Eternal Life

Question: Are all Christians brothers as per John 15:1-8 and John 17:11?

No, they're not. To be my brother implies far more than just a silly cliché like brothers in arms or blood brothers; or membership in the Elks club; no, I'm talking about a valid family relationship— actual kin. Most Christians are lost. The Hell-damned Christians are not my brothers; no, my true brothers are in the right-now, present tense possession of eternal life, and shall never perish (John 5:24, John 10:27-28).

Question: So you think you are better than the average Christian?

Yes, and let me explain why.

Everybody alive on earth right now is currently in possession of human life. Human life makes everybody equal on the human plane; and makes us all kin in Adam because human life is Adam's kind of life. However, eternal life is totally different than Adam's life; which is a created kind of life that had its beginning in the book of Genesis. Eternal life is the life of God (1Jn 1:2), who had neither a beginning, nor will have an ending.

In other words: He was, He is, and He will be. So in any direction in time that we care to look, as far ahead or as far aft, YHVH has either been there already, or He is going to be up ahead when we get there.

YHVH is a *living god as opposed to all other kinds of gods that aren't. He has always been; viz: YHVH isn't a being per se; He is being itself; ergo: YHVH isn't an eternal life; He is eternal life— whereas all other kinds of life have a beginning. When Jesus of Nazareth said to his countrymen at John 8:58; "Before Abraham was, I am" he could make no higher claim. No wonder they wanted to stone him. Any human being claiming to be eternal has to be the greatest of blasphemers (and the greatest of liars) because only YHVH holds that distinction.

So then, since eternal life is the life of God, who can neither die, wane, nor wear down nor wear out; then in order to be kin to God, it is necessary to be currently in possession of eternal life rather than human life.

Eternal Life is not the same as immortality. God isn't just immortal; no, He's eternal— that's different than immortality. Immortality simply means you won't die, but it doesn't mean you always existed.

It should be quite obvious from 1John 5:11-12, that Christians not in current possession of eternal life are not in current possession of God's son; no, they are Christians without Christ; ergo: they are Christless Christians and not my kin in God at all. Plus; they are in very grave danger of Hell and eternal suffering— every one of them.

†.1John 5:11-12 …And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His son. He who has The Son has the life; he who does not have the life, does not have God's son.

Jesus is now the official agent for Eternal Life and has authority from God to distribute it at will via God's spirit.

†.John 4:10 ...If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.

†.John 4:13-14 ...Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

†.John 7:37-39 ...If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive;

†.John 17:2 ...You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.

So then, unless Christians claiming to have eternal life got it from Jesus, they are frauds.

Empathy

Webster's defines empathy as: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also: the capacity for this.

There's more to Life than just the power to keep something alive. Every kind of life is unique and displays characteristics particular to its own genetic nature.

Whales act differently than carpenter ants. Eagles act different than trap-door spiders. All creatures, both in the spirit world and in the physical world, have a nature peculiar to their own genre. Mankind, having human nature, cannot possibly relate to bats and lyme ticks. We just have no idea at all how it actually feels to be one of them because we weren't given the same kind of Life; so we wouldn't fit very well into their communities. When was the last time any of you guys felt inclined to dig a burrow and impress a girl prairie dog? You've got to admit, that would be pretty unusual.

In 1Cor 2:11-16 Paul makes a case for the unquestionable necessity of a second birth. Human life— with its natural feelings, passions, intuition, and insights —simply cannot relate to the supernatural mind and nature of its Creator any more than it can relate to the mind and nature of a salamander or a three-toed sloth. Adam found that out for himself in Genesis 2:19-20.

†.Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Although Man becomes easily attached to animals, loves to associate with them, and makes pets out them; he really can't relate, nor does he instinctively know how they feel or think. A dog snarling a warning over a gnarled, dirt encrusted bone, probably thinks in its canine mind that humans find his prize just as appetizing as dogs do; but not so. A very similar barrier exists between God and Man because we have human life and a human's nature; while The Almighty has eternal life and a Divine's nature. But the situation isn't hopeless. At 2Peter 1:3-4, the apostle assured his born again friends that they were given the Divine nature which, by implication, has to include at least some of the Divine mentality and the Divine personality that quite naturally goes with it.

So, in order to relate to God, it's absolutely essential to replace human nature with Divine nature; otherwise the Almighty will always annoy Man, and Man will never take a liking to God. We know that for a fact not only from 1Cor 2:14, but also elsewhere, e.g. Rom 8:5-11.

†.Rom 8:5-11 ...Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

...You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

So then, Jesus gives his own eternal life— not merely so they can live longer, nor so they can become smarter, but, most important —to make it possible for them to bond with his father; and to associate with Him in harmony: in a peaceable, satisfying atmosphere.

