He That Believeth Hath Everlasting Life

Q: What does the Bible say about everlasting life?

The Bible teaches that he who believes in the Son has everlasting life (John 3:36). The Scripture emphasizes that everlasting life is not merely a future promise but a present possession for believers. In John 3:36, it states, 'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.' This underscores the assurance of salvation that believers can possess right now. The believer’s relationship with Christ is central to this eternal life, which is rooted in God’s decree, Christ's redemptive work, and the gracious promise of the Gospel.

Q: How do we know election is true?

Election is evidenced by faith, as believing in Christ indicates God’s electing grace (Titus 1:1). The doctrine of election in the Reformed tradition posits that God has chosen certain individuals for salvation. This is distinctly linked to the concept of faith; as observed in Titus 1:1, Paul writes, 'according to the faith of God's elect.' The belief in Christ serves as evidence of God’s choice. Therefore, the presence of genuine faith in one's life is a strong indication that one is among the elect, as faith itself is a gracious gift from God that cannot arise apart from His choosing.

Q: Why is believing in Christ important for Christians?

Believing in Christ is essential because it is through faith that we receive eternal life (John 3:36). For Christians, belief in Christ is more than intellectual assent; it is a personal trust and commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior. As John 3:36 states, 'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.' This belief signifies a deep acknowledgment of Christ’s divine authority and redemptive work. Moreover, it transforms one’s status from death to life, establishing a relationship with God that is characterized by freedom from condemnation and assurance of eternal life. Faith is thus foundational for the Christian life, forming the basis of one’s entire relationship with God.

Q: What does it mean to be born again?

To be born again means to be spiritually reborn into God's family, resulting in eternal life (John 1:12-13). The concept of being 'born again' refers to a spiritual rebirth wherein an individual is transformed and renewed by the Holy Spirit. This is articulated in John 1:12-13, which states that those who received Christ are given the power to become children of God, 'born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God.' This new birth signifies an internal change that affects one’s nature and leads to the reception of eternal life. As believers, being born again is an affirmation of God’s redemptive plan, marking a passage from the domain of darkness into the glorious light of Christ and assuring one of their identity as a child of God with all its accompanying blessings.

Q: How does Christ's sacrifice relate to everlasting life?

Christ's sacrifice is the means by which believers receive everlasting life through faith in Him (Romans 5:8). Christ's sacrifice on the cross is central to the believer's experience of everlasting life. Romans 5:8 declares that 'God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' This sacrificial act paid the debt of sin and opened the gateway to eternal life for those who believe. Through this atonement, believers are justified—declared righteous before God. Therefore, the assurance of everlasting life rests not in one’s deeds but solely in the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice, which guarantees that every individual who believes in Him is granted eternal life.

