Characteristics of Eternal Life
Consider with us what the scriptures teach concerning how a lost person comes into possession of eternal life.
(John 6:47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.
(John 3:36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(John 5:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Beyond any shadow of a doubt, one must believe on or in Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of God, in order to possess eternal life. Moreover, as John 5:24 reads, at the instance that one “heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH everlasting life”. According to the Word of God at the instance a person truly believes, they come into possession of something which only God can give. They come to possess eternal or everlasting life.
Notice what the Word of God teaches that a person MUST use in order to truly believe on the only begotten Son of God: (Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This contradicts what is being spread abroad by many good intentioned persons. This scripture does not say, “with the hands man expresses his belief” or “with the mind man believes”. This eliminates everything but the heart of man.
Lastly, notice what the scripture teaches condemns a man.
(John 3:36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
(Mark 16:16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(John 3:18) He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
As plain as black letters on a white page, to not believe on the only begotten Son of God is condemnation. Let’s be careful to rightly divide the word of truth.