The concept of eternity is a massive idea that will shatter mankind's understanding, and the quest to comprehend it has hindered Christians for years. Eternity is not a distant hope but a modern reality. When the scriptures are examined closely, they conclude that right now God promises eternal life right here on Earth.
In every church, there are people who play a game called, ‘How far from God can I be and still go to heaven’, because they have been convinced that eternity is a far-off hope in Heaven, which will not come until we die.
If people look away from what God will do later and look at what He is doing now, then they will view God and His love in a renewed manner. It is time for people to look at God's blessings that he will give today.
First Step
The first thing to understand about eternal life is that it’s not about Heaven. Jesus prayed, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” Eternal life is something for Christians to experience right now. It’s not a future hope or a far-off gift, but God offers a relationship with Him today.
Although it carries over to death, eternal life, knowing God, is something that God gives in the past, present, and future.
It is time to divert from looking at paradise and begin to look at the relationship we have with God in the immediate. This idea of eternal life challenges what it means to know God.
Jesus, famously, declared, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Christ, NIV). Jesus is declaring that because eternal life is to know God, and Heaven is given to those with eternal life, only those who know God will enter it.
Jesus wants Christians to direct their eyes away from what is going to happen when they die and look at the here and now.
These people performed miracles in the name of Jesus, but they didn’t know God. The actions they committed on Earth were massive and they were in God’s name, but God has bigger plans than miracles. God counts a relationship with him as a greater concept than performing a miracle. Oftentimes, cool ideas like healing or casting out demons take precedence in the hearts of Christians and distract from what is truly important.
It is time to look not at what is cool or what is fun, but to what is important. It is time to believe that God giving someone palpable faith is a greater work than healing their leg.
If God looks at knowing Him as more important than performing miracles, then Christians must think the same way to emulate Christ. The most important thing for Christians to seek and do is to know God.
God's Will
Additionally, Jesus highlights another aspect of a relationship with God in His declaration about eternal life. He said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Christ, NIV).
This raises a powerful question: what is the will of His Father in Heaven?
Paul outlines the will of God when he writes to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (Paul, NIV). All of these things are active actions mankind does with God. If someone prays continually, as Paul outlines, they literally spend every second talking with the Lord.
God’s will, what He wants more than anything, is to spend time with his children. Heaven is often spoken about as being in the presence of God, a place where He can be praised always, but that exists right here on Earth.
The reason why God sent the Holy Spirit to live in someone's heart is because He wants to be so close that He is literally with them all the time. What God is looking for, beyond works, beyond Heaven, beyond paradise, is His son and daughter.
These people who play the game ‘How far can I be from God and still go to heaven’, don’t enter because what God is looking for is someone close.
It is time to start actively seeking God and actively seeking His heart in every aspect of life and ensuring that every second of the day is spent with Him. God’s will is for people to be with Him right now.
Addition by Subtraction
Deeper than knowing God on the outside, one must examine within and ask oneself what God wants from their heart. Oftentimes, when big challenges like giving God more time arise, a wall gets built up thinking it will hinder their life.
Jesus addresses this when he declares, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Christ, NIV).
At first glance, Jesus seems wrong. Christianity is about denying ourselves in favor of God and giving up everything we have. Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Christ, NIV). How can taking a cross be an easy yoke?
Jesus calls for massive change, but the reason why it’s easy is that, even if satan convinced someone otherwise, life gets easier the more someone gives up for God.
The first time the idea of giving up time in the day to read the Bible comes to mind, it seems difficult and scary, but after it happens and the Word of God enters the heart, it becomes the best part of the day. What Jesus is asking people to surrender is their burdens. He wants them to give up all of these hedonistic and secular wastelands that deprive people of God because He is greater than these things.
It is time to start believing that God is good and to believe that spending time with Him is a blessing, not a chore.
When old habits are put to death, the blessing is eternal life. God is greater than whatever someone wants to cling to and devote themselves to. Someone will be more fulfilled if they spend more time in the Bible than on their phone.
When God is put first, when God becomes the only priority, the burden becomes easy because what is surrendered is replaced by something greater.
When someone takes up their cross and denies themselves, they receive more than what they surrendered. It is time to believe that God is good, and when Christians give things up for the sake of Him, God is not depriving them but enhancing them.
Eternal life is not a distant hope but a current reality. God has a plan, right now, for fulfillment that surpasses everything one could have without Him. God wants to spend time with His children, not in Heaven, but right now on Earth. God is actively seeking out the presence of His children which means that when they seek his presence they will find it. It is time to start believing that God is good and that the good part of the Gospel is not paradise but a relationship with Him.