1.3 About Eternity

At some point, almost everyone asked a very important and pivotal question, even if they don't say it out loud. What happens when we die? What happens when we die? Is this all there is? Does it cease to exist? Do we cease to exist? Or is there something that allows our story to continue? It's an important question, and I'll tell you why it's an important question. Because it doesn't just affect our future, but I really believe it affects profoundly how we live now, how we live in this earth. We believe humans were created to exist with God forever. And that eternity is not an afterthought, it is actually part of God's grand design. According to the Word of God, there are two ways that eternity can be experienced. We got to be real about this and honest about this, because the Bible is extremely honest about it. One is eternal life with God, and the other is eternal separation from God, and again, the Bible is very clear and honest about both. Eternal separation from God is what the Bible refers to or calls hell, and hell is not just punishment for evil deeds, it's the natural outcome of our sin and our rebellion. God is perfect, and our sin has created a separation between our Creator and His creation. In Romans chapter 6 and 23, it says that the wages of sin is death. This is the result of sin in our lives. But the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The verse holds two realities, the reality of separation and invitation, and consequence and grace. At the same time, the Scripture speaks clearly about eternal life, that it's not just about living forever somewhere better, it's actually being in full relationship and communion with God forever. Life restored.

Life healed. Life made whole once again. First John chapter 5 and verse 11 said, and this is what God has testified, that He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath life hath not the Son of God, and he that hath life hath the Son has life, he that hath not the Son of God has not life, and then he goes on to say, God has given us eternal life because this life is in His Son. It reminds us that eternal life begins with Jesus and continues on forever. Heaven then is not just a place people go someday, it is where the presence of God literally dwells. It is where we will experience life with Him without separation, without sin, without brokenness, without pain. The Bible says He's going to make all things new. This is where He finally sets everything right the way it was intended to be. I love that it's a place with no dying and no crying and no separation. I have loved ones there, and I'm thankful that we will be reunited one day forever in that day. Section 20 and verse 15 speaks plainly about eternity as well, and it says, And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. The Bible does not shy away from this reality, and neither should we or can we. We have to be honest about the reality of both heaven and hell. Jesus was clear about it and spoke clearly about it. But the goal of the Bible is not to invoke fear. It's actually an invitation. God does not desire separation. What He desires is eternal relationship, and eternity matters because it reveals the weight of our choices. But it also reveals the depth of God's love. He does not force fellowship upon us.

He does not force His grace upon us. He offers it as a gift, and you and I have to receive it by faith. Eternity with God is not earned through being good enough or smart enough or holy enough. It is only received through forgiveness and the salvation that is offered through Jesus Christ. That means accessing eternal life, again, is not about becoming more religious, right? It's about trust. It's about saying yes to the grace that is offered to us by our God. We believe the Bible teaches that eternity starts to shape our lives, not just when we pass, but now. We live our lives with the thought of eternity. We live our lives with an eternal perspective, and it shapes how we live here, how we interact with each other here, how we live, how we love, the things we do, the things we say. When we believe about forever, what we believe about forever changes how we forgive. It changes about our hope and our peace that we find. If life is only about this moment, then we know that nothing really lasts in eternity. Why live with eternal perspective in mind? But if eternity is real, and we will live forever somewhere, then your life carries meaning beyond today, and your decisions that you make today matter. Your relationships that you interact with today matter. Your story and how it's unfolding in this world actually matters. And no matter where you are right now, eternity is not something you have to be afraid of. God's invitation is clear. Eternal life is available. Forgiveness is real. Restoration is possible.

And that invitation is open and accessible to every single human being. And we thank God so much for eternal life.