†.John 17:3 ...This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

The Greek word translated *know in that passage is ginosko; which means: to understand, perceive, or feel. It's not book knowledge though; rather, it's the kind of knowledge that's gotten first hand like eating a jalapeño, petting a horse, or riding a super white-knuckle roller coaster. That's the only way we can really know for ourselves what it's like. It's the difference between reading about California's Borrego Desert in National Geographic magazine, and actually hiking in it; breathing the air, tasting the dust, and feeling the sunshine. And it's the difference between sleeping with a photograph and sleeping with a real person. Until you finally sleep with someone, it is impossible to truly understand carnal knowledge. The same goes for God. Reading about God in the Bible just isn't the same as associating with Him, and experiencing, and thinking, and feeling about things the way He does.

The Default

Supposing you are among the many thousands of professing Christians who don't believe it is possible to obtain eternal life now, in this life, prior to passing on. Is that serious? Yes, it is very, very serious and quite terrifying too.

†.Eph 2:1-2 …As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

According to that passage in the letter to the Ephesians, all human minds on earth, every one of them except for the minds of a select group, are dead minds infected with destructive spirit beings; and those infections cannot be detected by either the victims nor their doctors because the infections are supernatural rather than biological. Even a church's entire hierarchy itself could be infected and there is no possible way for the rank and file to know it while they their own selves are in the very same fix.

†.2Cor 11:14-15 …Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it isn't surprising when his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness

Objection: Catholics pray and partake in the sacraments to ward off evil spirits. We also wear scapulars and crucifixes for protection.

According to Eph 2:1-3, every single human being on this planet— save for the people whom Jesus has made alive —is infected with destructive spirit beings. Therefore, your confidence in sacraments, crucifixes, and scapulars to ward off evil spirits is heresy.

Who is that "select group" of human beings that are free from the otherwise universal infection of destructive spirit beings? That is so easy. According to Eph 2:1-3, the select group are those people whom Jesus has made alive. How did he make them alive? Easy, he gave them eternal life.

†.John 5:24 …I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

†.John 10:27-28 …My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish

So then, according to John 5:24, John 10:27-28, and Eph 2:1-3; professing Christians not currently possessing eternal life, are 1) not listening to Jesus' message, 2) not believing in God, 3) in grave danger of being condemned for their sins, 4) exist in a condition of death, 5) not following Jesus, 6) not known by Jesus, 7) in danger of perishing, and 8) infected with destructive spirit beings.

Those conclusions are self evident from the testimony of those three passages. To refute the testimony is to gainsay your own reasoning; if indeed you have sufficient reading comprehension to grasp what they're saying. Illiterate people, and people of very low intellect, of course merit special consideration; but the educated ones have no excuse.

Objection: Not even Jesus knows who is in the Book of Life until the Father imparts it to him.

Jesus is God's authorized agent for the purpose of dispensing eternal life to His son's sheep.

†.John 10:27-28 …My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life

†.John 17:2-3 …For You have given him authority over everyone in all the earth; so that he may give eternal life to the ones You have given him.

Since it is Jesus, rather than his Father, who dispenses eternal life, then wouldn't you think he's always privy to the names in a book whose specific purpose is to register eternal life's recipients?

Ergo: any professing Christian who is not in the right-now, present tense possession of eternal life, is, by default, quite dead, and Jesus has yet to enter their name in that book. As such, regardless of their Christian affiliation, they will be judged along with the rest of The Dead at Rev 20:11-15; with disastrous results.

Adoption

†.Gal 4:4-7...But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, Abba, Father! So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

It wouldn't hurt to spend a little time with the part that said: "God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts."

I often use a Strong's Concordance. It lists all the key words in the Bible, the passages where they're found, and their definitions in the original languages. Those two words, Abba Father, are an odd pair together. The first word, Abba, is of Chaldee origin. And it's not translated; it's the exact word: Abba. In Aramaic, it means father. But not as a title; it's a vocative. Like this: the noun "dad" is a title when my wife and son are talking about me off to the side. But when Nate calls out to get my attention, then dad becomes a vocative; but only for him, because Nate alone is my son, not some other kid.

The second word, Father, is from the Greek: pater. It's another noun that means father. But in a much broader way. It can imply a parent, an ancestor; or a relative. So when you put the two together, it comes out something like this:

If I were to meet Bill Clinton, I would have to make an appointment first; and then stand back and address him as Sir or Mister President. But his daughter Chelsea can run right up and clutch his arm because he's her father; and she calls him daddy. Now if the Clintons should adopt a little girl some day, she will have all the very same rights and privileges as their natural born daughter Chelsea. Their new daughter would have every right to run up to the President yelling: Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! and clutch his other arm.

