need to have purpose, to find peace, and this question, unresolved, lingers in our minds. Simply put, the reason for our existence is to bring glory to God for His amazing love for us, and to share His love with others.
Understanding that our soul, our very essence, is immortal, is critical to our perspective, for if we do not place the proper value on our eternity, we will not take the necessary steps to ensure ourselves of a home in heaven when this earthly life has ended. So, let's examine these steps...
First, we must hear the gospel... The truth that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived a perfect sinless life, and gave Himself as the supreme sacrifice on the cross to pay the price for our sins, in order to reconcile us back to God.
Second, we must believe the truth...Our belief in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, and in His death, burial, and resurrection is crucial to our salvation.
Third, we must repent of our sins...The act of repentance is a changing of our minds, a coming to terms with our sin, and our helpless state to do anything about it apart from Jesus. We must become fully aware that only the precious blood that Jesus shed on the cross can save us, and accept His sacrifice on our behalf.
Fourth, we must confess our belief...We must confess our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and in His sacrifice for us.
Fifth, we must be baptized for the remission of our sins...The act of baptism is a necessary step in our salvation as it brings us in direct contact with the cleansing blood of Jesus.
If you have not made preparations for eternity, please do so before it is everlastingly too late! Nothing could be more pressing, or vitally important, than securing a home in heaven when this life has ended. Having read this blog post, you have already taken the first step toward your eternal destiny...you have heard the truth. Now, let this truth sink in, and study the bible in order to cultivate and strengthen your belief, pray for His guidance, and let Him lead you. I pray that you will give your heart to Jesus and secure your place in the Book of Life...
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