What is eternal life?

Yes, eternal life is a promise of God in the Bible:

• Joh 3:15-16 ISV .. so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. (16) "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his unique Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.

King James Bible said it is everlasting life. It is a life that has no end and we will live in it forever.
However, have we all received this eternal life and become eternally saved now? Yes and No:

a.) Yes, we have all received eternal life 
It is because of the finished work of Jesus Christ and the power that has been given to Him. We are destined to eternal life:

• Joh 17:1-4 KJV  These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:  (2)  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.  (3)  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.  (4)  I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
• Joh 10:25-29 KJV  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.  (26)  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.  (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. 
• Act 13:46-48 ISV  Then Paul and Barnabas boldly declared, "We had to speak God's word to you first, but since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now going to turn to the gentiles.  (47)  For that is what the Lord ordered us to do: 'I have made you a light to the gentiles to be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.'"  (48)  When the gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. Meanwhile, all who had been destined to eternal life believed .. (Yes, when we are destined to believe, destined to reign, or destined to prosper, or destined to be saved, we did not do anything so that we can believe. But it does not mean that we are destined not to do anything.)

b.) No, we are not all forever saved yet
It is because Jesus would never say, You have eternal life, and therefore, you are forever saved now. On the contrary, He warned us that there are 'sharks' in the ocean and 'wolves' on the land. Imagine that you are swimming in the open ocean and that you will be drown with exhaustion at any time soon. Will you say that you are forever saved now after you have found a rubber swimming tube and climbed onto it? The rubber tube will not save you totally from the sharks; but you are quite saved (if you do not jump back into the water or splash on the water to attract more sharks) until you go to the end of the ocean and reach the land. I know that this is a bad analogy, but this can be the picture of many believers who are thinking that they are saved forever now, without knowing that there are still 'sharks' in the ocean (or wolves in the land Mat 7:15). If this is not so, Paul would not tell us that there are wolves after we have believed too (Act 20:29). Did Jesus say that you have eternal life from Him, and therefore, you are saved forever now? No, we are not there yet because God has not finished (with) us yet. We have not finished what we are supposed to do yet. We are still called to serve, not as the servants of sin, but as the servant of righteousness, to do righteousness. Although we are called to serve with the assurance of eternal life, we must still have a faithful servant's attitude, not an arrogant servant's attitude  (Mat 18:33), or a prodigal son's attitude (Luk 15:13):

• Jud 1:17-21 ISV  But you, dear friends, must remember the statements and predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (18)  They kept telling you, "In the last times mockers will appear, following their own ungodly desires."  (19)  These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly, devoid of the Spirit.  (20)  But you, dear friends, must continue to build yourselves up on your most holy faith. Pray in the Holy Spirit,  (21)  and remain in God's love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life. (Do you realise that to remain in God's love as you look for the mercy .. is to remain in repentance or to remain in an attitude of repentance also ?)
• 1Ti 6:9-21 ISV  But people who want to get rich keep toppling into temptation and are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires that plunge them into destruction and ruin.  (10)  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, in their eagerness to get rich, have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with much pain. (11)  But you, man of God, must flee from all these things. Instead, you must pursue righteousness, godliness, faithfulness, love, endurance, and gentleness.  (12)  Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep your hold on eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses.  (13)  In the sight of God.., I solemnly charge you  (14)  to keep this command stainless and blameless until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (15)  At the right time God will make him known. ..  (17)  Tell those who are rich in the present world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, let them place their confidence in God, who lavishly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  (18)  They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, and to share.  (19)  By doing this they store up a treasure for themselves that is a good foundation for the future, so that they can take hold of the life that is real.  (20)  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the pointless discussions and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.  (21)  Although some claim to have it, they have abandoned the faith. May grace be with all of you!
• Rom 6:15-23 KJV  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  (16)  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  (17)  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  (18)  Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.  (19)  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  (20)  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  (21)  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  (22)  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.  (23)  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
• Mar 10:29-31 KJV  And 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,  (30)  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.  (31)  But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (Please think, If everyone will just have eternal life without doing anything, does it make sense for Jesus to say this? Does it make sense for Him to tell us, 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant' if we do not serve. No, if we are called 'servants', we must do something to be worthy of the call.)

