Forever

[netchaplain]

Eternal life has to do with two elements: being in God; and in an incorruptible physical body, termed a “spiritual body” (1Co 15:44, e.g. Luk 24:39). Thus the “resurrection” has solely to do with a new physical body, which all who come into this life will receive, the good and the evil (Jhn 5:28). All will be raised, some unto eternal life, and most unto eternal death (“second death” - Rev 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8); which the latter “shall be forever and ever” in “the lake of fire” (Rev 20:10).

Eternal life can only be given once, or it isn’t eternal life, because it is life in God—“forever.” If one were asking God for eternal life, wouldn’t He know if they were being sincere? Thus, to honor His Word He gives it only to those He knows who genuinely desire it. How could He do otherwise, knowing their insincerity? It’s insensible to conceive that He would give this gift knowing He would be taking it back due to the absence of truly desiring it.

Regardless of how hard it may seem, in knowing that God foreknows most will choose the “broad way” (Mat 7:13, 14), we can be confidently assured that all He does is “good” (e.g. Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).

 

[GodsGrace]

Eternal life has to do with two elements: being in God; and in an incorruptible physical body, termed a “spiritual body” (1Co 15:44, e.g. Luk 24:39). Thus the “resurrection” has solely to do with a new physical body, which all who come into this life will receive, the good and the evil (Jhn 5:28). All will be raised, some unto eternal life, and most unto eternal death (“second death” - Rev 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8); which the latter “shall be forever and ever” in “the lake of fire” (Rev 20:10).

Eternal life can only be given once, or it isn’t eternal life, because it is life in God—“forever.” If one were asking God for eternal life, wouldn’t He know if they were being sincere? Thus, to honor His Word He gives it only to those He knows who genuinely desire it. How could He do otherwise, knowing their insincerity? It’s insensible to conceive that He would give this gift knowing He would be taking it back due to the absence of truly desiring it.

Regardless of how hard it may seem, in knowing that God foreknows most will choose the “broad way” (Mat 7:13, 14), we can be confidently assured that all He does is “good” (e.g. Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31).

How can eternal life be given only one time if man has free will and can decide to abandon God and eternal life at some point in his life?

Apparently you don't believe in free will.

Eternal life is given to those IN CHRIST.
Christ is the life.
If we are IN CHRIST we have the life...
If we are NOT IN CHRIST, we do not have the life...
no matter at what point in our lives we decide to NOT be in THE LIFE.

As close to osas you're going to get on this site.

But no...the N.T. does NOT teach unconditional eternal life.
It teaches conditional eternal life.
IF it taught unconditional eternal life, we could just throw the N.T. out since it is not necessary for teaching how to stay in God's Kingdom (here on earth).

 

[netchaplain]

How can eternal life be given only one time if man has free will and can decide to abandon God and eternal life at some point in his life?

May I just ask, if that were the situation, why would God give it if He already knew it would be abandoned? This gift begins when it is received, not when we die! I won't be replying much to this subject, in order to avoid it becoming an OSAS issue. The narrative for this OP is related to the eternal body believers inherit.

 

[GodsGrace]

May I just ask, if that were the situation, why would God give it if He already knew it would be abandoned? This gift begins when it is received, not when we die! I won't be replying much to this subject, in order to avoid it becoming an OSAS issue. The narrative for this OP is related to the eternal body believers inherit.

Sure. It's a tricky way of getting to OSAS.

Why would God give the gift?
Because He gave us free will and if we want the gift He'll give it.
If, in the future, we don't want it anymore, He'll take it away.

God only KNOWS the future...
He didn't plan it from start to finish...
from the beginning to the end.

We get the gift of salvation exactly WHEN WE DIE
and not before.

We HOPE for eternal life...
Titus 1:2
Titus 3:7

John 10:28 Jesus gives eternal life to HIS SHEEP,,not to others. We must be a sheep of His at our death.

Hebrews 11:1 Why hope for what we already have?

Romans 8:24-25 We eagerly await for that in which we HOPED.

1 Peter 1:5 We are protected by the power of God THROUGH FAITH (no faith, no protection) ready to be revealed in the last times.

1 Peter 3:15 Speaks to the HOPE we have in us.


How else would you explain the above verses?
Our hope is our salvation...
The salvation we hope for.

 

[Nathan12]

...if man has free will and can decide to abandon God and eternal life at some point in his life?

Why would anyone "abandon" eternal life once they have received it, seeing that it is the most precious gift one can have? And -- as a matter of fact -- no one who is truly saved and regenerated can be unborn, or come out of Christ. Salvation is irreversible, and that is why God predestines those who have been justified to be glorified (Rom 8:29,30).

 

[for_his_glory]

God only KNOWS the future...
He didn't plan it from start to finish...
from the beginning to the end.

