Frequently asked questions about eternal rewards

The Bible teaches that during the seven-year Tribulation period (Rev. 6-19), Christians will give an account for all their work for Christ in heaven (Rev. 4:1-4). While Christians will never be judged to determine their eternal destiny since they already have eternal life (John 5:24), they will face another kind of judgment to determine what if any rewards they will receive in Christ’s eternal Kingdom. In Revelation 4:4, 10-11, “the twenty-four elders” represent faithful (overcoming) believers in heaven who possess “crowns” (rewards) received at the Judgment Seat of Christ and will rule with Christ in His coming Kingdom (cf. 2 Timothy 2:12; Revelation 2:10b, 2:26-27; 3:5a, 3:11, 21). This Judgment is to motivate Christians to be faithful disciples who obey the Word of God. This is called the Judgment Seat of Christ.

God wants to reward all Christians for their faithfulness to Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Paul was motivated to live a life that pleased the Lord knowing that he would appear before Christ at the Judgment Seat in the future to determine what if any rewards he would receive (Romans 14:10-12; I Corinthians 3:8-15; 4:5; 9:24-27; Revelation 22:12).

Every Christian must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to answer to Jesus for the “good” and “bad” (kakos means worthless, wicked, and evil) things he has done since becoming a Christian. Is this scary for you to think about? Certainly! Even the apostle Paul was afraid to face the Judgment Seat of Christ. He writes, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11). Why would Paul fear the Judgment Seat of Christ? He was afraid of the possibility that his life will be revealed as one wasted and spent in selfishness rather than in devotion and obedience to Christ. Selfish living and wasted opportunities will bring more regrets when Jesus evaluates a believer’s life than most of us care to think about. Knowing this should be sufficient motivation for God’s people to aim to please the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).

Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about eternal rewards and their corresponding answers:

Q: Won’t all believers be equally rewarded according to Matthew 20:1-16?

A: The point of Matthew 20:1-16 is that all Christians will be rewarded equally for faithful service to Christ. What this means is that the person who faithfully served Christ for the one day he was a Christian will be equally rewarded with someone who served Christ faithfully for eighty years. The amount of time you were a Christian before death or the Rapture does not limit the amount of rewards you will receive, assuming that you wholeheartedly served the Lord during that time. Other passages of Scripture indicate that there will be varying degrees of reward in eternity (Matt. 16:27; Luke 19:11-26; I Cor. 3:8; Rev. 22:12) because each believer will be “rewarded according to his works.” This means that rewards will vary according to varying degrees of good works among believers.

Q: Won’t varying degrees of reward promote jealousy among believers in Christ’s eternal kingdom?

A: Jealousy will not exist among believers in the Lord Jesus’ eternal kingdom because sin will not exist there. Glorified believers will never be jealous because they will never sin (I Cor. 15: 42-57; Phil. 3:20-21; I John 3:1-3). Contentment will characterize their lives in eternity. Therefore, they will be satisfied with what the Lord awards them at the Judgment Seat of Christ. For example, will believers be jealous of the Lord Jesus who will rule over the entire world and possess the wealth of the universe? Will we be jealous of King David who will serve as Jesus’s right-hand man as the prince over the nation of Israel (Ezek. 34:23-24)? Will the apostles be jealous of David who will have more authority than them? Will the citizens of Israel be jealous of the Twelve apostles who will rule over the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28-29)? No, because everyone in Christ’s eternal kingdom will be content. However, they may have regret or shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ if they fail to rule with Christ or they rule to a lesser degree because they squandered the opportunities they were given to serve Christ more in their lifetime (cf. Matt. 22:11-13; 25:24-30; 2 Peter 1:5-11; I John 2:28).

Q: How can there be any sense of regret or shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ since the Bible says there will be no more sorrow or pain in heaven (Rev. 21:4)?

A: The Judgment Seat of Christ will most likely take place during the Tribulation (Rev. 4-19) which is over a 1,000 years before the eternal state begins (Rev. 21-22). So the believer’s sense of regret and shame will be temporary and pass away by the start of the New Heaven and Earth (Rev. 21:4).

Q: How long will rewards last?