The spirit of adoption imparts to believers the heartfelt bond that enables adopted children to feel the love, and the friendship, and the security feelings that natural-born boys and girls feel with their birth parents. Eventually the *spirit of his Son* will give every born-again Christian the very same feelings for The Father that his own offspring the True Son has always felt for him.

Born-again Christians would probably raise some eyebrows if they called God "daddy" or "papa" in public prayer, but nevertheless, that's what they have a right to do if they want; because via the eternal life they received at the moment of their new birth, they became God's kin.

†.John 1:12 ...Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

†.1Jn 3:1-3 ...How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Objection: Paul contradicts himself. In Rom 8:15, he told believers that God didn't give them the spirit of a slave that they should fear, but the spirit of adoption; yet at Phil 2:12, he tells them to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling.

The phrase *fear and trembling* was a favorite colloquialism of Paul's and he used that phrase often. Here's another location in his writings.

†.1Cor 2:3-4 ...For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

And another:

†.Eph 6:5-8 …Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

His phrase *in fear, and in trembling* doesn't mean Paul recommended shivering like a frightened cur dog; but that one's attitude should be of somebody who lacks a superiority complex. Paul was actually very courteous to the Corinthians, and made himself of no rank at all, even though he was one of the Lord's hand-picked apostles, and they were a bunch of pagan heathens at the time who deserved nothing but the cold shoulder. Looks like Paul's attitude rubbed off on the Corinthians because they in turn deferred to Paul's friend with courtesy and respect just as he had treated them all at one time.

†.2Cor 7:14-15 …I had boasted to [Titus] about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling.

In Rom 8:15, Paul told the Roman Xtians that God didn't give them the spirit of a slave, but the spirit of a son. Children, as a rule, didn't have to worry about their parents beating them bloody within an inch of their lives for disobedience. But slaves in his day weren't treated like kin. No, they were bought and sold at market like cattle; so they often got their backs ripped open with a lash for disobedience. Thus, they were highly motivated.

Paul instructed Xtian slaves to serve their masters, not out of fear of retribution, but out of devotion and worship just as if their masters were Christ himself— to serve their masters with pleasure, not with dread and reluctance.

Christians working for their salvation are doing it because they are scared of God. They don't serve God as a child submitting to parents who love them and care for them (Eph 6:1-3, Col 3:20). No, those kinds of Christians are afraid of the big OR ELSE. That's not a spirit of sonship; no, that's the spirit of a slave. Working for your salvation is very different than working out your salvation. Slaves submit within bondage to save their skins. Children submit within family to please their parents.

Question: I understand how everyone is genetically, and DNA verifiable, *in* Adam; but how are redeemed sinners *in* Christ since he was never really anybody's genetic, DNA verifiable ancestor? (Isa 53:8, 1Cor 1:30, 1Cor 15:22, 2Cor 5:17, Eph 1:13, Eph 2:10 )

I believe the explanation as to how true believers are genetically, and DNA verifiable in Christ, like they are in Adam, is found in the act of God performed during the new birth (John 1:12-13, John 3:5-8). Since the last Adam is a life giving spirit (1Cor 15:45), those born of the Spirit become related to Christ that way; just as God is related to Christ in that way. God is spirit, the last Adam is spirit, and the new birth is spirit.

My Father, my Jesus, and I, are all one and the same in that respect. The three of us are as much blood kin (so to speak) as I am blood kin with the first Adam. Thus; via an act of God; I am not only related to Man, but now I am also related to God; just like Jesus, only not as personally nor as high in rank as he; but nevertheless, I am truly related to God, because God, via His spirit, gave me His kind of life.

†.1Jn 3:1-2 …How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

It should go without saying that 1Jn 3:1-2 only applies to the living, not to the dead; viz: it only applies to Christians who are right now, this very moment, in current possession of eternal life.

Objection: It is not this body as it now appears that has eternal life. Eternal life is hidden with God in Christ and will be brought with Christ at his second coming along with all the other rewards.

Eternal life isn't a reward, it's a gift; which Webster's defines as a gratuity (John 4:10, Rom 6:23, Rev 21:6, Rev 22:17). Rewards are earned; gratuities are simply accepted. To attempt to pay for, or earn, or merit a gratuity is an insult to the spirits of courtesy, charity, and good will.

You may interpret the Bible for yourself any way you like. I will not deny you the right to do your own thinking. But there is one thing about the Bible that all of us are forced to accept; and that's the wording in the holy texts, otherwise language and grammar serve no useful purpose. What anyone might think the words and sentences mean, other than what they're obviously saying, is anybody's guess. But I strongly object to anyone who suggests that we cannot permit the structure to communicate obvious statements.

