Saved For Eternity | Rev. Brooke Hartman

Jesus tells his disciples that he came to offer eternal life to those who believe in and follow him. Eternal life is described in the Bible in several ways. It is described as knowing Jesus, the heavenly city, and the eternal kingdom. These images point to an eternity within a community of restored relationships where every wound has been healed and where we are able love as God has loved us. Jesus’ teachings lead us to questions: 1) Can we know we are saved?  2) Can we know others aren’t saved?

 

In regards to question 1, Jesus’ teachings indicate that if we have sought his forgiveness and placed our trust for this life and eternity in him, we can trust we are saved even if we did not feel anything immediately when we prayed.  Jesus also promises to send his Spirit to give us an assurance of salvation and calls us to trust His word that he will be true to his promise for those who seek him. While sometimes we have to wait longer than we would wish for a spiritual experience of assurance, often God’s silence is an invitation for us to more deeply pursue him. As relates to question 2, Christian disagree. While some Christian traditions, hold that those who never publicly profess faith are condemned, most Christian traditions hold out the possibility that Christ is still able to work in the lives of those on their deathbeds and those who sought God with their lives, but lived in cultures where they never learned the Gospel. As Methodists, we believe in free will and, therefore, we believe God will not force salvation on anyone. If a soul chooses darkness over light, God will respect the choice.  

Scripture - John 10:27-30, Romans 10:9–10, Revelation 22:1–5