Do you realise that every Bible passage above has the word 'eternal life'? The word of God is eternal life because it is His commandment too.

• Joh 12:49-50 ISV  For I have not spoken on my own authority. Instead, the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and how to speak.  (50)  And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me."
• Rom 7:10-12 KJV  And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.  (11)  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.  (12)  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good .. (22) For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:  (23)  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  (24)  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  (25)  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.  ... ...  (8:7) Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Are we totally saved from ignorance or wolves? (according to the parable of the sower)
I have used the analogy of the ocean, the sharks, and the rubber tube to describe how some believers are saved temporarily only if they will still jump back into the sea. They will still perish in the ocean (of sin) or die because of the deadly attacks (from the sharks).
In fact, Jesus have a better analogy when He warned us that there are those who received eternal life; only to lose it in the end because of

1. their sin and stupidity (ignorance). 
2. and the deception from the false prophets (wolves)

In the parable of the sower, Jesus said clearly that there is only one type of seed (His word and commandment); but different types of people, including those who have believed or the believers who have received the seed (of eternal life). Many will still perish in sin and lose their salvation because of the deception (from the fowls of the air). I can visualize how frustrated Jesus must have felt when He knew that there are 'believers' who will still perish after receiving His word or commandment (which is also the seed or eternal life Joh 12:50). They will still lose it in the end because of their stupidity or sin, or because of the deception from the false prophets. In fact, Jesus had described it perfectly with His parable of the sower:

• Luk 8:11-15 KJV  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  (12)  Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  (13)  They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.  (14)  And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.  (15)  But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

It is amazing to know how Jesus can use such a simple parable to explain the irony of why many believers may receive eternal life and yet they may not be saved eternally, because many can receive the seed which is eternal life and still lose it in the end.
I believe that Jesus is not very concerned whether we can interpret eternal life very accurately. He is more concerned about whether the believers who have received His word will take heed and live:

• Luk 8:18 KJV  Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.

However, if we always twist His words, nullify His words, or give false assurance to the believers and those who believe, He will judge our motives and intention with His words and with His right version of the interpretation which will  show us who are the false prophets that He has warned us about. Do you know why the parable of the sower is recorded in all the three gospels in Mat 13:18, Mar 4:14, and Luk 8:5?  It is not just the indication of importance for the believers; it is also the indication that His words cannot be nullified.

• Joh 6:63-68 KJV  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.  (64)  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.  (65)  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father .. (65) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.  (66)  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  (67)  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  (68)  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Many argued that only Judas Iscariot would follow Jesus without believing in His words. However, (v66) above shows that, besides Judas Iscariot, many of His disciples did not believe in His words too after following Him for a while. Today there are still many disciples who walk no more in His words even though they may still follow Him, 'eat' with Him, or 'live' with Him. Like Judas Iscariot, they are only professing Christians or believers. 


Can we blame others who make us lose His Word or make us lose our eternal life?
Now, if we go back to the top and look at John 3:16 again, do we still think that Jesus meant that everyone who will just believes in Him would have eternal life? Yes, many will say that they believe in Him and believe in His words; but how many will really believe in Him and believe in His words? But the fruits or the way they teach His words or do His words will tell if they are really His disciples. That's why Jesus knew that many false prophets will preach anything, in His name, including eternal life, but they are no more His disciples. He knew that many will change His words, give false promises to the people, and confuse them that God must forgive them (or give them the eternal life which guarantees eternal salvation) regardless of how much they will sin (without any repentance). But Jesus will ask them, "My word is eternal life. Did I say that everyone who receives my word will be forever saved regardless of how they sin or do iniquity? If you keep my word now; only to change it later for the people, I do not know you .."

