What Must I Do To Obtain Eternal Life?
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31)
To obtain eternal life with the Lord in heaven, we must be perfect and without sin as he is.
Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
We, however, are anything but perfect. We are sinners by nature, who have committed many sins.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
Romans 3:10-12
“THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE,
THERE IS NO ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NO ONE WHO SEEKS GOD OUT.
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS;
THERE IS NOT ONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE..”
Should we think that we are without sin, and that based on what we are and have done we are right with God – we are self-deceived.
1 John 1:8 &10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
Being sinful by nature and guilty of the sins we have committed, we are under the wrath of God and subject to eternal punishment.
Ephesians 2:3 . . . among whom we ourselves also all lived at one time in the lusts of our flesh, carrying out the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath just like the rest.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; both the soul of the father and the soul of the son as well are mine. The soul who sins will die.
Matthew 10:28 And stop being afraid of those who kill the body, but who are unable to kill the soul; but rather always be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell!
Should we think we that we can earn our way into heaven, our efforts to do so will only bring us the curse of God's punishment in hell, for we have failed to do everything his law requires of us. We have failed to be perfect.
Galatians 3:10,11 For as many as are of works of law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT KEEP ABIDING BY EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW TO DO THEM.” Now clearly no one is declared righteous before God by law, for “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN WILL LIVE AS A RESULT OF FAITH.”
Being sinners, the Lord calls out to us to repent of our sins, that is, to turn from our sins to him.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 “Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his ways,” declares the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, then sin will not be a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no delight in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “So repent and live!”
Repenting of our sins, we will confess them to God and plead for his merciful forgiveness. He promises that he will forgive us.
1 John 1:9 If we go on confessing our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Luke 18:13 ... “God, be merciful to me, the sinner.”
Psalm 32:1,2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
God is willing to forgive our sins, because his Son, Jesus Christ, who was without sin, sacrificed himself to pay for our sins.
1 Timothy 1:15 This statement is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I myself am foremost.
Mark 10:45 For indeed the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Hebrews 7:26,27 For such a high priest was indeed fitting for us, holy, blameless, pure, having separated himself from sinners, and became exalted above the heavens; who does not have the necessity day after day, just as the high priests, to offer up a sacrifice first for his own sins, and afterwards for the sins of the people; for this he did once for all time when he offered up himself.
John 1:29 On the next day he sees Jesus coming toward him, and he says, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Romans 4:25 He was delivered up to death on account of our sins and was raised on account of our being declared righteous.
1 John 1:7 The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace
The forgiveness of our sins, that Jesus acquired for all by his sacrificial death, becomes ours through faith in him. In him we are righteous by faith and saved from condemnation in hell.
Romans 3:21,22 But now a righteousness of God apart from law has been made known, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, that is a righteousness of God by means of faith in Jesus Christ, for all those who believe; for there is no distinction
Romans 8:1 Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Romans 5:1 Therefore, because we have been declared righteous as a result of faith, we keep on having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:9 Therefore, having been declared righteous now in his blood, so much the more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him.
So what can we do to be saved? Nothing. God has saved us through Jesus, his Son. He urges us to simply believe this for our eternal salvation from hell and life everlasting in heaven.
John 6:28,29 Therefore they said to him, “What shall we do that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you keep believing in him whom God has sent.”
Acts 16:30,31 . . and when he had brought them outside, he said, “Sirs! What must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household!”
John 6:40 “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Mark 16:16 The one who believed and was baptized will be saved; but the one who did not believe will be condemned.
Romans 3:28 We are of the opinion, therefore, that a person is declared righteous by faith without works of law.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, in order that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Revelations 2:10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
To obtain eternal life with the Lord in heaven, we must be perfect and without sin as he is.
Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.
We, however, are anything but perfect. We are sinners by nature, who have committed many sins.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
Romans 3:10-12
“THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE,
THERE IS NO ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,
THERE IS NO ONE WHO SEEKS GOD OUT.
ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS;
THERE IS NOT ONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE..”
Should we think that we are without sin, and that based on what we are and have done we are right with God – we are self-deceived.
1 John 1:8 &10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
Being sinful by nature and guilty of the sins we have committed, we are under the wrath of God and subject to eternal punishment.
Ephesians 2:3 . . . among whom we ourselves also all lived at one time in the lusts of our flesh, carrying out the will of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath just like the rest.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; both the soul of the father and the soul of the son as well are mine. The soul who sins will die.
Matthew 10:28 And stop being afraid of those who kill the body, but who are unable to kill the soul; but rather always be afraid of him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell!
Should we think we that we can earn our way into heaven, our efforts to do so will only bring us the curse of God's punishment in hell, for we have failed to do everything his law requires of us. We have failed to be perfect.
Galatians 3:10,11 For as many as are of works of law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT KEEP ABIDING BY EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW TO DO THEM.” Now clearly no one is declared righteous before God by law, for “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN WILL LIVE AS A RESULT OF FAITH.”
Being sinners, the Lord calls out to us to repent of our sins, that is, to turn from our sins to him.
Ezekiel 18:30-32 “Therefore, I will judge you, O house of Israel, each one according to his ways,” declares the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, then sin will not be a stumbling block to you. Cast away from you all your transgressions that you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no delight in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “So repent and live!”
Repenting of our sins, we will confess them to God and plead for his merciful forgiveness. He promises that he will forgive us.
1 John 1:9 If we go on confessing our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Luke 18:13 ... “God, be merciful to me, the sinner.”
Psalm 32:1,2 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord does not charge with iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
God is willing to forgive our sins, because his Son, Jesus Christ, who was without sin, sacrificed himself to pay for our sins.
1 Timothy 1:15 This statement is trustworthy and worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I myself am foremost.
Mark 10:45 For indeed the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Hebrews 7:26,27 For such a high priest was indeed fitting for us, holy, blameless, pure, having separated himself from sinners, and became exalted above the heavens; who does not have the necessity day after day, just as the high priests, to offer up a sacrifice first for his own sins, and afterwards for the sins of the people; for this he did once for all time when he offered up himself.
John 1:29 On the next day he sees Jesus coming toward him, and he says, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Romans 4:25 He was delivered up to death on account of our sins and was raised on account of our being declared righteous.
1 John 1:7 The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace
The forgiveness of our sins, that Jesus acquired for all by his sacrificial death, becomes ours through faith in him. In him we are righteous by faith and saved from condemnation in hell.
Romans 3:21,22 But now a righteousness of God apart from law has been made known, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, that is a righteousness of God by means of faith in Jesus Christ, for all those who believe; for there is no distinction
Romans 8:1 Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Romans 5:1 Therefore, because we have been declared righteous as a result of faith, we keep on having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:9 Therefore, having been declared righteous now in his blood, so much the more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him.
So what can we do to be saved? Nothing. God has saved us through Jesus, his Son. He urges us to simply believe this for our eternal salvation from hell and life everlasting in heaven.
John 6:28,29 Therefore they said to him, “What shall we do that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you keep believing in him whom God has sent.”
Acts 16:30,31 . . and when he had brought them outside, he said, “Sirs! What must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household!”
John 6:40 “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Mark 16:16 The one who believed and was baptized will be saved; but the one who did not believe will be condemned.
Romans 3:28 We are of the opinion, therefore, that a person is declared righteous by faith without works of law.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, in order that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Revelations 2:10 Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
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