6-20-23 Jesus Is the Path to Eternal Life

Jesus Is the Path to Eternal Life – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config We live in the season of Jesus’ appearing to take us to the place that He’s preparing for us. He may not come for us as soon as we would like, but the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation and all the signs tell us that this period of God’s wrath upon the earth is ever so close. Many are not ready for the Lord’s return because they trust in something other than Jesus for their hope of eternal life. Good works, religious behavior, church attendance, etc. will not do; one cannot earn a future in heaven. As the day of Jesus’ appearing approaches, it’s critical that you know for sure that you belong to Jesus and possess eternal life. I’m also writing for those left behind after the Rapture. As world descends into chaos and darkness, you may be wondering what caused so many people to suddenly disappear and if there’s still time to respond to the saving message of the cross. Yes, there is! Please know that eternal life resides in Jesus and in Him alone. No one else! This is true now and will also be the case after Jesus removes His true church from the earth. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He alone is the path to the glories of heaven and eternity. Most people recognize John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” However, many do not understand the saving message inherent in the above words or the exclusive nature of God’s offer of eternal life. Apart from Jesus, people will perish. Jesus endured a horrific and cruel death on the cross because no other way existed to pay the penalty for the sins of a lost and condemned humanity. The payment for our sins had to come from a perfect sacrifice; the blood Jesus shed on the cross as the perfect God/Man satisfied the demands of God the Father for that perfect and righteous offering. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to prove that His claims are true. He later ascended into heaven and someday very soon will return for us, His true church. All these things comprise the essence of the Gospel. Let’s further examine the good news of our salvation in terms of the past, present, and future. GOSPEL PAST: “IT IS FINISHED!” Just before Jesus died upon the cross, He uttered these words, “It is finished” (John 19:30). With these words, the Lord signified that He had paid the debt for our sins. He died in our place on the cross so that we would no longer bear the guilt for our sins. He completed our salvation. This, however, does not mean God automatically forgives all human of their sins. Eternal life comes to only those who respond in faith the saving message of the cross. Ephesians 2:8-10 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Notice that our salvation is all of grace; even our faith to believe the saving message of Jesus comes as a gift from God. It leaves us with no grounds to boast since it’s all of God’s grace and mercy. What happens when we place our faith in Jesus? First, the Holy Spirit does an amazing work inside us that we refer to as “being born again.” You may not experience anything at the time, but know that this happens inside all who respond in faith to the message of the cross. Titus 3:4-7 describes new birth in this way: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. In the above passage, Paul refers to something else that happens at the moment of our entrance into God’s kingdom: God justifies us. In Romans 5:1, Paul wrote: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the apostle’s day, the Greek word for “justification” was a legal term. Picture a courtroom setting with a judge contemplating the evidence before him. He then declares the accused, standing in his presence, to be “not guilty” thus freeing him from all the charges against him. For believers, God looks at our entire life at the moment of our salvation and amazingly declares that us to be righteous solely because of the blood Jesus shed on the cross. He died in our place thus absorbing God’s wrath for our sins so that He might declare us forever “not guilty” of all our sins. Please know that there’s absolutely nothing that can overturn God’s verdict of “not guilty” upon our lives. There’s no future thought or action that God did not know all about when He applied Jesus’ blood to our account and declared us righteous in His sight (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our justification guarantees our glorification in heaven (see Romans 8:30-38). GOSPEL PRESENT: A WALK OF FAITH At the end of Romans 1:17, the apostle Paul said, “the righteous shall live by faith.” Those that God has declared to be righteous, i.e., justified, walk by faith. Colossians 2:6 says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.” We receive eternal life when we place our trust in Him, and afterward we walk with the Savior in the same way. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says this about the change that the Holy Spirit works inside us at the moment of our salvation: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. The Lord changes us from the inside. Once the transformation begins, we have power over the presence of sin in our lives, but it’s a lifetime of growth as we learn to trust Him and grow in our love for Him. We may not always feel the Spirit at work inside us, but looking back we realize that our desires have changed and we are quite different from the world around us. Please note that in Ephesians 2:8-10, the good works happens after Jesus saves us. They are something Jesus creates in us and prepares for us ahead of time. Wherever you are at in your journey with the Savior, it’s good to meditate on Ephesians 1:3-14 knowing that every word describes your position in Christ. We serve the Lord as beloved saints, forever secure in Jesus. If you are reading this after the Rapture, it’s critical that you immerse yourself in the words of Scripture, particularly the Gospel of John and Paul’s epistles starting with Colossians and Philippians. Ask the Lord for understanding of what you read, and His Spirit will guide you. GOSPEL FUTURE: MEETING JESUS IN THE AIR The Gospel speaks to our future in eternity. For believers, it will begin with meeting Jesus in the air as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The rapture is what Paul referred to as our “blessed hope” in Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (my emphasis) Another place in Scripture where we see close connection between Jesus’ appearing (the Rapture) and the hope into which Jesus saves is in Romans 8:23-24a: “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” The “redemption of our bodies” happens at the Rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Notice that the apostle says that it’s “in this hope we were saved.” New Testament saints did not divorce the Rapture from the Gospel as is popular today. The appearing of Jesus to take those that are His to the place He’s preparing for us was an essential component of the Gospel message proclaimed by the apostles in New Testament times. The Bible tells us that a large multitude of people will come to faith in Jesus after Rapture. Even though the antichrist and his minions will kill most that do, they will receive new glorified bodies after Jesus’ Second Coming when He raises them from the dead (Revelation 20:1-4). However, it’s far better that you respond in faith to the message of the Gospel before Jesus’ appearing. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE I love the simplicity of the Apostle John’s words in 1 John 5:11–12: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” Jesus, as revealed on the pages of Scripture, is the only path to eternal life. Those who come to know Him as their Savior have a glorious future ahead of them, beginning with the Rapture and our receipt of glorified bodies. The Lord is Life to those who know Him as their Savior. This is the message of the Gospel, past, present, and future. If you have not already done so, please put your trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Romans 10:13 says: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Eternity is at stake; do not delay. And, you do not want to face the horrors of the “Day of the Lord” that will ensue shortly after the Rapture. – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config We live in the season of Jesus’ appearing to take us to the place that He’s preparing for us. He may not come for us as soon as we would like, but the Rapture will happen before the Tribulation and all the signs tell us that this period of God’s wrath upon the earth is ever so close. Many are not ready for the Lord’s return because they trust in something other than Jesus for their hope of eternal life. Good works, religious behavior, church attendance, etc. will not do; one cannot earn a future in heaven. As the day of Jesus’ appearing approaches, it’s critical that you know for sure that you belong to Jesus and possess eternal life. I’m also writing for those left behind after the Rapture. As world descends into chaos and darkness, you may be wondering what caused so many people to suddenly disappear and if there’s still time to respond to the saving message of the cross. Yes, there is! Please know that eternal life resides in Jesus and in Him alone. No one else! This is true now and will also be the case after Jesus removes His true church from the earth. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He alone is the path to the glories of heaven and eternity. Most people recognize John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” However, many do not understand the saving message inherent in the above words or the exclusive nature of God’s offer of eternal life. Apart from Jesus, people will perish. Jesus endured a horrific and cruel death on the cross because no other way existed to pay the penalty for the sins of a lost and condemned humanity. The payment for our sins had to come from a perfect sacrifice; the blood Jesus shed on the cross as the perfect God/Man satisfied the demands of God the Father for that perfect and righteous offering. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead to prove that His claims are true. He later ascended into heaven and someday very soon will return for us, His true church. All these things comprise the essence of the Gospel. Let’s further examine the good news of our salvation in terms of the past, present, and future. GOSPEL PAST: “IT IS FINISHED!” Just before Jesus died upon the cross, He uttered these words, “It is finished” (John 19:30). With these words, the Lord signified that He had paid the debt for our sins. He died in our place on the cross so that we would no longer bear the guilt for our sins. He completed our salvation. This, however, does not mean God automatically forgives all human of their sins. Eternal life comes to only those who respond in faith the saving message of the cross. Ephesians 2:8-10 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Notice that our