A: Some Bible students think rewards will be given back to Jesus immediately after they are received. They base this on Revelation 4:10-11. Revelation 4:10-11 does not teach that believers will have to return their rewards back to Christ immediately after receiving them. Notice the word “whenever” in verse 9. The crown-casting in verse 10 is repeated again and again and again. Every time the living creatures say, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8b), the twenty-four elders cast their crowns before the throne. And according to Rev. 4:8b, the living creatures or angels “do not rest day or night…” Casting crowns is an ongoing event throughout eternity. Others insist that our rewards will only last as long as the Millennium, referring to Revelation 20:4-6 where faithful believers will rule for a 1,000 years with Christ. But nothing in this passage suggests that ruling with Christ and other rewards are limited to the Millennium. Instead, the emphasis of the New Testament is that rewards are “imperishable” (I Cor. 9:25) and never fade away (Matt. 6:19-21; I Peter 1:4). If our rewards lasted only a few seconds or even 1,000 years, they would be “perishable.”

The Book of Revelation makes it clear that Christ’s rewards will last beyond the Millennium. Revelation 21 speaks of kings ruling on the earth and honoring Jesus with their rewards (Rev. 21:24, 26). Revelation 22:14 says overcoming Christians will be rewarded with the right to the tree of life and special entrance into the New Jerusalem, both of which will not be on the earth until after the Millennium.

Q: Is it selfish to seek eternal rewards?

A: No, because Jesus commands us to lay up treasure in heaven and not on earth (Matt. 6:19-21). Why? Because wherever our treasure happens to be, that’s where our hearts will be focused. And God wants our hearts to be focused on heaven and that is why we are commanded to invest in heavenly rewards. God knows better than we do what will motivate our hearts for Him. Certainly rewards play a significant role in this. It is actually selfish not to obey God’s command to pursue eternal rewards. Plus, a Christian cannot afford to be selfish in nature, for to do so would disqualify him or her for the eternal reward he or she seeks. Pursuing eternal rewards is one of the strongest motivations for an unselfish and merciful lifestyle (James 2:1-13)!

Q: Do Revelation 2:11 and 3:5 speak of rewards or salvation?

A: The apostle John writes, “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Rev. 2:11) and “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Rev. 3:5). These two verses use a figure of speech called litotes which makes a positive affirmation by denying its opposite. For example, a mother may say to her children, “If you do your chores, you won’t regret it.” In other words, their reward will be the opposite of regret. Throughout Revelation 2-3, John has been addressing rewards to overcoming Christians. So Jesus is saying that the rewards of faithful Christians will be the opposite of being hurt by the second death or losing an eternal name! It will include wearing special white garments (Rev 3:4-5), ruling with Christ (Rev 2:26-27; 3:21), eating the fruit of the tree of life (Rev 2:7), eating hidden manna (Rev 2:17), receiving a white stone engraved with your own special name that only the Lord and you will know (Rev 2:17), and receiving a special entrance into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:14).

This does not mean if Christians do not overcome, they will be hurt by the second death or lose their eternal name. For example, if I said, “All mothers are women,” that does not mean that the opposite is true, that all women are mothers. There are women who are not mothers. Likewise, the opposite of our verse is not true. God will not allow the non-overcoming believer to be hurt by the second death or have his or her name blotted out from the Book of Life! Once a person has everlasting life by believing in Jesus, it can never be taken away or lost (cf. John 6:37-39; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:38-39; 2 Tim. 2:13; 1 John 5:12-13).

By focusing on the Judgment Seat of Christ, Christians will develop a desire to please God rather than people. Because Christ is first in the life of a disciple and could come back at any moment, a disciple should seek to win as many people to Christ as possible and become more like the Judge who will evaluate his or her life at the Judgment Seat.

A Look into the Future – Part 8 (Video)

This is the eighth and final video in a series about the future as recorded in the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation. This video focuses on the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The Revelation Art is used by permission of Pat Marvenko Smith, copyright 1992. To order art prints visit her “Revelation Illustrated” site, http://www.revelationillustrated.com.  Other digital images are used with permission from Good News Productions International and College Press Publishing (www.FreeBibleimages.org) and GoodSalt (www.goodsalt.com). The video scenes in this video and most of the music are used with permission from the producers of the video entitled “The Free Gift.”

Why do some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him? Part 3

“‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.” John 6:64

The third reason why some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him is because THEY DISBELIEVE JESUS (John 6:64-66) and have no capacity to understand and follow Him. “‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.” (John 6:64). Some of the people who had been following Jesus and listening to His instruction had not believed in Him for His gift of everlasting life. They were disciples, that is, they placed themselves under Jesus’s instruction, but they were unsaved.

