The knowledge of
eternal life was given to the disciples of Jesus
Christ. They were given the knowledge of God the
Father and His Son. This knowledge was revealed by the
Father.
Mat 16:13 When Jesus
came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked
His disciples, saying, "Who do men say
that I, the Son of Man, am?"
Mat 16:14 So they
said, "Some say John
the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one
of the prophets."
Mat 16:15 He said to
them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Mat 16:16 Simon
Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God."
Mat 16:17 Jesus
answered and said to him, "Blessed
are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has
not revealed this
to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I also say to you that you
are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it.
God’s church is
built on the knowledge of verse 16. This knowledge is
essential for eternal life.
Joh 17:3 And this is
eternal life, that they may know You, the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The crossing of
the
When the
Israelites crossed the
Exo 14:31 Thus
As the hardships
came along, that belief disappeared. The Israelites
could not enter the Promised Land because of unbelief.
Heb 3:18 And to
whom did He swear that they would not enter His
rest, but to those who did not obey?
Heb 3:19 So we see
that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
When we get
baptised we believe God.
Eph 1:13 In Him you
also trusted,
after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
This belief can
turn to unbelief just as it did with the Israelites.
Heb 3:12 Beware,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief in departing from the living God;
It is extremely
important that we believe God and have the courage to
follow that belief. We will not be in God’s kingdom if
we don’t obey God.
Rev 21:8 But the
cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all
liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The Israelites
were 40 years in the wilderness, during this time they
were out of
Jesus Christ was
with them.
1Co 10:4 and all
drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that
Rock was Christ.
At our baptism we
are baptised into Christ and His death.
Rom 6:3 Or do you
not know that as many of us as were baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
We are reconciled
to the Father by Christ’s death.
Rom 5:10 For if
when we were enemies we were reconciled to God
through the death of His Son, much more, having been
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
At baptism we
receive the earnest of God’s Spirit.
Eph 1:13 In Him you
also trusted,
after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you
were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 who is the
guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of
the purchased possession, to the praise of His
glory.
We do not have
eternal life at this time. The earnest of God’s Spirit
is a promise from God of eternal life. When we get
God’s Spirit of power which is the second phase of the
spirit, we then have eternal life inherent. Read the
following scriptures carefully:
Joh 17:3 And this
is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
Joh 6:54 Whoever
eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him up at the last day.
Rom 8:10 And if
Christ is
in you, the body is dead
because of sin, but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the
Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells
in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit
who dwells in you.
Rom 8:6 For to be
carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life
and peace.
Rom 8:14 For as
many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons
of God.
1Jn 3:14 We know
that we have passed from death to life, because we
love the brethren. He who does not love his
brother abides in death.
Note this
carefully, when we have God’s Spirit of power that is
when we have eternal life inherent. God gives His
Spirit to those who obey Him.
Act 5:32 And we are
His witnesses to these things, and so also
is
the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey
Him."
At baptism we have not had a chance to obey God to a
large extent so He
gives us the
earnest of the Spirit to see whether we will obey Him.
Just as
the Israelites
were out of
baptised
Christian is called out of this world but not yet at
eternal life. We
have eternal life
inherent when we have God’s Spirit of power. It is at
this
time, if we
reject God, that we have eternal death. The church
has
erroneously
thought that the death penalty applied once we
rejected the
earnest of the
spirit, but it only applies when we receive and then
reject the
Holy Spirit of
power. We
must come to the knowledge that there are two
phases of God’s
Spirit.
Heb 10:26 For if we
sin willfully after we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice
for sins,
Heb 10:27 but a
certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery
indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 Anyone who
has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the
testimony of two or three witnesses.
Heb 10:29 Of how
much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be
thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God
underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by
which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted
the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we
know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL
REPAY," says the Lord. And again, "THE LORD WILL
JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."
Heb 10:31 It is a
fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God.
Heb 6:4 For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and
have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become
partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Heb 6:5 and have
tasted the good word of God and the powers of the
age to come,
Heb 6:6 if they
fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since
they crucify again for themselves the Son of God,
and put Him
to an open shame.