salvation is all of grace; even our faith to believe the saving message of Jesus comes as a gift from God. It leaves us with no grounds to boast since it’s all of God’s grace and mercy. What happens when we place our faith in Jesus? First, the Holy Spirit does an amazing work inside us that we refer to as “being born again.” You may not experience anything at the time, but know that this happens inside all who respond in faith to the message of the cross. Titus 3:4-7 describes new birth in this way: But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. In the above passage, Paul refers to something else that happens at the moment of our entrance into God’s kingdom: God justifies us. In Romans 5:1, Paul wrote: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the apostle’s day, the Greek word for “justification” was a legal term. Picture a courtroom setting with a judge contemplating the evidence before him. He then declares the accused, standing in his presence, to be “not guilty” thus freeing him from all the charges against him. For believers, God looks at our entire life at the moment of our salvation and amazingly declares that us to be righteous solely because of the blood Jesus shed on the cross. He died in our place thus absorbing God’s wrath for our sins so that He might declare us forever “not guilty” of all our sins. Please know that there’s absolutely nothing that can overturn God’s verdict of “not guilty” upon our lives. There’s no future thought or action that God did not know all about when He applied Jesus’ blood to our account and declared us righteous in His sight (see also 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our justification guarantees our glorification in heaven (see Romans 8:30-38). GOSPEL PRESENT: A WALK OF FAITH At the end of Romans 1:17, the apostle Paul said, “the righteous shall live by faith.” Those that God has declared to be righteous, i.e., justified, walk by faith. Colossians 2:6 says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.” We receive eternal life when we place our trust in Him, and afterward we walk with the Savior in the same way. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says this about the change that the Holy Spirit works inside us at the moment of our salvation: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. The Lord changes us from the inside. Once the transformation begins, we have power over the presence of sin in our lives, but it’s a lifetime of growth as we learn to trust Him and grow in our love for Him. We may not always feel the Spirit at work inside us, but looking back we realize that our desires have changed and we are quite different from the world around us. Please note that in Ephesians 2:8-10, the good works happens after Jesus saves us. They are something Jesus creates in us and prepares for us ahead of time. Wherever you are at in your journey with the Savior, it’s good to meditate on Ephesians 1:3-14 knowing that every word describes your position in Christ. We serve the Lord as beloved saints, forever secure in Jesus. If you are reading this after the Rapture, it’s critical that you immerse yourself in the words of Scripture, particularly the Gospel of John and Paul’s epistles starting with Colossians and Philippians. Ask the Lord for understanding of what you read, and His Spirit will guide you. GOSPEL FUTURE: MEETING JESUS IN THE AIR The Gospel speaks to our future in eternity. For believers, it will begin with meeting Jesus in the air as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. The rapture is what Paul referred to as our “blessed hope” in Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (my emphasis) Another place in Scripture where we see close connection between Jesus’ appearing (the Rapture) and the hope into which Jesus saves is in Romans 8:23-24a: “And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” The “redemption of our bodies” happens at the Rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Notice that the apostle says that it’s “in this hope we were saved.” New Testament saints did not divorce the Rapture from the Gospel as is popular today. The appearing of Jesus to take those that are His to the place He’s preparing for us was an essential component of the Gospel message proclaimed by the apostles in New Testament times. The Bible tells us that a large multitude of people will come to faith in Jesus after Rapture. Even though the antichrist and his minions will kill most that do, they will receive new glorified bodies after Jesus’ Second Coming when He raises them from the dead (Revelation 20:1-4). However, it’s far better that you respond in faith to the message of the Gospel before Jesus’ appearing. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE I love the simplicity of the Apostle John’s words in 1 John 5:11–12: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” Jesus, as revealed on the pages of Scripture, is the only path to eternal life. Those who come to know Him as their Savior have a glorious future ahead of them, beginning with the Rapture and our receipt of glorified bodies. The Lord is Life to those who know Him as their Savior. This is the message of the Gospel, past, present, and future. If you have not already done so, please put your trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Romans 10:13 says: “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Eternity is at stake; do not delay. And, you do not want to face the horrors of the “Day of the Lord” that will ensue shortly after the Rapture.