World Verses Eternity
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul
Mark 8:36
Many people put their priority in being successful in this world, with little thought about living for eternity. It’s certainly fine to seek success in this world, but it’s more important to live this short life for eternity. Satan tempts us to love this life and forget about eternity, while others are deceived by Satan on how Christ judges us for eternal life.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21) Christ is one who judges us, based on our fulfillment of the commands in the Word; and we are not the ones who judge our Christian life because we are all biased, or we are living in our learned behavior. Some Christians change or ignore scriptures that interfere with the worldly life. We can believe anything we desire, but we can never change the Lord’s judgment for eternity.
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. (1 John 2:15) We seek to be guided by Christ through the Holy Spirit. Satan uses the world to pull us away from God and deceives people to think they have eternal life
Christians are connected to Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14: 15-17) If we don’t have the indwelling Holy Spirit we don’t belong to Christ. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. (Romans 8:9)
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) We receive the Holy Spirit when we have a repentant heart and baptized; don’t listen to what people say about baptism, but go by what God says in his Word, because people are not our judge, we are not our judge, but God is our judge.
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14) Christians are the ones who tell others about salvation in Christ. If Christians don’t tell the world about Christ, then who is? This is the task of all Christians and it is what we are created to do.
Today make sure you have the Holy Spirit, and be governed by the Holy Spirit. Overcome Satan’s temptations to be governed by the world, and let Christ guide you through life into eternal life.
Prayer: Lord fill me with the Spirit and guide me today by the Spirit. And keep Satan from guiding me by the flesh. In Jesus name, Amen