Do you know for certain that you have eternal life? Do you care so much about this life that the idea of another life after this one doesn’t even matter to you? How important is it that you go on living? Some resign themselves to death, but most would say they prefer to go on living. Even when circumstances are bad, we have hope that they will get better. The idea of eternal life, on an earth that makes life worth living, should strike a joyful chord in the heart of every person.
For this purpose the Bible was written, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13) It is possible, for those who believe in the Jesus of the Bible, to be insecure regarding their eternal destiny. Nevertheless, all who belong to the Son are meant to enjoy a salvation secured by the promises of the Almighty. For this reason John wrote to his readers, that they might know and be assured, that they had eternal life.
The year was 1975, I was sitting in the office while my pregnant wife was being seen by the doctor. Prior to that day I had no assurance of Eternity. Then the day dawned and a light shone in my heart; the realization came to me from numerous verses that I had been reading from Romans – they were in the past tense. The Apostle Paul was speaking to his readers and saying they were saved. It was a completed transaction! What a glorious moment it was.
Great is the doctrine of eternal security, for by it God is glorified in His faithfulness. “In the beginning God… (Elohim)”, and at the center of His name is faithfulness. “El” (The strongest of the strong) “oh” (To bind with a covenant, make a promise, faithfulness) “im” (a plurality in a unity, the 3 in 1, the divine trinity). More than 5,000 times in the scriptures God is called faithful by His name, Elohim.
When Paul wrote a letter to the church at Corinth, he responded to those false teachers who accused him of being double-minded and denied it. The God who made Paul faithful is always faithful Himself. In that context Paul wrote “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.” (2 cor. 2:21, 22)
The person that has been sealed has a sense of God’s faithfulness to him, he understands through communion with the God, who cannot lie, that he is eternally secure in the everlasting arms of His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. God does not need to be sealed, He knows those who are His, we are sealed by the knowledge that He imparts to us.
“…having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise…” (Ephesians 1:13)
Don’t forget to check out my book, THE JESUS YOU NEED TO KNOW