“Many of His disciples” found His words difficult (John 6:60, 66) and “some” of them did not believe in Christ for salvation (John 6:64a). Both saved and unsaved disciples found Jesus’s words to be disturbing. If Jesus knew that some were unsaved, why did He let them start out on the pathway of discipleship? Because He loved them, even Judas.  Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” If they wanted to sit under Jesus’s teaching day after day, why not? That way He could seek them day after day. God’s love is unlimited and is directed toward every person. It gets me excited to think we may have people who don’t know Christ coming to our Facebook page and website. God’s grace is available to everyone.

Then Jesus said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:65).  Is Jesus teaching that only a small percent of people, the elect, are able to believe and be born again? Not at all, and here is why.

God never commands something to be done that the listener is unable to do. And God commands all people to believe in His Son for everlasting life (I John 3:23; cf. John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Since God is drawing all people (John 12:32; 16:8-11), including those who never believe, He has certainly given everyone the capacity to believe.

The unbelieving disciples He is talking to in this large group are being drawn to believe in Jesus. They should seek to understand Christ’s words because they give life (John 6:63). If they turn away from Christ’s teaching now because it is difficult for them to believe, then God may stop drawing them. Nowhere are we told how long God draws an unbeliever to Himself. God may draw someone for eighty years or eight days. But this drawing is resistible.

For example, Judas resisted God’s intense drawing for over three years. All who die without Christ have rejected God’s drawing in their life. It is possible that God may stop drawing an unbeliever who hardens his heart. But Jesus’ point in verse 65 is that it is impossible for lost people to come to Christ without the help of God. God must work in their hearts. God may be drawing some of you. Maybe you have started reading the Bible or going to church. Perhaps you are visiting Christian websites online. This is an indication that God is working in your heart to draw you to His Son.

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” (John 6:66). This is perhaps the most “unsuccessful” sermon Jesus ever preached. When John chapter 6 opens, Jesus had 12,000-20,000 people following Him and listening to Him speak (John 6:10; cf. Matthew 14:21). When this chapter closes, He only has twelve men with Him and one of them is not even saved (John 6:67). Unlike some preachers today, Jesus did not sugar coat His message. He was not trying to win a popularity contest by preaching what people wanted to hear. This is a significant turning point in Christ’s ministry. He is shifting from a public ministry of up to twenty thousand to a more private training of the Twelve. As a result of this sermon, many of Jesus’s followers withdrew and went back to the things they had left behind (i.e. families, work, old habits and ways of thinking).

When you compare verse 66 with verse 64, you can see that “some” of those who abandoned Christ were Christians. Some did “not believe,” but “many” withdrew from Jesus. It was more demanding than even some of the believers expected.

Throughout my time as a pastor and evangelist, I have witnessed “disciples” withdrawing from Jesus and walking with Him no more. Much like the people in this crowd with Jesus, they stopped placing themselves under the teaching of God’s Word. Why? The teaching may have been too difficult or too disturbing to them. They may have been offended by the message of salvation which says eternal life is a free gift that one receives by believing in Christ alone apart from any works or merit of our own (John 4:10-14; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). So they abandon Christ to follow a preacher who says what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Others may drop off because they have not yet believed in Jesus so they don’t have God the Holy Spirit living inside them to give them the  capacity to understand and follow Christ’s teaching (cf. John 7:38-39; I Corinthians 2:10-16). Some believers may drop off because God is calling them to a deeper level of commitment and they still want to be in charge of their own lives so they pull away. Only the Lord knows for sure.

Where are you in relation to Jesus Christ? Are you following Him from a distance? Are you intrigued by His claims to be God? Have you noticed how loving and gracious He is with those who seek Him? Do you feel Jesus pulling you closer to Him as you listen to what He has to say? As you listen to Christ, do you find yourself having a difficult time understanding what He means? Do His words offend you? Is He demanding more of you and you do not want to place yourself under His control?

Wherever you find yourself in relation to Jesus Christ, please know that He loves you and He wants to spend time with you. Will you give Jesus a chance? Will you open your heart to what He has to say to you? Jesus loved Judas to the end of his life (John 13:1) even though Judas never believed in Christ for His gift of eternal life (John 6:64, 70-71; cf. 12:4; 13:2, 10-11, 21-30; 17:12; 18:2, 5). Please do not be like Judas and never believe or trust in Christ alone to save you from your sins and give you everlasting life.

