Message Library

Eternal Life Begins Now

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Whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

John 11:26

Once we receive Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Word says that we never die, and we live eternally with the Father and the Son in heaven. We are no longer spiritually dead, but through Christ we receive the indwelling Holy Spirit and we are spiritually alive. Our eternal lives begin when we accept Christ. When we leave this earth we go home to heaven, and live in new eternal bodies. Our physical bodies are sinful and crave things of the earth, therefore they are subject to decay because of the fall of Adam and Eve.  This body dies and is replaced by a new eternal body, but in this process we never die.

How should we respond knowing that we have started our eternal lives? Do we see our physical deaths as nothing more than leaving earth and moving to heaven, moving out of our tents and into our eternal homes? For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies—we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself and not by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

What were the Apostle Paul’s thoughts on leaving earthly life and going to be with Christ? For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. (Philippians 1:21-23) Clearly Paul’s choice was to go home to be with the Lord which is better by far. Paul knew that Heaven was his home and he was eager to go home. Shouldn’t we have the same attitude? We worship the same God as Paul, and God promises to be the same yesterday and today, so that we can also say that to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Today live with your eternal heavenly home in your heart, and realize that this life is temporary. You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14) We could vanish from the earth at any time and live for eternity in our new perfect bodies in a world like the Garden of Eden. Live today in view of your eternal heavenly home; it makes it easier to cope with this life.

Let’s Pray: Lord thank you for saving me through Christ and for the promise of eternal life in heaven with you. Guide me through this life to tell the world of this good news. In Jesus name, Amen