1 John 5:13-14
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. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
We have the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Verse 13 says: "so that you may know that you have eternal life". This eternal life is not something that one can earn by his effort and merits, for everyone is originally living under the oppression of sins. No matter whether you admit or not that you are a sinner, you have to admit that there is a force inside of you to prevent you from doing what you are willing to do but force you to do what you are not willing to do. The Bible tells us very clearly that the wage of sins is death. Even if I don't feel that I am a sinner at all, but I cannot deny that one day you and I are going to face death anyway.
Jesus not only went on the cross for our sins to take God's penalty for sins in our place, but also was resurrected from the dead to prove that he not only conquered the power of sins, but also conquered the power of death. When we receive Him into our life to be our personal savior, we also receive the resurrecting life at the same time. In John 11:25 Jesus says: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." The resurrection that Jesus referred to means all that have died in Christ will be resurrected at His seconding coming and they will be with the Lord forever.
In fact it is not hard for you to find that all worldly things will pass. The whole world is under the curse of the evil. Even our bodies are aging day by day. Many people are filled with fear and sorrow when they face death. But you don't have to be afraid at all, nor do you have to look for the panacea everywhere like other people, for all believers have a treasure better than the panacea, which is the eternal life in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that we won't have sorrow nor death at that time. God himself will wipe off all our tears. Paul once said that he'd rather leave the world to live with the Lord, for it is incomparably wonderful. At each memorial service, no matter how we miss the one that passed away, I would reminder the family that in Christ we have the assurance that we will meet each other again in heaven. This is the incomparable hope we have in Christ!
Pray with Pastor Tong Liu
Lord, we thank you, for in Christ we have the eternal life. Everything in the world will pass, but you give us the wonderful hope and assurance that we will meet with you and all our beloved brothers and sisters one day. May you put this wonderful hope in our heart. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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