We are also reminded by Judas Iscariot’s relationship with Jesus that what determines a person’s eternal destiny is not their works. Judas did many works for Jesus Christ as His disciple (Matthew 10:1ff; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6), but his unbelief toward Jesus condemned him to an eternity in the Lake of Fire (John 3:18; 6:64, 70-71; 13:10-11; 16:7-11; 17:12). The Bible tells us that it is not our works that determine whether we go to heaven or hell (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9), but our response to Jesus Christ. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36).

On Judgment Day there will be many false prophets (Matthew 7:15) who stand before Jesus and appeal to their words (“Lord, Lord”)  and to their good works (“prophesied…cast out demons…done many wonders”) that they have done “in His name” for His glory as the basis of their entrance into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21-22). And Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:23). Why does He say this? Because they had failed to do “the will of the Father in heaven” as it relates to entering the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21b). Jesus said, “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40; cf. 3:5, 15-16). Until a person is rightly related to Jesus by believing in Him for everlasting life, all their good works, words, and thoughts are “lawlessness” before a holy God (Matthew 7:23; cf. Isaiah 64:6).

Do you “believe in the Son,” Jesus Christ, for “everlasting life”? If so, then God promises that you now have “everlasting life” and your name is written in the Book of Life so that you will enjoy a home in heaven (John 3:36a; Revelation 21:27). But if you reject Jesus Christ or “do not believe the Son,” you “shall not see life” in heaven, “but the wrath of God abides” on you both now and forever in the Lake of Fire (John 3:36b; Revelation 20:15). It does not matter how many good works you have done for Jesus, if you do not believe in Him alone for His gift of everlasting life, you will still suffer torment forever in the Lake of Fire (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; Revelation 20:10, 15).

Prayer: Almighty God and Savior, You know my heart better than anyone. You know every thought, feeling, and motive I have ever had. I can hide nothing from You. Although You know everything about me – the good, the bad, and the ugly – You love me and long to be in a personal relationship with me. Thank You for drawing me to Yourself through Your Word and the testimony of other Christians. Lord, please remove anything in my life that would hinder me from following You more closely. I do not want to be like those who abandoned You and walked with You no more because they found Your teaching to be difficult or disturbing. Knowing how much You love me and value me, motivates me to stay close to You. Precious Lord Jesus, please continue to draw those who do not believe in You yet to Yourself. Please send others to model Your grace and truth to them. Thank You my Lord and my God for hearing my prayer. In Jesus’s name. Amen.   

Why do some disciples or followers of Jesus abandon Him? Part 2

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63

We have come to that point in John’s gospel where the majority of Jesus’s disciples drew back and no longer followed Him (John 6:66). We saw that one reason Christ’s disciples abandon Him is because His teaching is difficult to understand (John 6:60).  Today we will discover another reason why some disciples abandon Jesus. It is because HIS TEACHING IS DISTURBING (John 6:61-63).

61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?’” (John 6:61-62). “Does this disturb you?” Jesus asks. “Are you disturbed by My claim to have descended from heaven? Would you still be offended if you saw Me ascend to where I was before?”

Christ then says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” (John 6:63a). The word “flesh” (sarx) is key to understanding these verses. Earlier Jesus said, “Whoever eats My flesh … has eternal life.” (John 6:54a). Yet here Jesus says, “the flesh profits nothing” in contrast to “the Spirit who gives life.” A literal eating of Christ’s flesh would not give life. Jesus is using the word “eating” to picture faith. We use figures of speech like this all the time. When we hear a message that is meaningful to us, we say, “I’m really eating that up or drinking that up.” Without the Holy Spirit, a person cannot understand Jesus’s claims and teaching. They cannot understand nor accept that Jesus is God who came down from heaven to give eternal life freely to all who believe in Him.

Jesus continues by saying,The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63b).  The person who believes Christ’s words gains eternal life because God’s Spirit gives it to them at the moment of faith (cf. John 7:38-39; Ephesians 1:13-14; Titus 3:5). When Christ says, “the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63a), He may be referring to the fact that our own human efforts can never earn eternal life. This was very offensive to those who thought that their own works could gain them entrance into heaven. 

In my years of ministry, I have seen “disciples” drop off. They have stopped placing themselves under the teaching of God’s Word on Sunday mornings, in small groups or discipleship. Why? Perhaps the teaching was too difficult or too disturbing to them. After all, we teach what Jesus taught – that eternal life is an absolutely free gift that is received by believing in Jesus, and some people are offended by that. They want to add to what Jesus has done by teaching that you must do more than believe in Christ for eternal life. So they leave to find a church that teaches a works-salvation rather than a faith alone-salvation.