• Mat 7:22-23 KJV  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I had a dream last night. I dreamed that my wife and I passed by a cake shop. It was still quite dark in wee hours of the morning when the shop was not opened for business yet. There were many empty boxes of different shapes and sizes on the tables outside the shop. Out of curiosity, my wife peeped at one of the boxes which had a small opening, and she said, "I saw something interesting, Dear. Please open it for me to see what's inside?" I obliged and unfastened some of the ropes which tied the box, lo, and behold, a very big and delicious cake appeared before our eyes after I opened it. My wife grabbed one piece of the cake and ate it. She said, "This cake is delicious. You should try it too." Knowing that my wife is a cake lover, I could understand her response. I took a piece of the cake too. However, at that very moment, the cake shop opened and someone was about to come out. My wife immediately shouted, "Quick, Dear, Let's pay them and say, We love your cakes very much and can't resist to try it. Please tell them that we would like to buy the cake with a payment .., quick.. before it is too late .." I dug deep into my pocket and found some money and I was about to run into the shop.. However, I woke up suddenly.   
God did not appear to me and speak to me after the dream that night. But I kept thinking about it while lying on my bed, wondering about what would happen if I paid the shop owner. What happen if the shop owner was ungracious. What if he refused to accept my payment and reported me to the police? Could I argue that it was just a piece of cake and he should never make a big fuss over it? I could have run away without paying him! I started to wonder again, Probably, I should have just run away without paying him because it would save us from all the trouble. Later, I realised the seriousness of the problem. I could lose everything because of a piece of cake. I could lose my integrity, my reputation, my job, my freedom, and .. etc if the shop owner decided to press more charges against me. I realised that, if that happened :

• I could blame my wife for his love of cakes
• I could blame the shop owner for his ungraciousness
• I could blame any law which can charge me in court for a small crime like this
• I could blame any one or any thing (including anyone who teaches my wife to love the cakes ..)

Yes, we can blame anyone or anything too (including the false prophets or the serpent) when something goes wrong. Yes, we may lose His word or lose our eternal life when we are instigated by by the false prophets too. However, do we always blame others, except ourselves?
Many of us, like my wife and me, could only see the 'cake' (or the gift of grace in our life); but we have forgotten that there are still laws in our world (or God's laws in our life too). I thought I was different from others; but it turned out that I was like most of the people too.


God has warned us about it not only in my dream; but in His words too
I did say to myself (in my dream before I woke up), "No, I am not like others; I am always a man of integrity and principle. Why should I run away? I should not feel guilty just because of a piece of cake which I do not love? It is ridiculous to let anyone condemn me because of a piece of cake. It is so unfair.". But now I think that I should have stopped my wife from peeping into the box and doing the unthinkable. I should be the one to be blamed. I thought I was a man of integrity and principle; but it turned out that I had no principle and integrity to stop my wife from eating the cake. Hence, I should be the first one to repent (in my dream). After some more pondering during the day, I realised that the same thing had happened when we were in the garden of Eden (as Adam) and that it will happen again when we are the churches of God (as the bride of Christ). Adam did not do His job well when he allowed his wife to take the fruit without saying anything; but Jesus Christ would make sure that His bride (the Church) will know and do the will of the Father:

• Gen 3:4-9 KJV  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  (5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  (6)  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  (7)  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.  (8)  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  (9)  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? (Many claim that all the believers can never be deceived and that they would be saved forever after they believed. However, Paul warned the church that the same serpent may come again, not to the world again, but to the churches. Please read the next Bible verses below)
• 2Co 11:1-4 KJV  Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.  (2)  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  (3)  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  (4)  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him .. (13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (14)  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  (15)  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.  (16)  I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.  (17)  That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.  (18)  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.  (19)  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.  (20)  For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. (The false prophets may promise us freedom from the law of God; but in reality, it is bondage under sin and lawlessness again.)

We are warned that the temptation of the serpent to the churches will come. The serpent will not tempt the sinners of the world again because they are already fallen. It will tempt the churches. Today many of us, like Eve, think that we can eat from any 'tree' or any 'cake' because of grace. We have taken it for granted until we thought we can do anything or 'eat' anything in the name of radical grace. We may continue to listen to the temptation of the serpent and do foolish things until it is too late when we realise that we have no more time to repent ..
 

