Having eternal life;
Eternity deals with a never-ending stage where things never cease to exist. Just as in the moral, two things exist in eternity: life and death. Moral life does not exist in the eternal, but vice versa. Depending on how we live our moral life, it determines how we live in eternity. The Christian faith asserts that if we live according to the Bible with Christ at the center of our hearts, we will have eternal life (Jn 17:3). Although we may lose our moral or physical life here on earth, our eternal life in Christ can never be taken away. We have this assurance embedded in us with Christ (1 Jn 5:11-13). Jesus told Martha that whoever believes in him will never die (Jn 11:26). Eternal life is acquired through faith in Jesus Christ only. Jesus took the role of a shepherd while on earth to lead them to green and healthy pastures or eternal life (Jn 1o:11).
John 10:25-28
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
One of the things that marked Jesus as the good shepherd was the works that he did, which led those who believed into eternal life. But his persecutors could not hear him as their shepherd because they could not believe in him. The works that Jesus could not convince them of his deity, because they were not his sheep. What identifies a sheep with its shepherd is the ability to hear his voice. The shepherd knows when his sheep hears his voice. Some identifiers tell us when someone is listening to a person, for example, eye contact, flinching, or doing. The Bible tells us of one of these identifiers; eye contact, in Hebrews, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…”(He 12:2). Another identifier; flinching, of a sheep is when Jesus told his disciples that if any man would come after him, he must deny himself and follow him (Lk 9:24). The last identier of Christ’s sheep which deals with doing, is when Paul tells the church of Philippians that we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Ph 2:12). No one can take us away from God, because we are his sheep.
John 17:3
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
1 John 5:11-13
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
John 11:26
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 10:11
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Hebrews 12:2
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Luke 9:24
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Philippians 2:12
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.