Are we tempted to abandon Christ when His teaching is too convicting to our way of thinking or living? Are we offended by His grace which offers eternal life freely to all who believe in Him regardless of their past? Are we demanding that we live life on our own terms instead of the Lord Jesus’s terms? We cannot follow Christ as His disciples if we demand to be lord of our own lives instead of Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am often blind to my attempts to be lord of my own life instead of giving You that rightful place in my life. I can so easily justify being in charge of my own life with lies such as – “everyone else is doing it” or “I deserve this in light of how hard I have worked.” Please forgive me for being so arrogant and demanding. My pride is often triggered when I encounter Scriptures that expose my faulty thinking regarding Your grace toward others. Just because the Bible exposes my sinful thought patterns does not make it less valid or true. I need Your Word to expose the blind spots in my life. I need Your Word to analyze my thoughts, words, and actions. So often I analyze Your Word instead of letting it analyze me. Yes, it can be uncomfortable when I place myself under the scrutiny of Your Word, but it is also very necessary. Left to myself, I would be on a path of self-destruction. I need You to challenge me to yield to Your terms for living instead of my own. Thank You for loving me enough to do this. In Your name. Amen.  

Why do some followers of Jesus abandon Him? Part 1

“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ ” John 6:60

A young man from the city was visiting a dude ranch and wanted to appear as if he was used to the surroundings. So he went out walking with one of the hired hands. Walking through the barnyard, the visitor tried starting a conversation, “Say, look at that big bunch of buffaloes.” The hired hand replied, “Not ‘bunch’ but ‘herd’.” Visitor: “Heard what?” Hired Hand: “Herd of buffaloes.” Visitor: “Sure, I’ve heard of buffaloes. There’s a big bunch of ‘em right over there.” Have you ever had trouble getting your point across like that hired hand?

Jesus Christ did when He was speaking to a multitude of people in John 6. Christ had just concluded His great message on the bread of life in the synagogue at Capernaum on a very offensive note, talking about “eating His flesh” and “drinking His blood” (John 6:46-59). Many were disturbed by His words, and John records their reaction.

We now come to that point in John’s gospel where many of Jesus’s disciples drew back and no longer followed Him. This is a turning point in our Lord’s ministry where He confronts the twelve with the question, Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). We are going to discover why some followers of Christ abandon the Lord whereas others remain devoted to Him. In John 6:60-66, we see that the majority of disciples in this multitude stop following Christ. Why does this happen? Why do some disciples desert or abandon Jesus? That is, why do some followers of Jesus drop out of sight never to be seen again? Let’s see.

BECAUSE JESUS’S TEACHING IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND (John 6:60). The apostle John writes, “Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can understand it?’ ” (John 6:60). “His disciples” refers to the whole multitude, not just the Twelve.  The word “disciple”(mathētḗs)means a learner, a pupil, a student, that is, someone who is under the instruction of Jesus. This crowd contained saved and unsaved disciples.

These were people who had been miraculously fed by the Lord the day before and had followed Jesus over to Capernaum (John 6:1-14, 22-25). Jesus had just spoken to them about being the Bread of life who had come down from heaven to give eternal life to those who will believe in Him (John 6:26-59). In John 6:38, 51, 54, 58, Jesus claimed to be God when He said He had come down from heaven (Christmas) to offer eternal life to those who believe in Him. Hence, Christ is the Bread of Life and we are the beggars. Because of our sin, we are starving for eternal life (relationship with God). Christ compared saving faith to eating His flesh and drinking His blood to demonstrate that it is voluntary.

For example, just as you must choose to eat a slice of bread or drink a cup of water, so you must choose to believe in Christ. And as food goes into your body and is digested and becomes a part of the body, so we must appropriate Christ, that is, we must personally trust in Him alone for the free gift of eternal life in order to receive His life. When the Bible says, “this is a hard saying”(John 6:60), the hardness was in their hearts, not in Jesus’ words.

This crowd was not going to pay any attention to what Jesus taught; they did not want to be troubled with difficult teaching. They wanted a leader who would do things for them like Jesus had just done when He multiplied the bread and fish. Instead He required them to believe that He had come down from heaven and to come to Him in faith. He even had the audacity to claim to be greater than Moses! Those who drop out of discipleship are often bothered when difficult teachings are taught. They want touchy feely experiences, not truth! They want entertainment, not expectations.