Heb 6:7 For the
earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon
it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is
cultivated, receives blessing from God;
Heb 6:8 but if it
bears thorns and briers, it is
rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be
burned.
God is not
willing that any should perish so He is very careful
who He gives His spirit to.
The disciples did
not get God’s Spirit of power until the Day of
Pentecost.
Act 1:5 for John truly baptized with
water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy
Spirit not many days from now."
Act 2:38 Then Peter
said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit.
Upon repentance
and baptism we will receive the Holy Spirit.
Repentance and baptism do not usually happen on the
same day, receiving the earnest of the Holy Spirit
usually happens on the same day as baptism. {We
receive the Spirit of Promise, or power, which is a
down payment of eternal life, much later.}
There are further
requirements after our baptism, for receiving God’s
Spirit of power {Eternal Life inherent.} Read the
following scriptures carefully.
Joh 17:3 And this is eternal life, that
they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom You have sent.
In God’s eyes it
is eternal life to have the knowledge of the only true
God and Jesus Christ. The above scripture states
it is eternal life to have this
knowledge.
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
Jesus is God, but
not a true God, in the sense of having inhabited
eternity. There is only one God who has inhabited
eternity.
Isa 57:15 For thus
says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity,
whose name is
Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who
has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the
spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the
contrite ones.
Notice clearly
what the above scripture states, ONE GOD.
Jas 2:19 You
believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the
demons believe and tremble!
It may be hard for the reader to accept that Christ is
not a true God, but that is what the scriptures state.
It does
not make Christ any less in our estimation, but we
must accept what the new knowledge from the scriptures
states about Christ and God if we want eternal
life. These new facts are hard, they are not
easy but with prayer and study we will be able to
accept them.
Jesus Christ is
God and the Father is God. Only one God has inhabited
eternity. That was God the Father. Christ is from the
beginning.
1Jn 1:1 That which
was from the beginning, which we have heard, which
we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked
upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the
Word of life
The Father has no
beginning. The Father has always existed. Christ is
from a point in time called the beginning.
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 He was in
the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things
were made through Him, and without Him nothing was
made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In Him was
life, and the life was the light of men.
The above
scripture can be difficult to understand so we will
try to explain it clearly.
Gen 1 v 1 states in the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth.
I am sure that we all know that at some point in time
the heavens and the earth did not exist.
This would not cause any problems, I am sure we all
understand that.
So it is with the Word, there was some point in time
that He did not exist either.
The Father has always existed as the scripture above
states, but The Word {Christ} had a starting point. He has not
always existed. He was born of the Father before
creation, before anything was made, that period of
time was called the beginning.
Once The Word was
born He was then with God the Father.
Joh 1:2 He was in
the beginning with God.
The Father then
created all things through Christ.
Joh 1:3 All things
were made through Him, and without Him nothing was
made that was made.
Once He was born
He then had eternal life.
Joh 1:4 In Him was
life, and the life was the light of men.
Rev 3:14 "And to the angel
of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things
says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the
Beginning of the creation of God:
The Father gave
His Son eternal life.
Joh 5:26 For as the Father has life in
Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in
Himself,
Christ is from
the beginning {commencement.}
1Jn 2:13 I write to
you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is
from the beginning. I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to
you, little children, Because you have known the
Father.
1Jn 2:14 I have
written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him
who is
from the beginning. I have written to you, young
men, Because you are strong, and the word of God
abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
It is vitally
important that we know that there is One true God,
eternal life is involved with this knowledge.
Rev 1:8 "I am the Alpha
and the Omega, the
Beginning and the
End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is
to come, the Almighty."
ONE GOD HAS
INHABITED ETERNITY.
CHRIST HAS NOT
INHABITED ETERNITY.
CHRIST IS NOT A
CREATED GOD.
The bible does
not say that Jesus Christ {God the Word} has inhabited
eternity.
Notice these
following scriptures which some may think show Christ
has inhabited eternity.
Mic 5:2 "But you,
Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though
you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out
of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in
Israel, Whose goings forth are from
of old, From everlasting."
Everlasting can
mean a long time, notice the same word is used in both
these scriptures.
Pro 8:23 I have
been established from everlasting, From the
beginning, before there was ever an earth.
The same word
translated everlasting means from the beginning. God
the Father has no beginning.