Here in America our bibles are published in English as close to a useful vernacular as scholars can make them come out. It's true that translations will, by their very nature, lose something when thoughts are moved from one language into another. But I believe our English versions are close enough for practical purposes.

That said; may I ask: Do you understand what is meant by the grammatical term *present tense? According to the Bible; all true believers are right now, in current possession of eternal life. In the passages below, the tense of the verb have is in the present tense.

†.John 3:36 …He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he believes not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

†.John 6:47 …Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

Jesus used the emphasis "truly, truly" in regards to the possession of eternal life. Therefore, if you do not believe true believers are in current possession of eternal life right now, then you are insinuating Jesus doesn't know what he's talking about. According to the Bible, Christians who are not in current possession of eternal life do not have the Son of God; ergo: they are a Christian without a Christ.

†.1John 5:11-12 …And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the life, does not have God's son.

John wrote a letter to some friends to inform them that true believers have eternal life. And his verb have is in the present tense.

†.1John 5:13 …These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.

A Christian who doesn't currently possess eternal life, hasn't undergone a second birth yet, because the water of John 3:5 isn't water for washing, nor for baptism, nor for cooking, nor for bathing; no, it's water for drinking; and the water is eternal life.

†.John 3:5-6 …I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

†.John 4:10 ...Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

†.John 4:13-15 …Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

†.John 7:37-39 …In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

†.1Cor 12:13-14 ...For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

†.Rev 21:6 …I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

†.Rev 22:17 …And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Eternal Life vs Immortality

It's easy to err and confuse eternal life with immortality. According to Jesus' teachings, life and immortality are two distinctly different items.

†.2Tim 1:10 ...Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

We're surrounded by living things every day; so obviously the kind of life spoken of in 2Tim 1:10 isn't natural life because you don't need a Gospel to bring natural life to light. Natural life is a dead kind of life in that it isn't self sustaining. Living Life is eternal in that, like God, it keeps itself going without help from anybody, or anything else.

Human life is a created kind of life that had it's beginning in the book of Genesis. It's possible for human life to experience a degree of immortality but only via nutrition from the tree of life that was in the garden (Gen 3:22). But Man couldn't obtain eternal life from the tree because eternal life is God Life; and can only be obtained from God, not from something in nature that God created.

God has neither a beginning nor an ending; ergo: Eternal Life isn't something God has; no, it is a kind of life that God is. There's bug life, bat life, fish life, human life; insect life, bird life, beast life, and then there's eternal life. God's word came into the world to reveal the existence of the Eternal Life.

†.1John 1:1-2 …What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

When born-again Christians receive eternal life, it has absolutely no effect upon their bodies at all because eternal life is spirit rather than physical. Thus Jesus could say, those that are born of the spirit are as the wind; which is like spirit in that wind is invisible (John 3:8).

Question: What does Paul mean by a new creature in 2Cor 5:16-17?

Normally, earthly creatures come into being with creature life; which is, by definition, a created kind of life that had its beginning in the book of Genesis. There's bug life, vegetation life, fish life, bird life, beast life, and human life— there's life in the waters, life in the air, and life on land. Those are all creature kinds of life; and none of them are self-existing.

But those of us who are Spirit birthed, weren't born with a created kind of life. I, and others like me, were born again with eternal life (John 3:5, John 4:10, John 4:13-14). Eternal Life is the life of God; who has neither a beginning nor an ending. Eternal Life is self-existing, thus the famous quote; "I am."

Since eternal life is the life of God, therefore eternal life given me at the moment of my Spirit birth, genetically relates me to God just as human life, given me at the moment of my natural birth, genetically relates me to Adam. Ergo: I am a new creature; viz: an entirely new genre of Man created in Christ Jesus with God life rather than the usual human kind of life. Though eternal life isn't a created kind of life; still I became a new creation in that I became a human being with eternal life rather than human life. The normal human life, and the normal human body given me at my first birth will be discarded when I exit the earth and cross over to the other side. So then, my next body will be a created body, but the life that makes me a being will not be a created kind of life. It will be God's life.

Objection: You can't possibly be right about people currently possessing eternal life now, in this life, before they pass on— even before they're judged?

Your premise is faulty. It is quite possible to be judged right now, painlessly, by proxy participation in Christ's crucifixion; which is much better than being judged alone at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15).

†.Rom 6:3-11 …Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? …For we know that our old self was crucified with him

†.Gal 2:20 ...I am crucified with Christ

†.Col 3:2-3 …Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

When Jesus was nailed to the cross to die for the sins of the world, God somehow— in a way that I do not fully understand —counted me nailed to the cross right with him; so that on God's books, I paid the penalty for my sins that day on Calvary. True, I got through it without a scratch. But on God's books, Jesus' injuries are my injuries, and his execution my execution. And since I fully expect that the Bible's God would never lower Himself to the evil practice of double jeopardy; then I fully expect that I will never again be dragged to justice for my sins. The Bible's proxy justice system is one hell of a good deal for sinners; and a deal that is just too good to pass up.

