Topical Bible: Eternal Life: Saints: Look for the Mercy of God To

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Eternal life is a central tenet of Christian theology, representing the gift of everlasting life with God, promised to believers through faith in Jesus Christ. This concept is deeply rooted in the Scriptures and is a source of hope and encouragement for the saints, who are called to look for the mercy of God as they anticipate this divine promise.

Biblical Foundation

The promise of eternal life is woven throughout the New Testament, where it is presented as both a present possession and a future hope for believers. 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 assurance highlights the immediate reality of eternal life for those who believe in Christ.

The Apostle Paul further emphasizes this promise in his epistles, encouraging believers to remain steadfast in their faith. In his letter to Titus, Paul writes, "In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began" (Titus 1:2). This underscores the certainty and divine origin of the promise, rooted in the unchanging nature of God.

The Role of Mercy

The saints are exhorted to look for the mercy of God as they await the fulfillment of eternal life. Jude, in his epistle, instructs believers to "keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life" (Jude 1:21). This passage highlights the active role of the believer in remaining in God's love while anticipating His mercy.

Mercy is a recurring theme in the New Testament, often associated with God's compassionate and gracious nature. The saints are encouraged to rely on this divine mercy, recognizing that eternal life is not earned by human effort but is a gift of God's grace. The Apostle Peter echoes this sentiment, reminding believers of the living hope they have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).

Living in Anticipation

The anticipation of eternal life shapes the conduct and mindset of the saints. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, encourages believers to live as citizens of heaven, eagerly awaiting the return of the Savior: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). This heavenly perspective motivates the saints to live lives marked by holiness, love, and service, reflecting the character of Christ as they await the consummation of their hope.

The saints' expectation of eternal life is not passive but is characterized by active faith and perseverance. The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers to "run with endurance the race set out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2). This call to endurance underscores the importance of remaining faithful and vigilant as the saints look forward to the mercy of God and the realization of eternal life.

Conclusion

The promise of eternal life is a profound and transformative aspect of the Christian faith, offering hope and assurance to the saints. As they look for the mercy of God, believers are called to live in anticipation of this promise, grounded in the certainty of God's word and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Through faith, perseverance, and reliance on divine mercy, the saints are assured of their inheritance of eternal life with God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jude 1:21
Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Meditations against Despair, or Doubting of God's Mercy.
... greater than the infinite mercy of the eternal God; or as ... in heaven most blessed
and glorious saints, committed in ... As if he had said, whilst life lasteth, and ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations against despair or doubting.htm

Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me all the Days of My Life ...
... grant us that vivid constant faith of the Saints which will ... us to see in every event
of life, in adversity ... to lead His children to His home of eternal delights ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/xi surely goodness and mercy.htm

The Excellencies of the Saints' Rest.
... was the wages of my sin, but this eternal life is the ... hell; but on the door of heaven
and life, THE FREE ... The saints shall look down upon the burning lake, and ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter iii the excellencies of.htm

Fenelon -- the Saints Converse with God
... THE SAINTS CONVERSE WITH GOD. ... of the ever-present Deity, nor the interest of your
eternal salvation, have ... when we return from the busy scenes of life, where men ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/fenelon the saints converse.htm

How the Eternal Love of God Prevents Our Hearts with his ...
... angels' fall on them, excluding them for ever from eternal life. ... But his eternal
charity does not often permit his ... to the end we might be, and might be saints. ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter ix how the eternal.htm

The Unchangeableness of God
... nor shadow of turning.' The best saints have their ... Who would look for a fixed stability
in the vain ... As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.' Acts 13 ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/4 the unchangeableness of god.htm

The Presbyterian Church of England.
... of God, the upbuilding of the saints, and the ... power and great glory; and we look
for this ... go away into eternal punishment but the righteous into eternal life. ...
/.../the presbyterian church of england.htm

Sermon for Ash Wednesday
... well-grounded hope which they have of eternal blessedness, not founded on their
own merit or good life, but on a ... be able to comprehend with all saints what is ...
/.../x sermon for ash wednesday.htm

Fellowship with God
... and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints and of ... his ordination of his
people unto eternal life, and his ... I am sure, as you look upon the character of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/fellowship with god.htm

Justification by Faith.
... so, that day it was offered through the eternal Spirit a ... is my flesh, which I will
give for the life of the ... that Man that is now absent from his saints on earth ...
/.../bunyan/the riches of bunyan/ix justification by faith.htm