What about us? When we experience difficulty understanding God’s Word, do we quickly give up and do something else? Or do we turn to the Holy Spirit and ask for His help to understand what is meant in God’s Word? God has given us the Holy Spirit to enable us to understand and apply what is written in the Scriptures (cf. John 14:26;  15:26-27; 16:13-14; I John 2:20, 27). The Bible does not make sense to an unbeliever because he or she does not have the Holy Spirit to help him or her understand it (cf. I Corinthians 2:9-14). But a Christian has the Holy Spirit indwelling him or her to understand and apply God’s Word to their lives (cf. John 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13-14; I Corinthians 2:12-16; 6:19-20; I John 2:20, 26).

Take time to get to know God the Holy Spirit. He is not some impersonal force or power. He is just as much a Person as God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit can speak (cf. Acts 8:29; 11:12; 13:2). He does not speak audibly, but He speaks to us through God’s Word giving us insight and promptings.

A real person has the attributes of personality, which include mind, will, and emotions. The Holy Spirit has a mindsince He “searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” (I Corinthians 2:10-11).

The Holy Spirit also has a will. First Corinthians 12:11 says, But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” We also see that the Holy Spirit has emotions. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30). Christians can grieve the Holy Spirit when we communicate with one another in hurtful ways. Because the Holy Spirit has a mind, will, and emotions, we know that He is a Person. 

A real Person also has the capacity to have relationships with others. That’s the primary reason we have mind, will, and emotions. According to Philippians 2:1, the Spirit is able to have fellowship with us. According to 2 Corinthians 13:14, the Holy Spirit can have communion with us. Someone who is able to commune and to have fellowship is capable of personal relationships. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is a Person.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, before I believed in You for everlasting life, the Bible did not make much sense to me. But the moment I received Your gift of everlasting life, You took up residence in my body through Your Spirit. Then the Bible came alive to me as Your Holy Spirit helped me understand and apply the Scriptures to my life. But I must be honest and admit that sometimes I am tempted to stop reading the Bible because it is not always easy to understand. It requires diligent study and reliance on the Holy Spirit to understand and apply Your intended meaning. Thank You that following You is not dependent on my resources and abilities, but on Your enabling grace through the Holy Spirit. It is my responsibility to look to You for guidance, insight, power, and understanding. It is Your responsibility to provide them. Thank You my Lord and my God. In Your name. Amen.

How can I experience eternal satisfaction? Part 3

“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:54

Not only can I experience eternal satisfaction by comprehending that Jesus is the Son of God (John 6:41-42) and by coming to Jesus through the Word (John 6:43-45), but also when I am …

CONVINCED THAT JESUS GIVES ETERNAL LIFE FREELY (John 6:46-54). Jesus said, 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” (John 6:46-47). The person who responds favorably to the Father’s drawing will believe in Jesus (cf. John 6:44-45). If we want to receive the ultimate satisfaction, we must believe or trust in Christ alone for His gift of everlasting life. After all, Jesus has seen the Father and has come from Him, so He can be trusted to get us to where the Father lives in Heaven. After all, who knows best how to get to your home? You do because you live there. So who knows better how to get to heaven than Jesus Christ who lives there?

Jesus tells us that the one who believes in Him has everlasting life (John 6:47). The essential element is always belief. We have a tendency, in our human thinking, to make it something more. But belief is not being baptized nor joining a church. Nor is belief praying a prayer nor confessing Christ publicly nor persevering in good works. Belief is simply being convinced that Jesus was speaking the truth and then trusting Him when He said, “he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47). The gospel is so clear and simple!

Then Christ says,48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.” (John 6:48-49). Because Jesus came from the Father, He is the bread of life. Earlier in John 6, we saw that Jesus’s critics wanted Him to reproduce more food like Moses had. But Jesus points out that manna had limitations. For example, you eat a piece of bread, and you are still going to die regardless of how much nutrition it has. Which goes to show that you really cannot prevent death, even in today’s technological age. You can take a lot of vitamins, or herbs, and be on the best diet or fitness plan, but it makes no ultimate difference. People still die 100% of the time. What Jesus is offering is eternal. Christ alone can offer satisfaction that never ends. 

Jesus continues,50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:50-51). The one who eats what Jesus offers “…shall live forever.” Jesus identifies this bread as His own flesh which He shall give for the world. Christ’s death on the cross explains how He can make the free offer of eternal life to those who believe in Him. This gift is absolutely free because Jesus has already paid for it with His blood.