The sweet part is this: once Christ's crucifixion executes a sinner, they can never commit a sin that God didn't foresee and subsequently place on the cross already. So, in reality, Bible Christians have been fully punished already for every sin that they will commit in their entire lifetime; from the first sin to the last sin. In point of fact, if I didn't die for all my sins when Christ was crucified; then I didn't die for enough of them, and I would be in grave danger of eternal suffering because Jesus is not going to the cross ever again.

†.Heb 7:27 ...Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

†.Heb 9:25-26 …Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

†.Heb 9:27-28 ...And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many

†.Heb 10:11 …Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

According to Rom 7:1-6, people like me are thought of as widows whose husbands died; thus freeing them to marry another man. According to Rom 3:24-26, Rom 5:6-11, Rom 6:3-11, and Rom 8:28-39; I am so immune to God's Law; that I can now look God right in the eye, and in all honesty, and a good conscience say; "I am coming to Heaven and not even You can stop me now."

In conclusion; the Law of God has been fulfilled in me in that I have been dragged all the way through God's criminal justice system via Jesus' crucifixion. I myself have never complied with His Law; so that I became worthy of some serious retribution. Well… thanks be to God that his own beloved kin felt sorry enough for me to take the heat. God is happy that His Law has been vindicated (Rom 3:23-26); and I am happy that Jesus paid my debts to God's law— which of course makes Jesus my redeemer. Redeemers make bail for you, and pay off things like fines, mortgages, and credit card debt when you quite frankly have absolutely nothing with which to pay yourself.

Objection: According to Romans 11:22, you can still go to Hell.

I hardly think so. According to Jesus, people with eternal life will "never" perish (John 10:28).

Within the context of the eleventh chapter of Paul's letter to believers in Italy, the nation of Israel is seen as temporarily losing its earthly blessings, NOT of losing it's eternal destiny. There is a marked difference between those two conditions. Zechariah 9:9-17 predicts future blessings for the geographical land of Israel under the auspices of the Jews' coming Messiah and quite nicely correlates with the eleventh chapter of Romans.

When the people of Israel were "cut off" did they stop being Jews? Did they stop being God's chosen people? No. They did not lose their covenanted relationship with God— they lost out on providence; and that's really all that Paul is teaching in the 11th chapter of Romans.

That chapter is not about salvation, it's about providence (cp John 15:1-8). When a vine branch is lopped off the main stem of the vine, the branch doesn't stop being a vine branch. It's just in a non producing condition. It is very possible for born-again Christians to grieve God's spirit to the point where it's quenched, and a chronically disobedient believer can expect to suffer the loss of temporal blessings for that.

What you have tried to do is annul Jesus' teachings in the Gospel with an apostle's teachings in an epistle. That was not a wise thing to do. Jesus taught clearly, and without ambiguity, that his sheep will never perish, nor can they ever, in any way, be put in danger of losing their eternal destiny under any circumstances. (John 3:14-18, John 5:24, John 6:47-51, John 10:27-30, Rom 8:12-39, 1Thes 5:9).

Is There A Way To Find Out If I Have Eternal Life?

This questionnaire is only for professing Christians whose primary source of guidance in matters of faith and practice is the New Testament.

In the first part, I walk you through just four brief questions. In the second part, I'll discuss your responses. There are no right or wrong answers in this exam as the only acceptable answers are honest answers. Integrity is extremely important in this exam because you must answer the questions truthfully, or the walk-through won't work properly.

1) Do you consider yourself a believer?

Note that I did not ask for an explanation of what you think constitutes belief, nor did I ask about what you believe. I only asked if you consider yourself a believer. Whether you really are a believer is unimportant in this exam. You have nothing to prove here. This examination is all about you and your integrity; not about the validity of your system of belief.

2) Do you consider yourself a listener to Jesus' message?

I did not ask for an explanation of Jesus' message. For the purposes of this examination, only what YOU think constitutes his message counts; what somebody else thinks constitutes Jesus' message is irrelevant. This is only about whether you consider yourself a listener to whatever YOU think his message is.

3) Do you consider yourself a believer in Jesus' God?

I did not ask if you believe in a so-called Trinity. How others might define the nature of Jesus' God is unimportant in this examination. I only asked if you consider yourself a believer in Jesus' God according to whatever the nature of that God is to YOU.

4) Do you have God's son?

For the purpose of this exam, it doesn't matter whether or not you really do have God's son; nor do I care what you think it means to have God's son. What's important is whether you consider yourself in possession of God's son according to whatever YOU think that means.