I heard an interesting story
while I was out in California a few days ago. It impressed me a great deal. And some of you who teach and
preach may want to use this as an illustration. But years ago
down in Mexico, which is a an idolatrous Catholic country,
superstitious, idolatrous country. There was a young boy, 15 or
16 years of age, who was a believer. He had heard the gospel of the
grace of God, and he had come to believe on Christ, and he
had thrown off all of this superstition and idol worship and things in
which he had been raised all of his life. His mother and father
died at this particular time. He was 15 or 16, and both his
parents were killed in an accident. And he moved in with his grandfather,
and his grandfather was a strong Catholic. His grandfather had
the candles everywhere that he burned to the saints, and he
had the different statues, the idols. You who have been to Mexico
have seen all those idols and statues that are around in the
homes and in the churches. He had St. Jude and St. Christopher
and he had Mary and he had Peter and the Apostles and he had all
the little idols around in the house everywhere and had the
candles by the idols. Grandfather was away one day.
And this boy just couldn't stand those idols. He knew that they
were offensive to God, and it bothered him so much, and he
talked to the grandfather about it, but he was immovable, very
strong against the boy and against what he believed and for his
idols. One day when the grandfather
was away, the boy took a hammer. And he went throughout the room,
and he broke every idol. He took the hammer to the Virgin
Mary. He took the hammer to St. Christopher.
He took the hammer to Peter. He took the hammer to all of
them, but Jude broke every one of them. But the idol, Jude,
was still standing there, St. Jude. And he took St. Jude and put him right in the
middle of the table and laid the hammer down beside him, beside
St. Jude. And the grandfather came
home, and when he opened the door, he saw all these idols
broken. And he was furious, and he screamed,
Who broke my idols? And the boy was standing there,
and he pointed over at St. Jude and said, He did, Grandpa,
he's got the hammer. And the old man turned and said,
Silly boy, he can't do anything. He said, Grandpa, that's what
I've been telling you. And the old man saw it out of
his own mouth. He condemned what he was. Silly
boy, he can't do anything. And the boy said, that's what
I've been trying to tell you. He can't do anything. Isn't that
good? All right, let's open our Bibles
tonight to the book of John. While you're finding the scripture,
I want to commend our young people. Every year during Bible school,
I make some kind of comment about their interest and their behavior
and their dedication. They're just the finest group
of young people in all the world. And I'll just keep on bragging
on them because they are. They're so attentive, and they're
so interested, they're so faithful, and they're so cooperative. They're
just different. The grace of God makes a difference. And I'll tell you something else
that makes a difference. It's dedicated, caring parents
who have given their attention to these young people and raised
them in a way that God uses to make them like they are. They're
fine young people. All right, tonight I want to
speak from John chapter 3. And my subject, this is the title
of the message, He that believeth hath everlasting life. He that believeth hath everlasting
life. Hath everlasting life. Here in
John 3, let's begin our reading with verse 26. And they came
unto John, John the Baptist, and they said to John, Rabbi,
Teacher, Master, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom
thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men
come to him. came to John the Baptist and
they told him, they said that Jesus of Nazareth, they said
the one you bear witness to over there by Jordan, he is having
his disciples baptize people. Now Christ didn't baptize anybody,
that's what scripture says, but the disciples. But they said
he's having his disciples baptize people and great crowds are coming
to hear him. Now what was their motive? Why
were they doing this? Well, I suppose, I believe that
one of their motives was to make John jealous and envious. That's the way he took it, because
you're going to know that by his answer in a moment. But to
make John jealous and envious of the success of the master. I think another motive was to
divide John and his master. You see, this is a favorite device
of Satan, to set one servant of God against another. That's such a terrible, terrible
thing. That's what Paul was writing
about in 1 Corinthians. He said you're acting like carnal
people, whereas there's among you envy and division and strife,
and you're trying to set one servant against another. Some
of you say, I'm a Peter. I am of Paul, I am of Apollos,
I like this one, I like that one, I like the other one. That
is satanic, and it's subtle, and it's Satan doing his terrible
work. Let me show you a picture of
this over in the book of Numbers. And I believe this is the attitude,
I know this is the attitude we ought to have. In Numbers chapter
11, Listen to this, Numbers 11. In Numbers 11, beginning with
verse 26. Now listen to this. In Numbers 11, 26, But there
remained two of the men in the camp. The name of the one was
Edad, and the name of the other was Medad. And the Spirit rested
upon them. And there were of them that were
written, but went not out unto the tabernacle, and they prophesied
in the camp. And there ran a young man and
