The Home of the Saved

Eternal Life and How to Obtain it

What precious promise has God made in His children?

“And this is what he promised us – even eternal life.” 1 John 2:25.

How may we obtain eternal life?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.

Who has eternal life?

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” Verse 36.

Where is this everlasting or eternal life?

“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is his Son.”

1 John 5:11.

What therefore follows?

“He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Verse 12. 

What does Christ give His followers?

“I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28.

The Tree of Life, Past and Future

“Why after the Fall, was man shut away from the tree of life?

“And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like on of us, knowing good from evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Genesis 3:22.

What has Christ promised the overcomer?  

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7.

When Saints Become Immortal

When will immortality be conferred upon the saints?

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead in Christ will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”

1 Corinthians 15: 51-53. 

Note – In accepting Christ the believer receives “that eternal life, which was with the Father,” and this eternal life he retains as long as Christ dwells in the heart by faith. This wondrous gift may be lost to failure to maintain faith that holds Christ fast. At the resurrection, immortality is conferred upon those who have fallen asleep in Christ, and thus the possession of eternal life becomes a permanent experience.

God’s Purpose In Creation

For what purpose was the earth created?

“For this is what the Lord says – he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but he formed it to be inhabited.” Isaiah 45:18. 

To whom has God given the earth?

“The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to man.”

Psalm 115:16.  

“For what purpose was man made?

“You made him the ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.” Psalm 8:6.  

Satan, and Man’s Lost Dominion

How did man lose his dominion?

Through sin. Romans 5:12; 6:23.

When man lost his dominion, to whom did he yield it?

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity – for man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” 2 Peter 2:19.

Note – Man was overcome by Satan in the Garden of Eden, and there yielded himself and his possessions into the hands of the captor.

In tempting Christ, what ownership did Satan claim?

“The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in a instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said unto him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.” Luke 4:5,6.

The Restored Dominion

What promise of restoration did the Lord make through Micah?

“As for you, O watchtower of the flock, O stronghold of the Daughter of Zion, the former dominion will be restored to you; kingship will come to the Daughter of Jerusalem.”

Micah 4:8.

Why did Christ say the meek are blessed?

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5.

Note – This inheritance cannot be realized in this life, for here the truly meek generally have little of earth’s good things.

Who does the psalmist say have most now?

“I have envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the common burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.” Psalm 73:3-7.

What promise was made to Abraham concerning the land?

“The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him. “Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.” Genesis 13:14,15.

How much did this promise comprehend?

“It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through righteousness that comes by faith.” Romans 4:13.

How much of the land of Canaan did Abraham own in his lifetime?

“He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.” Acts 7:5. (See Hebrews 11:13.)

How much of the promised possession did Abraham expect during his lifetime?

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Hebrews 11:8-10.

In a special sense, who is the seed to whom this promise was made?

“The promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed. The Scripture does not say “and the seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed, meaning one person, who is Christ.” Galatians 3:16.

Who are heirs of the promise?

“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Verse 29.

Why did these ancient worthies receive the promise?

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:39, 40.

When This Earth is Made New

What is to become of our earth in the day of the Lord?

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:10.

What will follow this great conflagration?

“But in keeping with this promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of the righteousness.” Verse 13.

Note – As shown in the study of “The Millennium,” at the coming of Christ the living wicked will die, and the saints will be taken to heaven to dwell with Christ for a thousand years, or until the wicked of all ages are judged and the time for their destruction and the purification of the earth by the fires of the last days. Following this, the earth will be formed anew, and man, redeemed from sin, will be restored to his original dominion.

To what Old Testament promise did Peter evidently refer? 

“Behold, I will create a new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come back to mind.” Isaiah 65:17.

What was shown the Apostle John in vision?

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” Revelation 21:1. 

How did Isaiah describe conditions on the “new earth?” 

“For they will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands. Isaiah 65:21-23.

How readily will their wants be supplied?

“Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.” Verse 25.

What peaceful condition will reign throughout the earth then?

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the Lord.” Verse 25.

What seasons of worship will be observed in the new earth?

“As the new heavens and the new earth that I will make endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will my name and descendants endure. From one new moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 66:22,23.

What will the ransomed of the Lord then do?