I cannot emphasize enough that the success of this walk-through depends entirely upon honest answers to those questions. Don't be afraid to give YES answers if that's the truth because nobody is going to challenge your answers; nor is anyone going to ask for your answers; no, your answers are for your own personal benefit as I am only going to show you the ramifications of YES and/or NO answers in reference to John 3:35-36, John 6:47, John 5:24, and 1John 5:11, and 1John 5:12-13.

If you answered YES to all four of the questions, then you'll see in the verses below, that logic and integrity demand that you acknowledge that you are currently in possession of eternal life because that is how the syntax and grammar of the passages are worded. Whether or not you really do have eternal life is unimportant. Your integrity is what's important. Note that the tense of the "have" verbs in these next passages is in the present tense.

†.John 3:35-36 …He who believes in the Son has eternal life

†.John 6:47 …Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes, has eternal life.

†.John 5:24 …I assure you, those who listen to my message and trust in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

†.1John 5:11-12 …And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the life, does not have God's son.

†.1John 5:13 …I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

I myself answer YES to all four of the questions. Therefore, logic and integrity constrain me to acknowledge that I am currently in possession of eternal life whether I'm confident about it or not. Refusal to acknowledge my possession would be a sin against my own mind, and would insinuate that Jesus and John are either liars, or that they don't know what they're talking about.

Here's a bonus quiz

Do you believe the Gospel?

Note that I didn't ask what you think constitutes the Gospel. This examination is all about you and your own personal integrity; not about the validity of your belief system.

Have you been baptized?

Note that I did not ask you to describe the mode of baptism the preacher used. It doesn't matter. This examination isn't about details like that; no, it's all about you and your own personal integrity; not about the validity of your belief system.

If you answered YES to those two questions, then you'll see in the passage below, that Jesus' own personal testimony demands that you acknowledge that you are currently saved because that is how the syntax and grammar of his testimony is worded.

†.Mrk 16:15-16 ...He said to them; Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved

Are you a whoever? Do you believe the Gospel? Have you been baptized? If your answers are YES, then you are in the rather awkward position of either professing you are certain of going to Heaven, or of admitting that you do not really believe that Jesus' personal testimony at Mrk 16:15-16 is true and reliable.

However, I myself, unlike some, do really believe Jesus' personal testimony at Mrk 16:15-16 is true and reliable. So then, on the basis of the integrity of God's son, and my confidence that he would never lie and thus misrepresent God; I can easily get up here on the internet, in the full witness of the world wide web, and in the full witness of Almighty God and His son Jesus Christ and profess:

"I am going to Heaven, it's in the bag; and not even God can stop me now."

Why can't God stop me now? Because God has a character flaw that paints him into a corner so tight that not even He can get out of. What's that flaw? His personal integrity. You see, in order for Jesus to renege on the promises he made in Mrk 16:15-16, he and God both would have to compromise their integrity, and I am confident they will never do that. I am also confident that they will not renege on the negative portion of those promises; which is:

†.Mark 16:16 …whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Professing Christians who lack enough confidence in Jesus' personal integrity to believe his own testimony; have consigned themselves to being condemned. Just as I believe Mrk 16:15-16 proves I myself am saved; so I also believe it proves that doubters are damned.

Objection: Do you know what is meant when Scripture says to believe?

A precise definition of what it means for a professing Christian to believe is of no consequence in this self examination. What is of the utmost importance is how true you are to your own definition; viz: whether you consider yourself in compliance with YOUR own personal understanding of what it means to believe.

According to your own understanding then, of what it means for a professing Christian to believe; do you consider yourself a believer or an unbeliever?

Someone might like to retreat behind an "undecided" vote. But let me tell you something about indecision: it's doubt, and all doubt is unbelief because that's the default; there's no middle ground. If you don't know whether you believe or not, then you simply aren't believing; no, you're below the mark; and according to John 5:13, it's the believers who know that they have eternal life; ergo: doubters can't possibly know. Do you, as an undecided, know? No, you don't. You don't even know if you believe, let alone know if you have eternal life.

As I said previously; your answers are private: they're not for me, nor for anyone else: they're for you; for the sake of your own integrity. If down inside you are answering YES, but cannot bring yourself to acknowledge it, then you lack integrity; and you are dissembling; because integrity is being the same on the outside as you are on the inside. If perchance your answer down inside is YES, then the next step is for you to come to grips with the ramifications of YES answers. However, if down inside you are answering NO, then you have to come to grips with the ramifications of NO answers; and I think you already know that every unbeliever is currently in grave danger of eternal suffering.

†.John 3:18 …Whoever does not believe stands condemned already

Objection: People say they believe in God all the time. Many people even believe they believe in God, and yet they commit such atrocious things as murder and don't repent from them.