“The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’ ” (John 6:52). Instead of trying to understand what Jesus meant, the people mock Christ with this sarcastic question. Jesus has already answered the question they asked, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat,” by saying that He will give His flesh for the life of the world (John 6:51). That can only mean death, and they are troubled by that. Behind their protest is the feeling that their sins are not that bad, that it should not require death to clear up their difficulties.

Many people are right at that point today. They do not want to believe that their problems come from something so bad within themselves that it requires death to cure it. Most people think they are pretty good. They may need a few changes, a few New Year’s resolutions, a little adjustment in behavior, they feel, but they are not that bad. Yet throughout the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments alike, there is this emphasis upon the necessity for blood, for a death in order to cure and deliver us from the evil grip of sin in our lives. This is why the Jews protest Jesus’s words.

53 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:53-54). Some churches have misunderstood these verses to apply to the Lord’s Supper (communion) so that when you take the bread and the cup, you are actually eating the flesh and the blood of Jesus. The phrase “eating My flesh and drinking My blood” cannot refer to the Lord’s Supper because: 

1. The Old Testament forbids the consumption of blood (Leviticus  3:17). Jesus would not encourage disobedience.

2.  It would contradict the Bible’s clear teaching that belief in Christ is the only condition for eternal life (John 3:15-18, 36; 4:10-14; 6:27, 29, 35-40, 47; 7:38-39; 11:25-26; 20:31; Acts 16:31; Romans 4:5; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; I Timothy 1:16;  I John 5:13; etc.). Repeatedly Jesus has taught that eternal life is obtained solely by believing. Why would He wait until now to say, “Oh by the way, you must believe in Me plus partake of communion.” God’s Word does not contradict itself.

3. Nothing in the context suggests that Jesus is addressing the Lord’s Supper. Christ did not institute the Lord’s Supper until a year later (John 13:1-30; cf. Luke 22:1-23).

4. John uses the word “flesh” (sarx) and not “body”(sōma) in John 6:53-54. In all the references to the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament, the word “body” is used, not flesh (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:24).

Since the phrase “eating My flesh and drinking My blood” does not refer to the Lord’s Supper, to what does it refer? The phrase “eating My flesh and drinking My blood” refers to personal faith in the Person of Jesus Christ because:

1. The verbs “eat”  (phagēte) and “drink” (piēte) are terms John uses for “believe” (John 4:14; 6:35b, 47, 50, 51, 54, 58). In the context, we are told that eternal life is given to those who “eat” (6:50-51, 54, 58). In John 6:47 Jesus tells us “he who believes in Me has everlasting life.” Since both “eating” and “believing” are the means for obtaining eternal life, they must be synonymous. John 4:14 says that“whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst” and in John 6:35b Jesus tells us that “he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” Since “drinking” and “believing” both quench one’s spiritual thirst, they must be synonymous.

2. The phrase “flesh and blood”is a Hebrew idiom which normally means physical humanity (John 1:14; 6:33, 38, 41-42, 46, 51, 58). It emphasizes that we are to put our faith in Jesus who became flesh and blood without ceasing to be God (John 1:1, 18; 5:17-47; 8:56-59; 10:30-33; 12:44-45; 14:6-11; 20:28, 31).

3. Throughout the gospel of John, the object of one’s faith is the Person of Jesus Christ, Who later died and rose from the dead (John 1:12; 3:15-18, 36; 6:29, 35, 40, 47; 7:38; 8:30; 9:35; 11:25-26; 12:11; 19:1-20:31). A fundamental rule of interpretation is to interpret unclear verses in light of clear verses. So if you are struggling to understand a verse, look at clear verses about the same subject which can help you understand its meaning. For example, when John 6:40 [which is very clear what one must do to have eternal life] is compared to John 6:54 we can see that eating My flesh and drinking My blood refers to believing in the Person of Christ (see diagram 1):

Diagram 1

If the results are the same, then the actions leading to the results must also be the same. Jesus is comparing faith to eating and drinking to demonstrate that it is voluntary. Just as you must choose to eat a piece of bread or drink a cup of water, so you must choose to believe in Christ. And as food goes into your body and is digested and is then assimilated so that it becomes a part of the body, so we must appropriate Christ; that is, we must personally trust in Him alone for the free gift of eternal life in order to receive His life.

A remedy must be accepted by the one who needs it. A doctor capable of performing lifesaving surgery cannot do so until the patient trusts the doctor’s careful hand and climbs up on the operating table. A wealthy person who desires to help out a friend financially cannot do so unless the friend is willing to receive assistance. Likewise, someone who understands that he or she is a sinner and also understands that Christ took his or her punishment on the cross and rose from the grave does not automatically have a right standing with God.