told Moses. And the young man said, Eldad
and Medad do prophesy in the camp. And Joshua the son of Nun,
the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said,
My Lord Moses, forbid them. Put a stop to that. And Moses
said to him, In this thou for my sake, would God that all the
Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his
Spirit upon them. Isn't that the proper attitude?
So these fellows came, and they said, You know, he's preaching
to a lot of people, and folks are coming to him, coming to
him. from everywhere. In verse 27,
now listen to what John said. Moses said, don't be envious
for my sake. I'm certainly not envious of
any man who preaches or prophesies or declares the testimony of
God. Would God that all of the Lord's people prophesied, that
his spirit was upon all of them, I'd rejoice. That's what Paul
said in Philippians, he said in chapter 1, he said Whether
they preach of envy, strife, or whatever, contention, I rejoice
that Christ is preached. It doesn't matter. Let's keep
all that out of it. And John answered and said, now
listen to John, a man can receive nothing except it be given him
from heaven. All things are of God. That's
what the scripture says. Physically, God said, I kill,
I make alive, I wound and I heal. Materially, God said, I make
rich and I make poor. What hast thou that thou didst
not receive? Now, if you received it, why do you boast as if you
didn't? It all came from God. A man can receive nothing except
it were given him from heaven, physically, materially, and especially
spiritually. Especially spiritually. Turn
to 1 Corinthians 12. Listen to this. 1 Corinthians
chapter 12. In the body of Christ there are many members. We're
not all the same members, we all have the same head. But there
are many members. And verse 11 of 1 Corinthians
12 says this, But all these worketh that one and selfsame spirit,
dividing to every man severally as he will. God puts the members
in the body as he will, and gives gifts as he will. Look at verse,
look back at verse 4. Now, there are diversities of
gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of administration,
but the same Lord. There are diversities of operation,
but the same God that worketh all in all. Look at verse 18. But now hath God set the members,
every one of them, in the body, as it has pleased him. And verse
19, if they were all one member, where were the body? But now
are there many members yet but one body. So John says, a man
can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. Whatever
gifts he has, whatever blessings he has, whatever knowledge he
has, it's the gift of God. And then in verse 28, John reminds
them of what he told them before. He said, you yourselves bear
me witness. I said to you, I told you I am
not the Christ, but that I am sent before him." Let's turn
back to John 1 and listen to what he says over here in John
1, verse 20 through 23. In John chapter 1, start with
verse 19. And this is the record of John. When the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? Who are you? And he confessed and denied not,
but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then,
are you a liar? He said, I'm not a liar. Well, are you that
prophet that Moses foretold would come? He answered, no. They said
to him, well, who are you? That we may give an answer to
them that sin us. What sinnest thou thyself? Now,
you know what he could have said? I was born supernaturally of
parents that were too old to have children. Isn't that correct?
Zacharias and Elizabeth. I'm the cousin of Jesus Christ. That's right, born six months
before Christ, wasn't it? Mary became their cousin, Elizabeth.
He could have said, Jesus said, I'm the greatest man born of
woman. You know what the Lord said? Of all born of woman, there's
never risen one like John the Baptist. He could have said,
I'm the forerunner of Christ. I'm prophesied throughout the
whole Old Testament. He never said any of those things.
He said, who are you? Listen, I am the voice of one
crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.
That's what I am, and that's who I am, and that's all I am.
I'm a voice. Whatever gifts I have, God gave
me. Whatever credentials I have,
God gave me whatever service I have, God put me in it. I'm
nothing but a voice. Someday that voice will be silent.
But I'll tell you, the one of whom he spoke will live forever. Isn't that what you said? So
the voice doesn't matter. It's not the messenger. I go
back and look at those verses, you know, that subtlety of Satan,
that divisive influence, And it's just not of God. It
doesn't promote the glory of God, vain glory, self. John said a man can receive nothing
except God gives it to him, and you yourself bear me witness. I told you, I'm nothing but a
voice. I'm sent before him. Now look
at verse 29. He that hath the bride is the
bridegroom. Who's the bride here? The bride's
the church. You're the bride. Every believer's
in the bride of Christ. The bride's not a city, it's
a church. And he that hath the bride, the
church is the bride. And the elect of God, that's
the bride. The sheep, the people of God,
that's the bride. Well, who owns the bride? To
whom does the bride belong? She belongs to the Bridegroom.
Now watch as he goes on. And the friend of the Bridegroom,
the friend of the Bridegroom, the one who points to the Bridegroom
and talks about his glory and points the Bride to the Bridegroom,
introduces the Bride to the Bridegroom. The friend of the Bridegroom
