Topical Bible: Eternal Life: Exhortation to Seek

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Eternal life, a central tenet of Christian faith, is the promise of everlasting communion with God, transcending the temporal confines of earthly existence. The Scriptures exhort believers to seek this divine gift with earnestness and devotion, emphasizing its unparalleled value and the transformative power it holds for those who pursue it.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of eternal life is woven throughout the New Testament, where it is presented as both a present reality and a future hope. Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, frequently spoke of eternal life, urging His followers to prioritize it above all else. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, "Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). This passage underscores the immediacy of eternal life for the believer, contingent upon faith in Christ and His redemptive work.

The Call to Seek

The exhortation to seek eternal life is a recurring theme in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus instructs, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). Here, the pursuit of God's kingdom, synonymous with eternal life, is presented as the foremost priority for the believer, surpassing all earthly concerns.

The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in his epistles, urging believers to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. In his letter to the Romans, Paul writes, "To those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life" (Romans 2:7). This passage highlights the active pursuit of eternal life through a life characterized by perseverance in righteousness and good works.

The Role of Faith and Obedience

Faith in Jesus Christ is the foundational requirement for obtaining eternal life. The Apostle John emphasizes this in his first epistle: "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12). The possession of eternal life is intrinsically linked to one's relationship with Jesus, the Son of God.

Obedience to God's commandments is also integral to the pursuit of eternal life. Jesus, in His dialogue with the rich young ruler, affirms the necessity of obedience: "If you want to enter life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17). While salvation is by grace through faith, the evidence of genuine faith is manifested in a life of obedience and adherence to God's will.

The Promise of Assurance

The Scriptures provide assurance to those who earnestly seek eternal life. Jesus offers a profound promise in the Gospel of John: "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28). This assurance of eternal security is a source of comfort and motivation for believers to continue in their pursuit of eternal life with confidence and hope.

Conclusion

The exhortation to seek eternal life is a clarion call to all believers, urging them to prioritize their relationship with God and the pursuit of His kingdom above all else. Through faith in Jesus Christ, obedience to His commandments, and perseverance in righteousness, believers are assured of the promise of eternal life, a gift of immeasurable worth and eternal significance.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

John 6:27
Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give to you: for him has God the Father sealed.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Sins of Society
... Eternal Love and we shall abide, as it abides, for ever. The exhortation is next
enforced by presenting the consequences of neglecting it. To seek Him is life, ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the sins of society.htm

Second Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Brotherly Love.
... is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in ... Hereby know
we love, because he laid down his life for us ... EXHORTATION TO BROTHERLY LOVE ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/second sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

Fifth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to the Fruits of Faith.
... Peter's exhortation was especially called for at that time ... God care for the honor
you seek from the ... heirs of everlasting grace and blessing and of eternal life. ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fifth sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

An Advance in the Exhortation.
... has experienced the bitter humiliation of life, He is ... Their eternal duration involves
the setting aside of every ... The exhortation now is, not to confidence, but ...
/.../the expositors bible the epistle to the hebrews/chapter ix an advance in.htm

Sixth Sunday after Trinity Exhortation to Christian Living.
... EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING. ... righteousness, from woes and sadness and tribulation
to perfect eternal joy ... a death is sweeter and better than any life on earth ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/sixth sunday after trinity exhortation.htm

"But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and ...
... that palace of pleasure and delight into eternal torment, and ... Godliness will not
prejudge this life or thy calling ... Christ says to enforce his exhortation, (Matth ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xvii but seek ye.htm

Exhortation to Abandon the Impious Mysteries of Idolatry for the ...
... and is he not entirely a voice of exhortation? ... should reap, as the fruit of this
productiveness, eternal life. ... to recognise the husbandman, to seek the husband ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter i exhortation to abandon the.htm

Our Knocking
... The first exhortation which Christianity addresses to a man is ... forth of the efforts
in which to seek is to ... task ere the lump be leavened.' Eternal life is a ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/our knocking.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... there is a certain meaning in this exhortation, from the ... among men, and he that is
to seek in this ... Hope of life, eternal by Christ, makes a man purify himself.
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

The Festal Life
... on it as communicating and sustaining eternal life"'Christ our ... sin, see that you
use the life that is ... One last word"this stringent exhortation, which makes ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/the festal life.htm