God's Eternal People

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent (John 17:3)

In Christ, we are blessed with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. What blessings? in Christ, God chose us before he created the world to be holy, in his presence, in love (Ephesians 1:4). This is eternal life, Jesus said, that they may know you the Father and the Son. This is eternal life that we know the Father through the Son, the word of God. Eternally chosen before creating the world to be his eternal people. How were we chosen? in Christ, we received the promised Holy Spirit, in which predestination is fulfilled, the Spirit is one of adoption who cries out in us Abba Father, testifying we know the Father and that we are his children.

 
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, (2 Thessalonians 2:16)

We know of God's love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). And to those he loves he is working out all things for their good according to what He eternally purposed in Christ (Romans 8:28). God's eternal purpose was to make his wisdom know to all rulers and authorities and to give the chosen bold access to the Father through faith. "So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him" (Ephesians 3:10-12). 

in him, we receive redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which He lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. (Ephesians 1:7-8)

Because of redemption, the forgiveness of trespasses, and adoption through the Spirit, we receive in Christ the gift of eternal life, and the gift of salvation by grace through faith, thus He has "given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace." We are chosen by grace, "so too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace" (Romans 11:5-6, ESV). "He entered once for all into the Most Holy Place, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of · his own blood, thus obtaining an eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9:12). Redemption is eternal and it is a blessing we receive in Christ Jesus, along with adoption and favor (Ephesians 1:3-7). 

"How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God" (Hebrews 9:14). 

And Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant, "so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under that first covenant" (Hebrews 9:15). The promised eternal inheritance. "And may the God of peace, who, by the blood of the eternal covenant, brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus," (Hebrews 13:20). Eternal covenant, with eternal redemption, the powerful washing of the blood of the Lamb that forgives and purifies, and the sealing with the eternal Spirit, the promised Spirit, the pledge of our eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14) There are three that testify and they are one. 

whosoever pays the penalty, the sentence of eternal perdition, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

Christ took the penalty for us so that we do not have to pay the penalty and suffer eternity from God's presence. Those who receive justification by grace through redemption, through his blood, through faith will experience eternity in His presence in the glory of His strength. Who receives justification? Those he chose before he created the world to be holy blameless in his presence, in love, who he predestined for adoption as his own people. "For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30). 

For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

To be a child of God I have much hope, not based upon anything that this world has to offer, not the beauty of this earthly body, not the value of the tent it sleeps in and the clothes it wears. This earthly life is not meant to be comfortable and pleasurable, "we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you" (2 Corinthians 4:8-12). 

so that having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

We set our hope, not on the uncertainty of earthly riches, rather on God the one furnishing us all richly for our enjoyment, (ἀπόλαυσις, apolausis), to do good, rich in works, generous, sharing, laying up for ourselves a good foundation for the coming life, so that we may seize hold of what is truly eternal life (1 Timothy 6:17-19). This implies that God doesn't give us earthly riches to enjoy for our own pleasures but like as it is written about the faith of Moses who was called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, Moses rather than enjoy the transient enjoyments (ἀπόλαυσις, apolausis) of sin chose to suffer hardships with the people of God (Hebrews 11:24-25). What sin was transient for Moses to enjoy? All that being a son of Pharaoh would have entitled him to. Moses knew the difference between transient riches and that which God supplies for our enjoyment.

But for this reason, I was shown mercy: so that in me as foremost Christ Jesus might display his complete patience as an illustration for those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:16)

Paul writes even though he was formerly a blasphemer and persecutor and violent person he was shown mercy because he did not understand, acting in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13-16). Paul was a blasphemer against Jesus, some say this is an unforgivable sin. But, Paul writes God had set him apart from his mother's womb (Galatians 1:15). Peter denied Christ and does not the scriptures say those who deny Christ Jesus will deny him before the Father? But in both cases, God showed mercy. This makes me believe all the more in predestination through adoption as eternal. As sure as God predestining, calling, and justifying is our glorification. It is an amazing thing to be saved by grace, it is so that God "demonstrates in the ages to come the incomparable riches of his grace in kindness to us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:5-10). Glory and honor and praise belong to God, "who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time eternal," (2 Timothy 1:9). Before time eternal, he called us in Christ Jesus. He chose in Christ before he created the world to be holy, blameless in his presence in love. 

"On account of this, I am enduring all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may experience the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Timothy 2:10). 

Paul experienced many hardships on account of bringing the gospel to the elect. Some of these hardships are not really talked about today. Paul experienced them so that he became all things to all people so that the elect would be saved and that he would not place any impediments or stumbling blocks before the elect (1 Corinthians 9:1-12). Paul writes he became an apostle "for the faith of the elect of God and knowledge of the truth that produces godliness, to the extent of hope of eternal life which God the one who can't lie promised before time eternal, now revealing his word and at the proper time.." (Titus 1:1-3). The true gospel of grace produces godliness, in this Jesus was made perfect through suffering and has become for all those who obey him the source of eternal life (Hebrews 5:9). 

And the God of all grace, the one who has called you into his eternal glory in Christ, will, after you have suffered a little while, himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

There is a making sure of our election and calling. "Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to establish your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:10-11). There is a working out of your salvation in fear and trembling, fearful that if you were not to endure the trial, that you might fall short of the calling. The word of life, eternal life has been proclaimed and revealed to us and this is the promise he has made to us, eternal life (1 John 1:2, 1 John 2:25). There is a testimony of Spirit, that we have been born of God, "In this, we know that we abide in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4:13). This is a great testimony of knowing that you are a child of God. And so is the testimony of blood, that we have been forgiven. If we have these two, there is a third one that agrees, it deals with our sanctification, to purify the body of sin. We are called to overcome the world because greater is He that is in us. Make sure of your eternal calling. 

"And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 John 5:11). 

This is why John is writing these things to us, "so that you may know that you have eternal life—you who believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13). How do we know we have eternal life? The one who believes in the Son and obeys (John 3:36). This is why the gospels were written so we may believe and have eternal life. (John 20:31). "And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This one is the true God and eternal life." (1 John 5:20; 1 John 4:13) 

Fight the good fight of the faith. Seize hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and about which you confessed the good confession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12)

The elect chosen by grace are called to eternal life, but we must fight the good fight of faith to seize hold of it. Through God's eternal purpose that which he purposed in Christ, we are being conformed to the image of His Son. This is why he predestined us, to be holy, in his presence, in love, to be God's eternal people. "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn?" (Romans 8:31-34). 

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, neither "tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."" (Romans 8:35-37). No authority on earth no matter what form shape or fashion, including intentions of religious people, can separate us from the love of Christ and to that which he has purposed and is working out for our good.