I hope you have been journeying along with us in my series on "Declaring Love."
Today, concludes this series from John 3:16. The closing portion of John 3:16 states the eternal benefits of God’s gift to us: “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The benefits of God’s gift are only received through faith.
Jesus makes this point with His references to Numbers 21. The story of Moses, the children of Israel and the fiery serpent is our story.
It is a story of sin as the children of Israel rebelled against God.
It is a story of judgment as the Lord sent fiery serpents into the camp.
It is a story of grace as God provided an undeserved way of salvation, but it is also a story of faith as those who obeyed the word and looked to the uplifted serpent were saved.
Today, concludes this series from John 3:16. The closing portion of John 3:16 states the eternal benefits of God’s gift to us: “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The benefits of God’s gift are only received through faith.
Jesus makes this point with His references to Numbers 21. The story of Moses, the children of Israel and the fiery serpent is our story.
It is a story of sin as the children of Israel rebelled against God.
It is a story of judgment as the Lord sent fiery serpents into the camp.
It is a story of grace as God provided an undeserved way of salvation, but it is also a story of faith as those who obeyed the word and looked to the uplifted serpent were saved.
Do you see yourself in that story?
Have you disobeyed and displeased God?
God’s judgment already has bitten you.
You eventually, inevitably will die; but God in Christ has provided an undeserved plan of salvation.
As the Israelites looked to the serpent, we must look to Jesus Christ if we are going to be saved.
God’s gift is for the whole world, but the only people who will enjoy the benefits of this great love gift are those who believe in Jesus Christ.
You cannot know God’s love if you do not believe in His Son, Jesus Christ; and I do not mean mere intellectual assent.
Saving faith involves knowledge of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, agreement with what the Word of God says, and trust that Jesus is who Scripture says He is and that He accomplished what Scripture says He did.
We must trust in Jesus. If we do not, we will perish. We will spend eternity under the holy wrath of God in hell.
Have you disobeyed and displeased God?
God’s judgment already has bitten you.
You eventually, inevitably will die; but God in Christ has provided an undeserved plan of salvation.
As the Israelites looked to the serpent, we must look to Jesus Christ if we are going to be saved.
God’s gift is for the whole world, but the only people who will enjoy the benefits of this great love gift are those who believe in Jesus Christ.
You cannot know God’s love if you do not believe in His Son, Jesus Christ; and I do not mean mere intellectual assent.
Saving faith involves knowledge of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ, agreement with what the Word of God says, and trust that Jesus is who Scripture says He is and that He accomplished what Scripture says He did.
We must trust in Jesus. If we do not, we will perish. We will spend eternity under the holy wrath of God in hell.
Do you perish because you do not believe? No.
John 3:18 says, “Whoever believers in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because He has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Did you get that?
Those who do not believe are condemned already.
In Numbers 21, those who did not look to the serpent did not die because they did not look to the serpent. They were dying already!
It was only by looking to the serpent that they could live. You only can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life.
Eternal life begins the moment you put your trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. It introduces you to a new quality of life. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” If you are a believer, you have eternal life right now.
Yet, at the same time eternal life is yet to come. Your present life on earth is getting you ready for your eternal life in heaven. It’s like a baby in the mother’s womb. It has eyes, but sees nothing. It has ears, but only hears muffled sounds and the mother’s heartbeat. It has legs, but goes nowhere apart from the body carrying it. Yet it has these things because it is getting ready to go to the brand new world. In this life, we go through dangers, toils and snares; but they are just to get us ready to go to a brand new world. There, the wicked shall cease from troubling. The weary shall be at rest.
We were all dead but we can all be born again to live forever, the choice is ours. The truth is:
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
The fact is-you and I have to decide to be born again no one makes us.
John 3:18 says, “Whoever believers in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because He has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
Did you get that?
Those who do not believe are condemned already.
In Numbers 21, those who did not look to the serpent did not die because they did not look to the serpent. They were dying already!
It was only by looking to the serpent that they could live. You only can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life.
Eternal life begins the moment you put your trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. It introduces you to a new quality of life. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” If you are a believer, you have eternal life right now.
Yet, at the same time eternal life is yet to come. Your present life on earth is getting you ready for your eternal life in heaven. It’s like a baby in the mother’s womb. It has eyes, but sees nothing. It has ears, but only hears muffled sounds and the mother’s heartbeat. It has legs, but goes nowhere apart from the body carrying it. Yet it has these things because it is getting ready to go to the brand new world. In this life, we go through dangers, toils and snares; but they are just to get us ready to go to a brand new world. There, the wicked shall cease from troubling. The weary shall be at rest.
We were all dead but we can all be born again to live forever, the choice is ours. The truth is:
Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
The fact is-you and I have to decide to be born again no one makes us.
ACTION STEP: All through our Series, God has been declaring His grace towards us. The Gift of Eternal Life is for all who will accept Christ as their Savior. He stands with open arms to all of us. I believe He is specifically calling home Prodigals. Those that have walked away, He is watching down the road of life waiting. Come home. Come home. This is the greatest story every told.
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