would stand up and hear the Bridegroom, he would just as greatly because
of the Bridegroom's voice. The Bride's not his. I wish every preacher in the
world would quit using two terms. My church. I wish every preacher
would quit saying that. We don't have a church. It's
his church. And the second statement is my
people. They're not my people. They're my brothers, and they're
my sisters, but they're not my people. They're his people. He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom. And the friend that standeth
by, he rejoices at the bridegroom's voice. Listen, this my joy therefore
is fulfilled when people, these people, they say, they're flocking
to him, they're hearing him, they've been baptized in him.
He said, well, glory, glory, my joy is fulfilled if everybody
will own him and love him and trust him and believe him. That's
the greatest joy that I could have. And the friend of the bridegroom
rejoices in the happiness of the bridegroom and the happiness
of the bride. And he wouldn't come between
them, he wouldn't interfere, not for anything in this world. And then he said in verse 30,
listen, and I'll tell you this, he must increase. And he will,
he keeps increasing. God's given him a name above
every name. He's exalted him above all exaltation. And he'll keep on increasing,
increasing in glory. increasing, but I must go the
other way, I must go the other way, I must decrease. And I'll tell you if we're just,
we're going to decrease in strength, we're going to decrease in ability,
we're going to decrease in memory, we're going to decrease in power,
we're going to decrease, we're going to keep on decreasing,
and that's the way it ought to be. That's the way it's got to
be. And he increased. And I'll tell
you, this statement will crush all party feelings, crush all
personal ambition, will crush all jealousy, and will crush
all self-glory. It'll just do away with every
bit of it. When we realize that this is the purpose of God, this
is the will of God, that Jesus Christ our Lord might increase. we decrease. This is the will
of the Father, and I'll tell you this, this becomes my will
if I'm really occupied with him. And if this is not my will, it's
clear evidence that I am not occupied with him. I'm still
occupied with myself and my concerns and my glory. Isn't that something? or to be like John the Baptist.
And he meant that, one thousand percent. He goes on, he doesn't stop.
Notice the contrast. He said he's the Christ, I'm
just the voice to tell others about him. He's the bridegroom. All the attention is on the bridegroom
and the bride, and the friend who introduced him, who made
arrangements for the wedding or whatever. When the wedding
day comes and the joyous occasion, that friend just kind of disappears,
doesn't he? Who pays any attention to him?
Nobody knows he's around. And he must increase and I must
fade away, fade away. And now he says, he's from heaven. He's from heaven. I'm from the
earth. He that cometh from above He is above all. He's above all. And he who is of the earth is
earthy, and he speaks of the earth. The things I say of it. I just know in my heart and preach
in part, I just say what's been revealed to me. And that's not
a whole lot. Like Ronnie Trabant was talking
to the children this morning, and he said, well, I know God,
but he said, what I know of God is so small
compared to what can be known of God and what ought to be known
of God and what's revealed of God in the scripture, he said,
you could put all I know of God in one of those little wine glasses
we use at the Lord's table. And that's about right, just
about right. But he that cometh from heaven,
he speaketh from heaven. He that cometh from heaven is
above all, and he speaks of heaven. And what he says is perfect.
His words are heavenly words, heavenly words. And what, look
at verse 32, and what he hath seen, and what he hath heard. He said that one time, we speak
that which we've seen and that which we've heard. What he's
seen and what he's heard is what he testified, that he testified. That's what he preaches. He's that prophet. Turn with
me to Deuteronomy 18 and read there what Moses said about Deuteronomy
18 about that prophet. He's from heaven. You see, any
prophet that is of the earth speaks of the earth. And his
knowledge is so limited according to what God's pleased to reveal
to him, according to what God can reveal to him. what God is
pleased to reveal to him. And he says in Deuteronomy 18,
verse 17, The Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that
which they have spoken. I will raise them up a prophet
from among their brethren, like unto thee, Moses. I will put
my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that
I shall command And it shall come to pass that whosoever will
not hearken to my words, which he shall speak in my name, I
require of him." That's that prophet. That's our Lord Jesus
Christ. Now look at the last part of
verse 32. And no man receives his testimony. Our Lord said in John 5, look
over here at John 5. In verse 40 of John 5, he said,
You will not come to me that you might have life. I receive
not honor from men, but I know you, you have not the love of
God in you. I come in my Father's name, and you receive me not.
No man receives his testimony. John says, I speak, I'm from
the earth, I speak of the earth, Christ Jesus is from heaven,
he speaks of heaven, but no man receives his testimony. But let
another come in his own name, and him you will receive. That,
some do, verse 33. Some do, by the grace of God. By the grace of God, some here,
