The words, eternal life, do not appear in the Old Testament. The first time we read them is from a question by the rich young ruler to Jesus. He asked, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matt. 19:16.)

Jesus promised that through Him such was indeed possible.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly. I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11.)

"These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." (Matt. 25:46.)

"And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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." (1 John 5:11-13.)

"(Ye) search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me that ye might have life." (John 5:39-40.)

We believe this record about Jesus and eternal life because:

1) It satisfies the longing of man from the beginning. Job asked in his anguish, "If a man dies, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14.)

2) It gives meaning to this present life. "For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile." (1 Peter 3:10.)

3) It gives a lofty view of man with dignity and purpose. Man, made in the image of God, returns to God when life is over.

4) It is believable because of who Jesus is and what happened to Him. This is promised for us as well. "And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by his own power." (1 Cor. 6:14.)

"Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor. 4:14-18.)

The hope of eternal life should be an encouragement to us to:

"Therefore seeing that we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. . . But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. . . But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in our mortal body." (2 Cor. 4:1, 3-5, 7-10.)

Paul encouraged Timothy to keep on teaching with diligence because "in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." (1 Tim. 4:16.)

To some preaching may seem like foolishness, but to those who understand the hope of eternal life, preaching is the means of extending that hope to a lost world. "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." (1 Cor. 1:21.) We preach "Christ crucified.." (verse 23.) He is the power of God and the wisdom of God. (verse 24.) There is nothing foolish about that!

Everyone needs encouragement and a good reason to do their work. Christians find ample motivation in teaching when they reflect upon life eternal. Jesus brought to light life and immortality. To make this known Paul was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. (2 Tim. 1:10-11.) Paul added, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (2 Tim. 2:10.)

Where is the motivation to respond to the Gospel? To repent and be baptized? To return to faithfulness again? Is it not in seeking for "glory and honor and immortality?" To those who seek for such, God will give eternal life.

After speaking of the coming Judgment, Paul wrote, "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. For there is not respect of persons with God." (Rom. 2:7-11.)

What is needed among us is more serious thinking about eternity. This is the great theme of the Bible. Eternal life is our hope through Jesus our Lord. All will be raised and judged. Everyone will live eternally somewhere.

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Tim. 6:17-19.)

Who can say that they did not have proper encouragement to live a disciplined life?

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

(1 Cor. 9:24-27.)

"For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14.)

What encouragement is powerful enough for man to turn away from the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life? One good reason is that this world causes us to neglect our hope concerning the world to come.

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:5-8.)

". . . it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure." (1 John 3:2-3.) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt. 5:8.)

"Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all and have followed thee. Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, brethren, sisters, and mothers, children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30.)

". . . the churches of Macedonia, how that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves." (2 Cor. 8:1-3.)

"But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor. 9:6-7.) One of the most sobering realities is that we will reap what we sow.

What motivates us to deny ourselves? To be sacrificial? "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Cor. 8:9.) Jesus died for us. What we give in return is less. The Gentiles gave gifts of money and clothing to the Jews when they were in need. Their gift was less than what they had received from the Jews. The motivation to give to others is the power of love shown to us from above and eternal life that will be given.

Eternal life is the driving force behind our efforts---not to purchase it, but to promote the Gospel that offers that hope by grace!

"For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:46-48.)

The demands of being a Christian can seem difficult to one who does not understand the love of God for all. His love is not dependent upon what one does about it. It is hard to love like that; it is easy to love those who love us.

"Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God . . . . " (1 Peter 4:16-17.)

Some speak of their dissappointment with life, and even their dissappointment with God. (A book by that title by Philip Yancey.) But who can say anything about it in view of eternal life? Everything in life should be considered in view of eternity. Eternal life will cause our troubles here to not be worth comparing. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18.)