Eternal life in John 3:16 is a life without sickness, pain, sorrow, or basically the consequences of sin considering the Fall of Man in Genesis 3. It is an everlasting life in Love, which is God’s Principality within God’s Kingdom. This is the life that every Christian hopes for! However, on the other hand, choosing to become a Christian (according to the term Christian’s definition) doesn’t guaranty one an easy, peaceful, luxury and satisfying life here on earth! In fact Jesus Christ in His ministry while he was here on earth, did not guaranty us that if we choose to accept Him one would have an easy, luxury, peaceful and satisfying life here on earth! Even Jesus Christ Himself, from His introduction, first coming or birth into this sinful earth, to His life here on earth, to His death on the cross at Calvary, did not experienced an easy, luxury, or rich life! He in fact was born into this world in a manger and not in a hospital! He was born in a carpenter’s family and not a rich ruler's family! His disciples were fishermen and tax collectors, not scribes, scholars or people with PHDs! He roam with the poor and minister to gentiles! He even dine with a so called corrupt tax collector once! Furthermore, He even road on a donkey into the Holy City, Jerusalem, His last entrance on a donkey and not a chariot, while the crowd were chanting “the King of the Jews”. He even died a painful, horrific and humiliating death! Therefore, as our “perfect” example, Jesus Christ Himself lead the Way in which we should follow-a selfless or unselfish life! The Way in John 14:6-Jesus Christ's example!
Jesus Christ made it very clearly that choosing to follow Him won’t guaranty us an easy, luxury, or an happy life here on earth! Jesus Christ is the Way that leads to the eternal life in John 3:16 according to John 14:6! Mathew 7:13-14 reads, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” For more information specifically on following Jesus Christ, visit the following link;http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-means-to-leave-all-and-follow.html
We are to look upon Jesus Christ every second everyday and maintain our relationship to the True Vine in John 15. Hebrews 12:2 reads, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The first part of the verse goes on to say that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. These witnesses refer to the unfallen beings within this entire universe including the two-third of the angels in heaven who are still loyal to God! The weight and sin ensnares us due to the Fall of Mankind in Genesis 3 and the consequences of their disobedience, that, we must lay aside and look unto Jesus Christ. Looking unto Jesus Christ is the only way we will endure the “race of faith” that is set before us, considering the above verses in the book of Hebrew.
Looking onto Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith is what we all should be doing! A great example of looking onto Jesus is found within the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers 21:9 which reads, “So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.” Quoting from my Andrews Study Bible commentary, ‘This Scripture was not for worship, although later Israelites treated it as an idoil (in 2 Kings 18:4). Nor was it an instrument of magic. Rather, it was a test of individual faith.’ Jesus Christ is like that bronze serpent! This is the test of faith! The only way for humanity to escape the wages of sin which is death (in Romans 6:23) and to have the eternal life in John 3:16, is to look unto Jesus Christ! John 3:13-15, “No one has ascended to heaven but He Who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man Who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” What does it mean to look onto Jesus Christ? Mathew 22:37-39 reads, ‘Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’ When we do that the “LOVE” in 1 John 4:8 will abide within us, considering 1 John 2:15, which reads, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Love of the Father is not in him.” Furthermore considering John 14:15 which reads, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” For further information into looking onto Jesus Christ, click and visit the following link: http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-means-to-leave-all-and-follow.html
The only way for mankind to endure all temptations and wiles of the devil and all obstacles, even the wages of sin which is death, is to look unto Jesus Christ! To look unto Jesus Christ is to have him within the center of our hearts! However, the True Vine in John 15 (Jesus Christ) is in heaven right now as our High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary. Prior to Him ascending to heaven, he gave us the Comforter the Holy Spirit. When we have the Holy Spirit, we connect to the True Vine in John 15. For further information into having the Holy Spirit within us, click and visit this link:http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-means-to-leave-all-and-follow.html
When we have the Holy Spirit within us, not only will we have eternal life and understand the Scripture, but we will also bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit automatically. For further information into the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, click and visit the link:http://peterjnrbebi.blogspot.com/2015/07/fruit-of-holy-spirit.html
The power of choice is yours since God is Love in 1 John 4:8, to choose and accept Jesus Christ and His principality or to choose satan and his principality! Every choice has a consequence-eternal life or death depends entirely on your personal choice: time is something we all don’t have, Jesus Christ is coming soon and no one knows that day or the hour!
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