you've heard, you've heard the gospel, you've received it, you've
believed it, I've Verse 33 says, he that hath received his testimony,
he that hath received his word, his gospel, hath set to his seal
that God is true. What does that mean? The man,
the woman, who has received the words of Christ, the gospel of
Christ, and believed them, has set to his seal that God is true. This is what that means. That
man who has received the words of Christ and believed them acknowledges
and declares once for all and sets his approval on all that
Jesus Christ is and all that he's done and all the glory that
God has given him. Approved. Now that word is used
again in John 6. Verse 27, that word sealed, that
word sealed. Turn over to John 6, 27. John 6, 27. The Lord Jesus is speaking here,
and he said to these people in verse 26, Jesus answered them
and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, you seek me not because
you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and
were filled. Now labor not for the meat which perisheth. But
for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of Man will give you, for him hath God the Father sealed. God the Father hath anointed
him, ordained him, approved him, acknowledged him, this is my
Son in whom I am well pleased, has vested everything in his
hands. He has the seal upon him of the Father. You see that?
When I believe him, when I receive his words and believe him, I'm
saying the same thing. I'm saying what the Father said.
This is the Christ. This is the Messiah. This is
my Lord. This is my God. I'm setting to
my seal that what God says is true. And I approve of it. Alright,
what's the next verse? For he whom God hath sent says
several things about him here. First of all, God sent him. He
whom God sent speaketh the words of God. And then he says, And
God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The various
prophets of the past have had the Spirit of God upon them,
but by measure. In other words, like I say, God
will give to us what he will. What he will. He'll give to us
what he will. That's his business. That's not
any of our business, that's his business. The gifts, the ability,
the open door, whatever, the Spirit of God, the unction, the
power, the knowledge, the memory, whatever, God will give to us
as he will, and he'll give to us what we can handle, that with
which we can be trusted. I'm just certain of that. But the Lord Jesus Christ, that
great prophet, he gave the Spirit to him without measure. He has
all authority. all power over all flesh. God sent him, God gave him the
Spirit without measure, but God loves him, God loves him, and
verse 35, and God hath given all things, everything, into
his hands. Now, I have an idol, it's the
Lord Jesus Christ. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's
my God. Idle is an object of worship,
sole object of faith, complete, absolute object of faith. And
I'll tell you why. God sent him, God gives him the
Spirit without measure, Almighty God loves him, and Almighty God
has given everything into his hands. Can you believe that?
Can you believe that? This is a whole lot more than
just accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. I'm getting
to where I just don't like that, even the phrase. I hear it so
much I don't even like the phrase anymore. It's a whole lot more. It's to submit to Christ, it's
to adore Christ, it's to receive Christ, it's to glory in Christ,
it's to be obedient to Christ. He becomes your God and your
Lord and your Master. and your hope and your life and
all things. He's the author and finisher
of your faith. He's the Alpha and Omega. He's
everything in God Almighty's alphabet. Salvation and believing Christ
is not just giving mental assent to a few facts about him. It's
literally, truthfully, to bow to Christ. Bow to Christ. Now then, verse 36, and he that
believeth on the Son, he that can embrace this, he that can
truthfully, sincerely, in his heart, love this testimony, he's
got everlasting life. She, he, boy or girl, but it's
not a game. And Jesus Christ is not going
to be any man's Savior if he's not that man's Lord. That's just
so. See, this is John the Baptist
talking here, and they come to him and they've set up all this
problem, and he said, now just, you can forget it. You can forget
it. You can forget it. He's the Christ,
I'm a voice. He's from heaven, I'm from earth. He speaks of heaven, I speak
of the earth. He's the bridegroom. I'm just the friend. He must
increase. I must decrease. If you're trying
to cause problems between me and him, you're barking up the
wrong tree. He's my God. He's my idol. He's my object of worship. He's
my Lord. He's my King. I guess this is
the greatest motive a man can have, to have everlasting life. Everlasting life. And you know
something? He said he, that person, that man, woman, boy, girl, who
really believes on Christ in this passion, it doesn't say
he may have everlasting life, possibly, probably, it says he
has it. He has it, already has it. He doesn't say that he shall
have everlasting life as if it were a future inheritance. He
says that person that believes on him is already passed from
death unto life. He already has it. That's right. As a possession, he already has
it. It's a present possession right
now of everybody who can believe on him. He's already the moment
a man believes. On this Christ, in that fashion,
he has everlasting life. That's what that says in it. Life, everlasting, he hath it. Not maybe, not shall, not possible,
not future, he has it. One old writer wrote about that.
