November 1, 2024
Back to thinking about eternal life:
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” —John 1:12
One mistake people often make when speaking of eternal life is to think of it only as a length of time instead of as a quality of life. To them, it’s all about heaven—what you get after you die, instead of a new way of life here and now. If you look at some Christians, you would never suspect that newness of life can be a present reality. Years ago, a friend told me that some Christians look like they were baptized in pickle juice. When we believe in Jesus enough to receive him and the fullness of life that’s found in him, it begins immediately upon repentance and faith.
This is Good News! Sometimes when people look at Christians, they see people more obsessed with all the things we “shouldn’t do,” rather than the new life of freedom from the shackles of sin and the joy of living. Following Jesus is not all sunshine and roses; he warned us that there would be persecution and trouble. Nevertheless, the time to begin enjoying Christian living is now; don’t wait till you die.
No comments:
Post a Comment