Joh 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
Christ was in the
beginning {commencement.} The Father has no
commencement.
Isa 57:15 For thus
says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity,
whose name is
Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place,
With him who
has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the
spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the
contrite ones.
Notice the above
words lofty ONE.
Christ is the
firstborn of all creation.
Col 1:15 He is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.
Notice that
scripture Christ is the firstborn of all creation.
This is very important knowledge so read this again
until you really understand what it is saying.
What it means is that Christ was born before anything
else was created.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said
to them, "If
God were your Father, you would love Me, for I
proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come
of Myself, but He sent Me.
Christ came from
God.
Joh 13:3 Jesus,
knowing that the Father had given all things into
His hands, and that He had come from God and was
going to God,
Joh 16:27 for the Father Himself loves
you, because you have loved Me, and have believed
that I came forth from God.
Joh 16:28 I came forth from the Father and
have come into the world. Again, I leave the world
and go to the Father."
Joh 16:29 His
disciples said to Him, "See, now You are speaking
plainly, and using no figure of speech!
Joh 16:30 Now we are
sure that You know all things, and have no need that
anyone should question You. By this we believe that
You came forth from God."
1Jn 3:8 He who
sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from
the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that He might destroy the works of the
devil.
The Son of God
was the only begotten of the Father.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
God gave His only
begotten Son {born.}
Joh 11:27 She said
to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the
Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the
world."
Unto us a Son is
given.
Joh 17:8 For I have given to them the
words which You have given Me; and they have
received them,
and have known surely that I came forth from You;
and they have believed that You sent Me.
THE
FOLLOWING SCRIPTURE IS ONE OF THE KEY SCRIPTURES
WHICH
IDENTIFY THE LAODICEAN ERA OF GOD’S CHURCH. CHRIST
WILL BUILD
HIS CHURCH ON THE ROCK OR FOUNDATION
KNOWLEDGE OF
WHO HE IS.
Christ came out
from God.
Mat 16:13 When Jesus
came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked
His disciples, saying, "Who do men say
that I, the Son of Man, am?"
Mat 16:14 So they
said, "Some say John
the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one
of the prophets."
Mat 16:15 He said to
them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Mat 16:16 Simon
Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God."
Mat 16:17 Jesus
answered and said to him, "Blessed
are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has
not revealed this
to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I also say to you that you
are Peter, and on this rock I will build My
church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail
against it.
THE KEYS OF THE
KINGDOM WILL ALSO BE GIVEN TO THE LAODICEAN ERA OF
GOD’S CHURCH.
Mat 16:19 And I will give you the keys of
the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you
loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Notice verses 17
and 18 very carefully, the fact that Jesus is the Son
of God is revealed by the Father. God’s church
is built on the knowledge that Christ is the Son of
God. Every professing Christian church believes that
Jesus was born of Mary, and that this happened by the
Holy Spirit of God. These
verses are not referring to that birth. These verses
are referring to Christ being born of the Father
before creation.
ONLY GOD’S
The early
apostles had this knowledge.
God’s true people will accept this knowledge.
The knowledge of the one true God and His Son is
essential for eternal life. This
knowledge has been lost since the time of the
disciples but will be restored in the Laodicean era of
God’s church.
Col 1:15 He is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation.
Read this verse
again. Christ is the firstborn of creation. Notice
also Christ is the image of God {this is repeated
numerous times in the bible.}
Christ was born
of God in the beginning of creation. Our salvation is
dependent on that belief.
1Jn 4:15 Whoever
confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides
in him, and he in God.
1Jn 5:13 These
things I have written to you who believe in the name
of the Son of God, that you may know that you have
eternal life, and that you may continue to
believe in the name of the Son of God.
It seems this
knowledge was suppressed from the church from the time
of the apostles.
Joh 16:31 Jesus
answered them, "Do
you now believe?
Joh 16:32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes,
has now come, that you will be scattered, each to
his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not
alone, because the Father is with Me.
Mat 16:20 Then He
commanded His disciples that they should tell no one
that He was Jesus the Christ.
Luk 11:52 "Woe to you lawyers! For you
have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not
enter in yourselves, and those who were entering
in you hindered."
