Has anyone ever told you that eternal life is a free gift of God through Jesus Christ alone? We cannot earn it by good works, and we most certainly cannot keep it by lifestyle changes. Eternal life is a gift paid for by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, which we must receive through faith in HIS finished work on the cross. Scripture is clear.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
- God says that all have sinned and come short of his perfection (Romans 3:23).
for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; – Romans 3:23
2. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 6:23
3. To go to heaven, we must be as perfect as God Himself, and none of us are (Matthew 5:48. 2 Corinthians 5:21, Revelation 21:27, 1 John 3:4).
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect – Matthew 5:48
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him – 2 Corinthians 5:21
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law – 1 John 3:4
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life – Revelation 21:27
4. God loves us (John 3:16), but He hates our sin (Psalm 5:4).
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 – John 3:16
For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee – Psalm 5:4
5. Scripture says that the Word (Jesus) became flesh (John 1:1, John 1:14). He obeyed the law perfectly (Romans 5:19), and died that cruel death on the cross for the sins of mankind (John 19:30). His finished work has paid for everybody’s sin (1 John 2:2).
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God – John 1:1
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth – John 1:14
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous – Romans 5:19
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost – John 19:30
and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world – 1 John 2:2
6. Jesus, who is God in the flesh, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day, was seen by his disciples and then witnessed by over 500 people, and ascended into Heaven offering his sacrifice for sin forever (Hebrews 10:12), and is sat down at the right hand of God.
but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; – Hebrews 10:12
7. The work and will of God is for us to believe on His son, Jesus Christ, who paid for all sin (John 6:27-29, John 6:39-40).
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent – John 6:27-29
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day – John 6:39-40
8. Jesus’ shed blood gives us the remission of sin (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 10:18).
whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; – Romans 3:25
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin – Hebrews 10:18
9. Although God has died for all sin, we must receive the gift by faith alone in Christ, apart from human works. God chooses to save only those who receive Christ through faith. (1 Timothy 4:10, John 6:47).
For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe – 1 Timothy 4:10
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life – John 6:47
10. Rejectors of Jesus Christ will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12), and those not found in the Lamb’s book of life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Note that unbelievers will be judged next to the righteousness of Christ (Acts 17:31).
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works – Revelation 20:12
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire – Revelation 20:15
because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead – Acts 17:31
11. You can know that you have eternal life when you put your full trust in Jesus Christ and his death, burial and resurrection as full payment for your sin. (John 3:15-16, John 3:18, John 3:36, John 5:24, John 10:28-29, John 6:47, 1 John 5:11-13).
15 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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 – John 3:15-16
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:18
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him – John 3:36
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 – John 5:24
and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand – John 10:28-29
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life – John 6:47
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. 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God – 1 John 5:10-13
Rejection of Christ is no excuse, when it clearly says that salvation is not of works. The Bible is the Living Word of God. Human merit plays absolutely no part in salvation, which is a gift of God.
Yes, it’s simple to be saved and that’s how God has made it, and it’s how we must teach it. Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, as the world is already under condemnation (John 3:18), but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:17). Trust in Him for everlasting life today.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God – John 3:17-18
Man, however, in an effort to establish his own righteousness, has butchered the simplicity of the gospel by including a mountain of works that God does not require for salvation. Believe what scripture says. God wants all mankind to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9).
who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth – 1 Timothy 2:4
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance – 2 Peter 3:9
Please share this glorious message of God’s free gift of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. God bless.