God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He knows our beginning and our end. For this very reason Christ Jesus who was before the foundation of the world came into the world to seek and save the lost and gives eternal life to all who will believe in Him. God gave Adam seven commandments, but through Adam not obeying them sin entered into the world through Satan's deceit as even today many break the now ten commandments.

John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 10: 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. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Everyone who has been Spiritually born again being renewed from above has the kingdom of God within them and given eternal life with the Father at that moment of rebirth. We in Christ and Christ is in us, indweled with the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit). No one can pluck us out of His hands.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1 John 5:13 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.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Our names are already written in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world. As long as we overcome all the trials and temptaions of this world and continue in the good works of Christ our names will never be blotted out.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

It's not known what we will look like when we are changed before meeting Jesus in the air, but that we will be like Christ in all His glory.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

God knows His own even before the foundation of the world as those who are His own have been predestined to be His children by that of Christ being God's grace and mercy to all who will believe in Christ as when we believe we then have eternal life.

 

[GodsGrace]

God is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He knows our beginning and our end. For this very reason Christ Jesus who was before the foundation of the world came into the world to seek and save the lost and gives eternal life to all who will believe in Him. God gave Adam seven commandments, but through Adam not obeying them sin entered into the world through Satan's deceit as even today many break the now ten commandments.

John 3: 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 10: 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. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Everyone who has been Spiritually born again being renewed from above has the kingdom of God within them and given eternal life with the Father at that moment of rebirth. We in Christ and Christ is in us, indweled with the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit). No one can pluck us out of His hands.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1 John 5:13 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.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Our names are already written in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world. As long as we overcome all the trials and temptaions of this world and continue in the good works of Christ our names will never be blotted out.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

It's not known what we will look like when we are changed before meeting Jesus in the air, but that we will be like Christ in all His glory.

Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.

God knows His own even before the foundation of the world as those who are His own have been predestined to be His children by that of Christ being God's grace and mercy to all who will believe in Christ as when we believe we then have eternal life.

I agreed with all the verses you've posted...
but something happened with the last paragraph.
Are we predestined to be God's children?
Or are we predestined to be God's children in Jesus?

 

[GodsGrace]

Why would anyone "abandon" eternal life once they have received it, seeing that it is the most precious gift one can have? And -- as a matter of fact -- no one who is truly saved and regenerated can be unborn, or come out of Christ. Salvation is irreversible, and that is why God predestines those who have been justified to be glorified (Rom 8:29,30).

I don't know.
But Jesus said it was possible and so did the other N.T. writers:

Luke 8:13
Some HEAR and RECEIVE the Word of God. They even receive it with JOY. But, they believe (one must believe to be saved) for a while,,,then they are tempted somehow and they fall away.

So, they were unsaved,
then they became saved but only for a while,
thru temptation, they fell away.

Some believer will fall away.

 

[for_his_glory]

I agreed with all the verses you've posted...
but something happened with the last paragraph.
Are we predestined to be God's children?
Or are we predestined to be God's children in Jesus?

Both are right as in Genesis 1:26 God said let's make man in "our" image as we are the reflection of God's image through Christ.

 

[GodsGrace]

Both are right as in Genesis 1:26 God said let's make man in "our" image as we are the reflection of God's image through Christ.

Would you say we're predestined to be God's children,
or do we choose to be God's children?

 

[for_his_glory]

Would you say we're predestined to be God's children,
or do we choose to be God's children?

It is written that we are predestined to be God's children, but are His own by obedience to His commands. Many are called, but few are chosen because they are lovers of the world. It's God that calls us and the Holy Spirit that convicts us. It's within the conviction many choose to repent and turn back to Him.

 

[Nathan12]

Would you say we're predestined to be God's children, or do we choose to be God's children?

1. Predestination is NOT about who becomes a child of God and who does not. Predestination is about the transformation, perfection, and glorification of those who are already the children of God (Rom 8:29,30).

2. If human beings were all predestined to be God's children, then all would be saved and be born again. But since the ones who are saved are a relative minority, then this is obviously not true.

3. No one chooses to become a child of God. But all must choose to (a) repent and (b) believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then God justifies them by his grace and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then regenerates them and makes them children of God -- born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, born again.

 

[GodsGrace]

1. Predestination is NOT about who becomes a child of God and who does not. Predestination is about the transformation, perfection, and glorification of those who are already the children of God (Rom 8:29,30).

2. If human beings were all predestined to be God's children, then all would be saved and be born again. But since the ones who are saved are a relative minority, then this is obviously not true.

3. No one chooses to become a child of God. But all must choose to (a) repent and (b) believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then God justifies them by his grace and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit, who then regenerates them and makes them children of God -- born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, born again.

Agreed on all.
Just re no. 3: Do you believe we become Children of God at the time we decide to serve God (repent) or do you believe it takes some work of the Holy Spirit?

I believe we become children of God at the moment we repent.
Repent literally means to change direction...to turn toward God.
At that moment I believe we are born again and children of God.