Until we come to the knowledge of the Father and the
Son we are the Church in the wilderness.
Called out of
this world, {
Rev 21:8 But the
cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all
liars shall have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Possibly one of
the most important requirements for eternal life is a
genuine love of the brethren. If need be, we must be
willing to die for the brethren, as Christ died for
us.
1Jn 3:16 By this we
know love, because He laid down His life for us. And
we also ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren.
Mat 25:31 "When the
Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy
angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of
His glory.
Mat 25:32 All the
nations will be gathered before Him, and He will
separate them one from another, as a shepherd
divides his
sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33 And He
will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats
on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then the
King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 for I was
hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you
gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
Mat 25:36 I was
naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited
Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'
Mat 25:37 "Then the
righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did
we see You hungry and feed You, or
thirsty and give You
drink?
Mat 25:38 When did
we see You a stranger and take You in,
or naked and clothe You?
Mat 25:39 Or when
did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
Mat 25:40 And the
King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say
to you, inasmuch as you did it to
one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to
Me.'
Mat 25:41 "Then He
will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart
from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire
prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 for I was
hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and
you gave Me no drink;
Mat 25:43 I was a
stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you
did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did
not visit Me.'
Mat 25:44 "Then they
also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see
You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick
or in prison, and did not minister to You?'
Mat 25:45 Then He
will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did not do it to
one of the least of these, you did not do it to
Me.'
Mat 25:46 And these
will go away into everlasting punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life."
We must take care
of the brethren or we will not be in God’s Kingdom.
God shows us how to love all mankind in His
Commandments, but He expects a greater love for those
in His church.
Gal 6:10 Therefore,
as we have opportunity, let us do good to all,
especially to those who are of the household of
faith.
1Jn 3:17 But
whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother
in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does
the love of God abide in him?
One of the main
requirements for eternal life is the acceptance of the
knowledge of the Father and the Son.
Joh 17:3 And this
is eternal life, that they may know You, the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
The knowledge of
who They are and the knowledge They give in the bible
is of vital importance to us.
The following
scripture shows how we should love the brethren.
1Jn 3:14 We know
that we have passed from death to life, because we
love the brethren. He who does not love his
brother abides in death.
God will give His
Spirit of Power when He is satisfied
that we fulfil the above requirements. God wants us to
ask for His Spirit, why ask if we get it automatically
at baptism? The above is of course, inclusive of
keeping the Ten Commandments which is also a
requirement of eternal life.
Mar 10:17 Now as He
was going out on the road, one came running, knelt
before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall
I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
Mar 10:18 So Jesus
said to him, "Why
do you call Me good? No one is
good but One, that is,
God.
Mar 10:19 You know the commandments: 'DO
NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,' 'DO NOT MURDER,' 'DO NOT
STEAL,' 'DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,' 'Do not
defraud,' 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.'"
Mar 10:20 And he
answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things
I have kept from my youth."
Mar 10:21 Then
Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One
thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you
have and give to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross,
and follow Me."
1Jn 3:17 But
whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother
in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does
the love of God abide in him?
We must help
people when it is possible for us to do so. The Father
must be our first and greatest love.
Luk 10:27 So he
answered and said, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR
GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH
ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND,' and
'YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'"
God requires us
to believe in the Father and Son.
Joh 3:15 that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
Notice also.
Joh 6:54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks
My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up
at the last day.
By keeping the
Passover correctly means we have eternal life. The
Passover cannot be kept correctly unless we have God’s
Spirit of power.
The called out
ones are not necessarily the firstfruits. Many are
called but few are chosen.
Mat 22:14 "For many are called, but few are
chosen."
1Pe 2:9 But you are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, His own special people, that you may
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light;
The chosen ones
are a royal priesthood {kings and priests.}
Rev 5:10 And have
made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall
reign on the earth."
Rev 17:14 These will
make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome
them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and
those who
are with Him are
called, chosen, and faithful."
Those with Christ
are called and chosen and faithful.
Two of the most
momentous physical miracles in human history point to
two of the most momentous spiritual miracles in human
history. The parting of the
Christ’s resurrection makes eternal life available.
The parting of the
