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God promises eternal life to all who believe in and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. But do we have any responsibility beyond believing?
by Don Henson
oes God require anything of us for us to receive eternal life? In John 3:16, perhaps the best-known scripture in the Bible, God says He will grant eternal life to those people who have faith in Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
What a wonderful, inspiring offer from our Creator-to freely give eternal life to anyone who believes in His Son.
But is that all there is to it? Based on this scripture, many believe that all one must do for salvation is to "accept Jesus," and, at that point of acceptance, one's eternal life will be assured. Is this what the Bible says?
It is clear that God gives us eternal life out of His deep love for humanity. As the apostle Paul explains: "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins," but "God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ . . ." (Ephesians. 2:1,4,5).
Later in the same chapter, Paul further explains the way we receive eternal life: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8,9). Eternal life comes as a result of God's grace. It is His gift, unearned and undeserved on our part, freely imparted to us.
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