Things like murder and atrocity don't automatically invalidate someone's testimony. Just look at the awful things David did. He committed premeditated adultery and murder in the full knowledge that those things are sin; yet the Bible says he was a man after God's own heart. The biggest loser of them all was Samson. He slept around, partied, was cruel to animals, and got into vandalism and brawls; yet the Bible applauds him as a man of faith.

According to Mtt 7:21-23 even some of the really outstanding Christians are going to Hell in spite of their dedication. So a person's practices aren't a reliable gauge of their spirituality because that can be misleading. And besides, the Bible says that Christ died for us as sinners rather than as saints; so it isn't necessary to become a saint first before his crucifixion will bail you out of the wrath of God.

Objection: So you're saying that I'm not held accountable to any moral standard whatsoever, can do what I like, and say what I like, so long as I believe.

That depends on what it is you believe. According to Jas 2:19, belief in the existence of a supreme being isn't an adequate enough belief to ransom people from the wrath of God; while belief in Mtt 20:28, John 3:14-18, Rom 5:6-11, and 1Pet 1:18-21 is.

In regards to moral standards, et al, there's an example in 1Cor 3:10-15 of a Christian whose entire life is a disgrace to God; and so wasted that Christ can't find even one single thing in it to applaud. However, that very same bad-boy Christian is guaranteed to keep their pass to Messiah's kingdom (1Cor 3:15). How? By the new covenant.

One of my very favorite aspects of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34, and Ezek 36:24-28) is that the new covenant is totally unconditional; viz: I myself have no obligations to fulfill in order to obtain benefits from the new covenant. If you read that covenant carefully, you will find that God alone has obligations to fulfill, not the beneficiaries.

Don't you see? The only way that Heaven can be guaranteed to anybody at all is via a covenant that gets people there in spite of their own sinful ways. So then, even serial killers, pedophiles, necrophiliacs, porn queens, child abusers, Enron executives, car thieves, drug pushers, bell tower snipers, et al, can all make it into Messiah's kingdom if only they will approach God and ask to buy into the new covenant. No one is turned away.

†.John 6:36-40 …All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me; that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

That passage obligates Jesus to accept everybody who petitions him for acceptance into the new covenant. He can't get out of it now even if he wanted to without seriously compromising his own integrity. He has to make good on those promises or risk going to Hell himself for telling lies and misrepresenting God.

Objection: So I no longer have to take up my cross and follow Him? I can do whatever I want?

In regards to a ransom from the wrath of God, that's true. However, you brought a new element into the picture— Following.

Following implies fellowship; and that's a whole different sphere of Christian experience.

†.1John 1:6 …If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.

The pronoun *we is exclusive. It doesn't include just any old rank and file Christian who happens to be looking in. No, it only includes the author himself and the people to whom he wrote his letter, which according to John, were Christians already in possession of eternal life (1John 5:11-13).

So then, only Christians who possess eternal life right now can truly follow Jesus; the rest are outsiders who need to first accept Jesus' message and get themselves ransomed from the wrath of God before they can even begin to think about following him. You see, outsiders are fugitives from justice. Until they come forward and get in on the new covenant, they will remain regarded as criminals and enemies of the State; and on very unfriendly terms with its head.

To the point: in order for eternal life's recipients to follow Jesus successfully, they have to take the initiative to make an effort to stifle their own human nature.

†.Col 3:3-5 ...For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.

†.Gal 5:13 ...You, my brothers, were called to be free; only don't use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature.

†.Rom 6:1-4 ...Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

†.Rom 12:1-2 …Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God— this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will.

†.1Pet 4:1-5 …So then, since Christ suffered in the flesh, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer in yours. For if you are willing to suffer for his sake, you have decided to stop sinning. And you won't spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy— their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

However, as I already pointed out, failure in the sphere of following won't make the slightest difference in a new covenant beneficiary's future safety. They will still get to keep their pass because Jesus has to keep the promises he made in John 6:36-40 that he will never turn them away in order to avoid compromising his integrity.

Response: So I can still kill and never repent and still be saved. in other words, I don't have to pick up my cross?

Taking up your cross is an option. Nobody has to do it if they don't want.

So then, somebody might protest with: But Jesus said that if you don't take up your cross and follow him, then you are not worthy of him (Mtt 10:38).

Yeah; that's true, but so what? Okay, I'm not worthy of him; but does that mean I can't have him? No, it doesn't mean that at all because regardless of the scum bag I might be, Jesus has to honor his commitments in order to avoid compromising his integrity. He gave his word in John 6:36-40 that he will never turn anyone away. Well... I am an anyone, so I wasn't turned away when I petitioned his Father to let me take advantage of His son's crucifixion as a ransom to rescue my soul from the wrath of God. So then, I have Jesus regardless of whether I'm worthy of him or not. And the Christian of 1Cor 3:10-15 isn't worthy of Jesus either, but still gets to keep their pass into Messiah's kingdom.