He said, my name, my name, my name, my name from the palms
of his hands, eternity cannot erase. Impressed on his heart,
my name remains in marks of indelible grace. Yes, I to the end shall
endure as sure as God's promise is given, more happy, but not
more are the saints already in heaven. Did you hear that? He's so certain
that he has right now everlasting life, that more happy, they're
more happy up there than I am, but they're not more secure.
Because that life they have, I have also. And all I've got to do is move.
All right, now five things I want to give you. He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. He has it, doesn't he? If he
can believe in that fashion. We're not talking about a handshake
here now. We're talking about something, you and God. I told
our class here, when Abraham stood out there under that starry
sky, And God said, Abraham, how many stars are up there? He said,
I can't number them. He said, that's how many seeds
you're going to have. He said, Abraham, how many grains of sand
on the seashore? I can't number them. That's how
many seeds you're going to have. And Abraham believed him. There
wasn't a soul to witness it. There wasn't a soul observing
it. There wasn't an owl to walk. a bench to kneel at, a pool to
get in, or anybody to tell, but Abraham believed God and was
counted to him for righteousness right then. God said not later
on when he was circumcised, 15 years later he was declared righteous
right then. When he himself in his heart
believed God, that's when it happened. And our young people,
I say this to you, as you listen to me preach, and listen to these
elders preach, and people talk about, I want to get saved and
all this, you'll be saved when you believe God. And that'll
be with you sitting right there, or hanging from a swing on a
tree, or out in a boat. But when you can come to that
place, that God-bed Abraham, when he actually, earnestly,
in truth, in his heart, believed God, believed God, he was a saved
man. He was a righteous man. Is that
not true? I know it's true. That's what he was saying. God
doesn't wait for you to do anything except believe. That's it. That's all that stands between
you and eternal life. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. Right there. Man doesn't get
everlasting life up here. He doesn't get everlasting life
down there. Everlasting life is in Christ. And when you believe
him, you have it. Now, here are five reasons why
you have it right now. First of all, you have it in
the decree of God. Almighty God has purposed from
all eternity to bring his chosen people to everlasting life. Isn't
that the covenant of mercy? God elected a people, gave them
to Christ, made Christ their surety. He said heaven's going
to be populated with a people like Christ. Whom he foreknew,
he predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son, whom
he predestinated, he called whom he called, he justified whom
he justified, past tense he glorified. That's sure. That's certain. There's not a doubt about that.
Heaven's going to be populated with people like Christ. The
purpose of Almighty, and that purpose of Almighty God is secret. That book of the Lamb slain before
the foundation of the world is complete. Then how can I know
if I'm in it? How can I know if I'm elected?
How can I know if that eternal life is mine and I'm among that
number? I'll tell you how. Believe Him. That's exactly right. Because
I'll tell you this. Calling and election can't be
separated. Whom he called, he elected. Whom he elected, he called. Isn't
that right? Make your calling and election
sure. Turn over to Titus chapter 1. Titus chapter 1. You see, faith
is the evidence that you elect. The Apostle Paul wrote to the
church at Thessalonica and he said, I know you're God's elect.
How do you know they're God's elect? Because our gospel came
to you, not in word only, but in power, and you believed it.
That's how I know you're God's elect, because you believe God,
you believe Christ. That's the evidence of life. In Titus chapter 1 verse 1, Paul,
a servant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God's elect. They're the only ones that have
faith, God's elect. And all who have faith are God's
elect, because faith is the gift of God to his elect. Isn't that
correct? The only man who believes Christ is a man to whom God has
revealed Christ. Is that correct? The only man
who has faith is the man to whom God's given faith. Faith's the
gift of God. So faith is the evidence that
I'm one of the elect. We don't. to the faith of God's
elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness,
in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised
before this world began." What are we talking about? Everlasting
life. Who gave it? God promised it
before the world began. Who did he give it to? His elect.
How do you know you're his elect? I have the faith of God's elect.
Is that clear? Exactly. A person who truly believes
on Christ Jesus may conclude that he's one of God's elect,
or he wouldn't believe on Christ. He wouldn't have that faith,
because that's the gift of God. And he can be sure that he is
elect because God called him. All right, secondly. So he has
it. First, I have everlasting life
in the decree of God. God decreed it. God ordained
it. God predestinated it. God gave
it. It's a gift of God. And the evidence
that I have it is that I believe it. He that believeth on the
Son of God, he has that life. Alright, secondly. He has everlasting
life by the purchase of Christ. Who bought everlasting life?