The Bible shows us that a person must believe this truth and receive Christ’s free offer of eternal life, otherwise, Jesus says, “you have no life in you.” (John 6:53b). There are many people in the world searching for “life” in a religious ceremony which cannot give life to them. I was once one of those people. I went to church weekly and participated in communion occasionally only to find myself empty and dissatisfied. It was only when I understood that Jesus was the Son of God through the Bible and was convinced that He alone could freely give me everlasting life, that I had “life in” me, that is, I had a personal relationship with Jesus that gave me satisfaction forever! Hallelujah!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I spent a lot of time searching for satisfaction that lasts forever in the things of this world and in religion, only to find myself more empty and dissatisfied. Thank You for pursuing me in love to begin a personal relationship with You that lasts forever. I praise You for convincing me of my sinfulness so I could see my need to believe in You as a Person and Your finished work on the cross (not some religious ceremony or ritual), so I may have everlasting life. You alone, Jesus, can satisfy my hunger and thirst for immortality. Please use me to share this message of hope with a broken world that is desperately searching for this lasting satisfaction. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

How can I experience eternal satisfaction? Part 2

“It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” John 6:45

In his book, Desiring God, John Piper states that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” God gets the most glory when we receive the most satisfaction from our relationship with Him. But God is dishonored and hurt when we seek ultimate satisfaction outside of our relationship with Him. When we seek ultimate satisfaction in our jobs, relationships, possessions, and positions, it dishonors the Lord and it leaves us empty and unfulfilled.

Like never before, I believe there is a growing dissatisfaction among people in America. People are dissatisfied with a church, so they transfer to another one. They are dissatisfied with a marriage, so they go find another one. They are dissatisfied with a job, so they search for another. They are dissatisfied with the home they have, so they go deeper into debt and buy a bigger one. They are dissatisfied with their lives, so they try to make others miserable through rioting and intimidation.

Last time we discovered that the first way I can experience eternal satisfaction is to COMPREHEND THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD (John 6:41-42). Only God can meet our deepest needs and satisfy us eternally. But how do people come to see that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the second way I can experience eternal satisfaction… COME TO JESUS THROUGH THE WORD (John 6:43-46). 43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, ‘Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.’ ” (John 6:43-44). No one can come to faith in Christ unless God the Father first draws him. The word “draws” (helkō) means to draw or persuade by inward power and attraction. It conveys the image of a lover wooing his beloved.  

The length of drawing can vary. God may draw a person for eighty years or eight days. But this drawing is resistible. For instance, Judas resisted intense drawing for over three years with Jesus. All who die without Christ have rejected God’s drawing in their life. It is possible that God may stop drawing an unbeliever who hardens his heart. But Jesus’s point in verse 44 is that it is impossible for lost people to come to Christ without the help of God. God must work in their hearts.

God may be drawing some of you. Maybe you have started reading the Bible or going to church. The fact that you are reading this article shows that God is moving in your life. This is an indication that God is working in your heart to draw you to His Son. How does God draw a person to Jesus?

Jesus then says, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” (John 6:45). God draws people to Himself through the Scriptures. This verse from the Old Testament (cf. Isaiah 54:13 or possibly Jeremiah 31:34) teaches universal drawing. Everyone who listens and learns from God will come to Christ in faith. But you must being willing to receive instruction from the Lord. If you close your heart off to what God is saying, His drawing in your life may stop.

God’s drawing does not eliminate human responsibility. It is still your choice to believe in Christ. This is why we want to keep God’s Word at the center of everything we do at our church or in our Christian lives. We want to keep inviting people to believe or trust in Christ alone for His gift of salvation because it is their choice to believe in Him. So not only can I experience eternal satisfaction by comprehending that Jesus is the Son of God, but I can also experience eternal satisfaction by coming to Jesus through the Bible, God’s Word.

Prayer: Father God, I praise You for pursuing me when I was lost and perishing without Jesus Christ in my life. Even though I lived a life of rebellion when I was a non-Christian, You still loved me and pursued a personal relationship with me. Thank You for wooing me into a love relationship with You through the Bible. I am so grateful for the people who shared Your Word with me when I was an unbeliever. Each verse prepared my heart and mind to come to faith in Jesus, the Messiah-God, for His gift of everlasting life. Please use Your Word in my life and ministry to draw millions to Your Son, Jesus Christ, Who alone can give them everlasting life. In Jesus’s name. Amen.