So, you want to live forever, eh?

The secret to eternal life revealed: It's true. There is a way to live forever. We're not talking about a hundred years or so, we're talking about living for 1000 years here on earth (see Revelation 20:1-6) and then living forever in New Jerusalem. (See Revelation chapter 21)

What do you need to do so you can live forever?

Nothing.

There is nothing you can do. No matter how good you are. No matter how many good things you do for other people. No matter how much money you give to your church or charities--none of these will help save you. Getting baptised will not save you. There is nothing you can do to earn eternal life.

In America we find this particularly hard to understand. We are used to work and reward. If we work hard, do well in school and get a good education... we'll at be least financially comfortable. If we work hard at our job, learning to do our job better than we have to... we'll at least be financially comfortable. It's just the way we do things. If something is free, especially something major, there must be a catch. After all, we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch.

The truth is, eternal isn't free, but you are not the one who has to pay the price. Someone has already paid the price of eternal life for you.

What does eternal life cost?

Why is there a cost associated with eternal life?

Because, you owe the penalty for everything you you've done wrong. It's going to be just like in court. You will stand before a judge. That judge will look at your life and everything you've done wrong will need to be paid for.

It doesn't matter that you are a better person than your neighbor or better than your uncle Ned. Each person is judged individually. There is no grading on a curve.

Have you done wrong? Have you broken any of God's laws? You bet you have!

Have you ever told a lie? Have you even taken something that was not yours, even a paperclip from work? Have you ever looked at a woman (or man) and lusted after that person in your heart? (The Bible says that lust in your heart is adultery.) Have you ever fudged a number on your tax return just a little? After you ever squeezed through an intersection just after the light turned red? You have done wrong things. And you must pay the penalty for what you have done wrong.

When you stand before the judge, what is the required penalty for breaking one of God's laws?

Death.

We are not talking physical death. We all will go through physical death. This is spiritual death--eternal death. The penalty you must pay is eternal death, which kind of rules out eternal life, doesn't it.

What you need is someone who is willing to step in and pay the penalty for you so you don't have to. That way the other person dies and you get eternal life. Do you think you can talk anyone into doing that for you?

Even if you could talk a friend into accepting the death penalty on your behalf, that won't work. Each person first has to pay the penalty for their own sin. It takes one person to pay the penalty for one person's sin.

What you need is someone who is more than a person to die for you.

That person is Jesus Christ. Jesus was the Son of God, and as God He could take on Himself ALL the sins of the world and die to pay the penalty for all of us. Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty you deserve for all of God's laws you have broken. He died so that you don't have to.

Wow!

So your penalty is paid, do you just get eternal life automatically?

No. If you turn your back on Christ (God)... if you desire to be separated from God... God gives you exactly what you want. He'll leave you alone. This, of course, means that you are on your own to pay the penalty for your own sins.

But if you turn to God... if you accept what Jesus has done for you... God takes Jesus' death to pay the penalty for your sins and YOU GET ETERNAL LIFE. You penalty has been paid in full. You are free from the penalty of sin. Free to live!

We have a choice: We can pay the penalty for our sins ourselves. That penalty is death. Or we can accept the free gift God has given us through his grace. God gave us His only Son, who paid the penalty for our sins so that we can eternal life with God.

Tell Jesus you will accept His gift | Brief Biblical Summary of This Page