Christ did. Eternal life is bought for the
believer by Christ. Spurgeon said it's bought and
paid for. Now my prayers, nothing is mine
like that which I've paid for. Isn't that correct? I go down
to the store. It's called redeeming it. I go
down to the store. I pick out an item that I want.
The lady says that's $29.95. I said that's pretty high. She said that's the price. Pay
it or forget it. I'll pay it. I put $29 and well, $30 some
odd. They pay tax on it, you know. She wraps it up, and I
reach out and take it. That's mine. Now that's mine. I paid for it. And I'm telling
you this, eternal life is mine. I didn't pay for it. He did.
But he didn't, when he died on that cross, he didn't purchase
anything for himself. He didn't need anything. Well,
what's he doing on that cross? He's hanging there for me. He's
paying the debt for me. He said, I'm come that they might
have life and have it more abundantly. He died the just for the unjust
that he might bring us to God. If God spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, I say not with him, freely give
us what Christ paid for. He bought it in my name, and
it's mine. The purchaser is Christ. Who
is he that condemns? It's Christ, the Christ that
died. The price is his blood. Oh, what an awesome, awesome
price. That's expensive, isn't it? The
price was paid to whom? Not to me. To the law and justice
of God. He didn't buy me from the devil
either. He bought me from the law and the justice of God. The
devil influenced me, but he didn't own me. That's right. He bought me from the justice
of God and the righteousness and love of God, and he'll have
everything that he purchased. One of the old writers said this,
David Clarkson said, The Lord God of heaven is engaged not
only because he's merciful, not only because he's gracious, but
because he's just and righteous to give me what Christ paid for. Isn't that right? So the Lord
God of heaven is engaged, I hate to use the word obligated, but
he is obligated by his righteousness, which you read about. He's engaged
not only because he's merciful, God is loving, merciful and gracious,
but he's engaged because he's just and righteous to give me
what Christ bought me. You see that? Eternal life is
mine. by the decree of God. Eternal
life is mine, because Christ bought it, and it's mine right
now, right now. And it's not how I feel or things
I do and all that, it's what he did. Thirdly, the believer
has life eternal by the promise of the gospel. Now the law says
about me, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things
written in the law to do them." The law says die. The justice
of God says die. The justice of God says the soul
that sinneth, it must surely die. But the gospel of God, the
gospel of his glory, the gospel of his grace, the gospel of covenant
mercy speak and says, let him go! I found a ransom. And when the gospel of God says
let him go, the law lets him go. And justice lets him go. If a man feels his guilt before
the law, and all of us do, I can read your mind sitting out there
because you think just like I do. Like Paul William said one time,
we've been together so long we know what we're thinking. If
the law of God If you feel guilty before the
law and the sentence of death, you feel the sentence of death
because of God's justice and righteousness, what are you going
to do? Well, I tell you what I'm going
to do. I'm going to flee to the city of refuge. That's what,
Christ is the city of refuge. Flee to Christ. And if you have
the promise of the gospel, if you get in the city of refuge,
if you flee to Christ, no one can touch you. Isn't that right,
sister? That's what those seven cities
of refuge are all about. If a fellow's guilty of murder
and runs to the city of refuge, they can't touch him. Can't touch
him. And not God himself defends him. And the gospel says, he that
believeth on the Son hath life, and this is God's gospel, this
is God's truth, backed up by God Almighty's promise. And I'm
going to lean on it. He said believe and live. And
I believe. I don't know anything else to
do. And I'll tell you why I don't know anything else to do after
40 years, because there ain't nothing else to do. I keep hunting
and it's not there. I keep hearing people talk about
what they're doing and I can't find that in the Word. I just
hear them say, he that believeth on the Son hath life. When that
Philippian jailer came to power, I said, what must I do to be
saved? He said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And when he sent his disciples
out to preach, he said, now you go preach the gospel to every
creature, and he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,
and he that believeth not shall be damned. That's it, it hangs
on that, do you believe? I have eternal life according
to the promise of the gospel of God. Fourthly, the believer,
here's I love this, the believer has eternal life because he's
born to it. That's right. He's born in God's
family. He's born in the kingdom. He's
born to God. He's a son of God. That's what
scripture says. Listen, let me just quote it
to you. In John 1 it says this, but as many as received Him,
to them gave he the power, privilege, to become sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name, which were born, not of blood,
not of the will of man, not of the will of the flesh, born of
God. I have life because he gave it to me in birth." Now, that
which is born of the flesh is flesh. The first time I was born
in this world, I was born of a mother and father, and they
