Eternal Life

Whosoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whosoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36)

Whosoever believes in the Son

1. This is an invitation offered to all
2. This is a call to believe in the Son (Jesus)
3. This challenge to believe in Jesus ultimately determines one’s destiny
   1. Responding to this call well, one will have eternal life
   2. Disregarding this invitation, one will definitely perish
4. This offer of invitation to believe in Jesus stems from God’s love for us (John 3:16)
   1. God loves us (1John 4:9-10)
   2. God reaches out to us in Jesus Christ while we were still ignorant (Rom. 5:8)

Eternal Life

1. What is this eternal life we have in Jesus the Son?
2. This “eternal life” has everything to do with the life of Jesus himself
   1. The life of Jesus is the fullness of the Spirit (John 3:34; 4:14)
   2. The life of Jesus is the embodiment of God’s love (John 3:35)
   3. The life of Jesus is the criterion of Divine authority (John 3:35)
   4. The life of Jesus is the display of grace and truth (John 1:16-17)
   5. The life of Jesus is the concrete manifestation of God (John 1:18)
3. Jesus thus is this “eternal life” who was with the Father and was made revealed to us (1John 1:2)
4. Believing in Jesus, we partake in his life –the eternal life (Cf. 2 Pet.1:4)
5. Having partaking in the life of Jesus, we actually
   1. 1. Are led by the Spirit (Rom.8:14)
      2. Are compelled by the love of God (2 Cor. 5:14, Mk.1:41)
      3. Are directed by the authority found in the Scriptures (Cf. Matt.4:1-11)
      4. Are empowered by grace and truth (1 Cor.15:10)
      5. Live as the children of God (Cf. Eph.5:1)

Whosoever does not…not see life

1. This stands as the opposite of all that the eternal life we have in Jesus
2. It is more than death; it is about living with the wrath of God in this age and the age to come

RESPONSES NEEDED

1. Let us bring ourselves to believe in Jesus; let us obey what the Scriptures teaches
2. No distinction between belief and obedience is to be maintained
3. Let us seek to live the life of Jesus as God’s children