Many think that the serpent will tempt only Adam and Eve (not the churches). They proclaim that the churches can never fall and conclude that the words, parables, and the warnings of Jesus about our sins (ignorance) and the deception of the false prophets (wolves) are no more applicable to us. They preach that we should therefore hear only the gospel that Paul preached, not the gospel that Jesus preached, because the gospel that Jesus preached (with all His warnings for them to keep His words and to depart from sin) cannot give them enough guarantee for true eternal life. So, they tell everyone to turn to the gospel that Paul preached, thinking that the gospel of grace preached by Paul is the true gospel of grace. However, Paul did not give such promise. He was still afraid that the churches could fall into the temptation of the serpent in 2Co 11:1-4. Otherwise, why would he give such a serious warning to everyone (night and day with tears), especially to those who were purchased by His own blood:

• Act 20:25-32 KJV  And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.  (26)  Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.  (27)  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.  (28)  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  (29)  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  (30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  (31)  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.  (32)  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

How should we look at eternal life in the Lord's perspective?
We know that there are many definitions of eternal life according to our own perspectives. I have also explored quite thoroughly with the words of God on eternal life too. But what is the Lord's perspective of eternal life? We know that eternal life is given by grace. Eternal life is considered as the grace of God:

• Joh 5:24 KJV  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
• Joh 6:63 KJV  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
• Joh 6:68 KJV  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
• Joh 12:50 KJV  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
• Mat 19:17 KJV  And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
• Mat 4:4 KJV  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

God's words, eternal life, or the bread of life, is like the bread that we take daily too. But do we know how God give His bread to us? Did God say that He will promise us His 'monthly bread', 'yearly bread', or 'forever bread'?

• Mat 6:8-13 KJV  Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.  (9)  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  (10)  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  (11)  Give us this day our daily bread.  (12)  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  (13)  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

No, Jesus told us to pray for daily bread. Similarly, the bread (life or grace) of God is given like the manna too. It is given like the bread on a daily basis because He wants us to depend on Him everyday. If we continue to walk with Him daily, He will give us enough of His bread, enough of His words, enough of His life, and enough of His grace on a daily basis too.We should not worry if we have received all things for the future. We should just keep walking with Him with the 'daily grace' which is enough for us:

• Mat 6:25 KJV  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
• 2Co 12:7-9 KJV  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.  (8)  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  (9)  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Hence, if we know eternal life in God's perspective, do we still feel threatened just because someone tells us 'what is eternal life' in their own perspective? No, we should have enough grace or assurance of God to continue to walk with Him and depend on Him, no matter how eternal life is defined in our own words or their words! Please do not think that God is unfair or unjust because He didn't promise us or give us total deliverance from all our pains, from all the 'thorns', or from the danger of all the 'wolves', from evil, or from temptation. He is just and faithful to deliver us, even if we sin. But we must still seek to walk with Him and depend on Him. We must be humble enough to always repent and confess our weaknesses or sins to Him according to His words too (1 John 1:9).
Jesus did not only tell us to pray for daily bread; He told us to pray for daily deliverance from temptation and evil too. Why? It's because there are still 'sharks' in the ocean and 'wolves' in the land! If this is not so, He would not warn us repeatedly of them, from the beginning to the end of His preaching, even before He was about to be taken up. His warning can never be obsolete; otherwise, the Apostles would not need to warn us about the 'wolves' or the false prophets in their letters again and again, we would not find any false prophets in the book of Revelation too. Yes, we may still find many inhumane dictators, mad kings, lawless tyrants, terrorists, con-artists, and all kinds of lawlessness rising from the world in the end time; but we know that false prophets (who take away the soul, life, or salvation of the believers) can only rise from the churches. Only the antiChrist may be able to destroy the spirit of the believers who are ignorant and drawn to them:

• 1Jn 2:16-22 KJV  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  (17)  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  (18)  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.  (19)  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.  (20)  But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.  (21)  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  (22)  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. (Obviously John is talking about the Christian believers who went out from us. The antiChrist can never come from outside. They come from within; so, they will know how to take away the 'seed' (or the life) from the believers. Today we may be on red alert against the crimes and the lawless people who may destroy our bodies from outside; but are we equally alert against those who will rise from within and destroy the churches and the real temples of God?)    
• 1Jn 4:1 KJV  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
• Rev 16:13 KJV  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
• 2Pe 2:1 KJV  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
• Mat 7:15 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
• Mat 24:23-25 KJV  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  (24)  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (25)  Behold, I have told you before.
• Mat 24:11-15 LITV  And many false prophets will be raised and will cause many to err.  (12)  And because lawlessness shall have been multiplied, the love of the many will grow cold.  (13)  But the one who endures to the end, that one will be kept safe.  (14)  And this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.  (15)  Then when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (the one reading, let him understand) .. (Obviously this prophecy was not only for the Jewish believers; it is for us, for the Gentile believers today and in the future too (when this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth for a testimony to all the nations v14). Obviously it talks about the believers who will be kept safe if they endures to the end. The sinners are not saved in the first place and therefore, it does not make sense to say that they will be kept safe if they endures to the end too. Please recall, We could find only a few evil prophets or Baal prophets in the Old Testament; but in the end time, in the New Testament, it is written, we will find many false prophets rising after Jesus Christ has risen .. Hence, the argument that this prophecy has become obsolete could be a lie from the false prophets who want to protect themselves. The tribulation, persecution, pollution, pestilence, terrorism, wars, inflation, economic disasters, drastic climatic changes, tsunamis, earthquakes, storms, famine, and etc, are all signs of the end time. We should be afraid enough to start doing something to prevent it or face it. However, are we afraid enough to discern the deception of the false prophets to reject it, or to expose it before it spread quietly to destroy us or the 'temples' of God? I believe there is a reason why, when Jesus mentioned all the signs of the end time eg. tribulation, persecution, .. etc, He specifically mentioned about the deception of false prophets, not just once or twice, but thrice in Mat 24! It could be His strongest warning to the churches; it should be more serious than any signs of the end time for us, the believers.)  

 

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Are we totally saved from ignorance or wolves? (according to the parable of the sower)We have discussed about this question quite thoroughly with the words of the Lord in the post above. Now, we will explore more on another related question:
 
Are we servants or sons? (according to the parable of the prodigal son)
I know that there is this 'hot' debate on whether we are servants or sons. This is always brought up because most radical grace preachers think and argue that they should have enough radical grace not to keep any commandment or do any work in the house of God. They argue that they are the sons; not the servants. Yes, they may have the basis to argue with many quotations from the Bible; but it is applied out of context to tell the believers not to do anything after the believers have believed in the finished work of Jesus Christ. They argue, "When you work, God rests; but when you rest, God works .." I do not want to go into all those vain typologies which they have quoted mostly from the Old Testament about God's rest (or God's command for us to do nothing). I will study the words and the parable of Jesus more instead:

• Luk 15:11-32 KJV  And he said, A certain man had two sons:  (12)  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.  (13)  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  ..  (17)  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  (18)  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee .. (25) Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. .. (28)  And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  (29)  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  (30)  But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.  (31)  And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  (32)  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

We learn from the parable that the sinners are like the prodigal son. But do you agree that there are believers who are like the prodigal son too? They may be the children of God; but they still think that they should live like the sons of the world; not the servants of God any more. So (after listening to all kinds of false teaching and wallowing in it), they told God the Father one day, "Ok, that's enough; I am sick of staying in this house of slavery and bondage with lots of law keeping and working like a servant or an 'ox'. I quit and leave !" So, they go to the 'God' of the false prophets or the 'God' of this world, who promises a different kind of rest and effortless prosperity to them, and 'live like the son of the world'. They think that they should be the son; and not a servant to do anything. But they have forgotten that they are still servants to God to do the righteousness of God.

• Rom 6:20-23 KJV  For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  (21)  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  (22)  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (We were all 'swimming' and struggling in the ocean of sin and would die in it one day. But the gift of God has set us free so that we can do better, not continue to 'swim' or 'wallow' in it; but to obey and serve Him better, in life.)

However, there are also other believers who think that they should be the servant; and not a son too. So, they become very jealous when they see their brothers coming back to the house and receiving the blessing of a son again. But, God the Father will tell them, "You are also a son. You will inherit what I have. But your brothers who come back were dead and are alive again; and were lost, and are found." Please think, When God the Father said that their brothers are alive again, does it mean that their brothers have received better privilege, better favour, and better freedom or grace now, with no more responsibility, no more law keeping, or no more working? No, in fact, they have repented and come back to the very same house that they had hated as the house of slavery. But they have now changed their mind to keep the command and the law of God willingly. They will do the very first work that they had hated to do too. In another words, they have changed their mind; but the house and the law of God will never change.  

• Rev 2:2-5 KJV  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:  (3)  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.  (4)  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  (5)  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
• Joh 14:11-15 KJV  Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.  (12)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father .. (15)  If ye love me, keep my commandments. (So, how do we believe? Do we just believe that Jesus has no more work for us, or do we believe that He has greater work for us because we keep His commandments?) 

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