gave me their life. I became a part of their family.
And I'm on my way to meet him. But then by the grace of God,
the gospel came in the hands of the Holy Spirit, and I was
born of God. And that life will never die.
I was born of God, I'm a son of God, and I'm on my way to
be with God. I have life. I was born in the
family of God. That's why I turned to Romans
8, let me show you that. We have, we already have everlasting
life, it's born in us. We're born of God. In Romans
8, verse 16, the Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit,
we're children of God. And if we're children, we're
heirs. And heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. That's just
so. Why don't you tell one of these
children here tonight? These people have all these doubts
and fears and ups and downs and whoop-de-doos and all these things
about in the kingdom, out of the kingdom, don't know, can't
know, all this stuff. Go tell one of these children
sitting here. Tell one of these children that they have no right
to their father's home. They have no right to their father's
food. They have no right to their father's
table. They have no right to their father's
love. And they say, I'm born of him,
he's my daddy. All right? I'm born of him. Born from above. His house is
my house. That's the reason David said,
I'm going to abide in the house of God forever. He's my God.
He's my Father. Isn't that right? I'm born in
this thing. Born of God. Not something I decided, something
he decided. It's something he gave me. I'm
bowing to it. The law, one of these children,
the law protects one of these. I tell you, this boy up in Huntington,
his daddy died and left some money to this church, and he
called me and said, I'm going to contest that in court. I said,
no son, you're not. I'm going to sign it over to
you, because you're the son, and I know what the court will
do. That belongs to you. That don't belong to me. That's
right. That's right. That's that right
of a child. right of a home. And that's one
of my assurances. I was born of God, and I right
now have life. I belong in that house up there.
That's my home. That's my father. That's my family. Isn't that comforting? Here's
the fifth one. I'll let you go. The believer
has life because of God's decree. The believer has life because
Christ bought it. The believer has life because
of the promise of the gospel. God will not back down on that
gospel. You take the gospel with you.
You roll it up and put it in your heart and take it with you,
and heaven's gates will open for you. I guarantee it. Don't
trust anything else now. Don't bring your rags. Just take
that gospel. I'm here not on my right. I'm
here on the righteousness of another. And that eternal life
is ours because we're born to life, born of God. And therefore
we're sons of God. And if we're sons of God, we're
heirs of God. And what we're heirs of? Eternal life. Fifthly,
the believer has life because of a covenant. A covenant. Hebrews 6. Turn around and look
at it. We read it in our class this morning. Hebrews 6. Verse 13. This is that covenant
made with Abraham. Hebrews 6, verse 13, when God
made promise to Abraham, what did he promise him? He promised
him that city, promised him life everlasting. Because he could
swear by no greater, he swore by himself. God said, Surely
blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.
And after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained that promise.
For men barely swear by the greater, and an oath Confirmation is to
them an end of all strife, but God, willing more abundantly
to show to the heirs of promise the unchangeableness of his counsel,
he confirmed it with an oath, that by two immutable things,
what are these two things, God's promise and God's oath, in which
it's impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon that hope set before
us. which hope we have as an anchor
of our soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within
the veil, whether the forerunner for us is already entered, even
Jesus made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
And that's what David died by. The man after God's own heart
lay dying. And he said, the Lord hath made
with me an everlasting covenant. He promised it. He swore to it. And it won't change. Ordered
in all things and sure. This is my salvation and all
my desire. He that believeth, he that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. I believe. God help my unbelief. And my faith, I wouldn't set
it up as an example to anybody. But I tell you, it's one-sided.
It's in Christ. It's single, it's in Christ.
There's nothing else. But I don't care how frail your
faith, it's not the strength of your faith, it's the strength
of him whom you believe. And you have that promise. You
have everlasting life. All right, Mike, come lead us
in a closing here.

He That Believeth Hath Everlasting Life

What does the Bible say about everlasting life?

How do we know election is true?

Why is believing in Christ important for Christians?

What does it mean to be born again?

How does Christ's sacrifice relate to everlasting life?

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He That Believeth Hath Everlasting Life

What does the Bible say about everlasting life?

How do we know election is true?

Why is believing in Christ important for Christians?

What does it mean to be born again?

How does Christ's sacrifice relate to everlasting life?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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