The Bible says that Christ died for me as a sinner rather than as a saint (Rom 5:6-11); so it isn't necessary for me to become a saint first before his crucifixion will bail me out of the wrath of God, nor do I need to become a saint in order to keep from losing my ransom; no, the ransom is eternal; and redemption is, after all, a daring rescue— which, like any other rescue from grave danger offered by mountain teams, Coast guard units, lifeguards, cops, firemen, good neighbors, and first-aiders; is an act of kindness rather than a merit award (Eph 2:8-9).

Objection: In order to follow Christ, taking up your cross isn't an option. Taking up his cross does not make one worthy of being saved; for no matter what we do, we could never be worthy of His salvation. But take up the cross we must. It's not an option if we want to be followers of Christ.

You listed three crosses in that comment: his cross, your cross, and the cross.

I already took up his cross and the cross (Rom 6:3-11, Gal 2:20, and Gal 5:24). So I'm all done with those two crosses.

Objection: You're done with those crosses? Really? Are you dead?

YES! Of course I'm dead!!! That's the beauty of my proxy participation in Christ's crucifixion. When he was nailed up to die for my sins; God nailed me right up there to die with him. Oh my gosh! Hasn't anyone of the cloth ever explained that to you yet? If you would like to see an explanation on your own, the best place in the New Testament is Romans 6:3-11. A snippet of explanation is Colossians 3:1-4.

Objection: Taking up his cross, the cross and your cross all mean the same thing.

Don't even think about trying to snow me with the notion that the wooden apparatus that executed Jesus is the very same cross that Christians should take up while following him. Not even close. His cross was for just six hours of 1 day out of thirty-three years. A Christian's cross is 24-7 for the rest of their life. His cross was mechanical, a Christian's cross is spiritual; viz: Christians don't commit suicide on their cross, no, what they do is mortify their human nature by stifling it's passions and impulses; day after day after day.

†.Col 3:5-10 ...Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Objection: Looks to me like you took up the cross, saw how heavy it was and then put it back down.

Where's Jesus today? Is he still nailed to that Roman cross? No, his friends took him down and buried him, and after he rose from the dead; he never went back to be crucified ever again; ergo: Calvary is over for him, and it's over for me too.

†.Rom 6:10 …For in that he died, he died unto sin once

†.Rom 6:11 …Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin [once]

Objection: Your so-called proxy participation on Jesus' cross means nothing if you were to go out and commit a heinous crime over and over again. You will not be saved unless you repent of it.

Aren't you contradicting your own self? You said, only just recently, and I quote: "for no matter what we do, we could never be worthy of His salvation." Since no one can ever be worthy of His salvation no matter what they do, then how is it possible to disqualify an unrepentant serial killer? According to your logic, Mother Teresa has no better chance of making it to safety than Son of Sam since neither are worthy (which is quite true, as I'll explain up ahead).

Supposing your unrepentant serial killer was redeemed prior to his current killing spree? What then? Will God renege on the killer's redemption if he doesn't stop taking people's lives? Not likely; for in order for God were to renege on that man's redemption, He would have to break His word, thus seriously compromising His own integrity. No, that redeemed, unrepentant serial killer is an embarrassment to his savior, yes, but God can handle it; He always has, and He always will, for He promises His own: I will never leave you nor forsake you (John 14:18, Heb 13:5).

If it's impossible to merit salvation by the good things that we do, then inversely, it should be impossible to merit Hell by the bad things that we do. What does that suggest? It suggest that Hell is the default.

I once heard of a preacher who was asked this question: Sir, what would I have to do in order to be bad enough to go to Hell? The preacher answered: Nothing. There's nothing you need to do in order to be bad enough to go because that's where everybody is automatically headed simply by virtue of their existence as a human being.

The preacher was right. According to Jesus' testimony at John 3:14-18, it's obvious that everybody comes into this world as dead men walking. Yes, everybody begins life on a direct route to Hell just as surely as the Jews in Num 21:5-9 were doomed to certain death by snakebite until such a time as they looked to Moses' serpentary effigy for relief. And just as there were Jews in Moses' day who didn't look to the effigy in time to save their lives, so in our own day, there are people failing to look to Jesus' crucifixion in time to save their souls. I've already looked; so now, I have immunity from the wrath of God no matter what I do from here on in.

†.Rom 5:9-10 ...Since I now have a right standing with God by Jesus' blood, how much more shall I be spared from God's wrath through him? For if, when I was God's enemy, I was reconciled to Him through the death of His son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall I be protected by his life? (Weber's Personalized Version)

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