Lay hold on eternal life! III

Peace to you, my dear friends! I am so happy to welcome you to „Daily Word for Spiritual Edification”! We have been talking about how to lay hold on eternal life and why it is so important. Apostle Paul in his 1st letter to Timothy pointed out three crucial moments we need to consider in order to be able to finish what we have started. We have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord, and through it we have began our journey to eternal life. Eternal life is a journey to a very particular destination. In order for us to travel on this road and get to this destination we must flee sin and cast aside all hindrances. Also Paul asks us to strive for “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness”.

Besides, we must „fight the good fight of faith”, so that we could finish our course. It is possible to start something and desert it half-done. Many people have started their race and gotten off of it halfway. It is not the beginning that is glorious; it is the end.

Let’s look at the Word of God.

 «Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it»(Mathew, 7:13-14).

Here we see that there is a way that many people enjoy taking, but it is the way to destruction. Jesus calls to walk the narrow way which leads to eternal life. Laying hold of eternal life means that a person strives to stay on the narrow road which leads to eternal life. Jesus knew that it would be so convenient for many to walk the broad road; being on this road, a person feels comfortable and lives without any restrictions; he does what he wants to do and is not limited by any commitments. But the Bible says that it is the way of sin, because a person is not accountable and moves ‘without brakes’, so to speak; this way leads to destruction. God says that we shouldn’t walk on this way. We must flee sin; we must cast aside all the worldly, ungodly things that hinder us, otherwise we won’t get to our destination – eternal life. Jesus says that many people will deny faith. He warned us:

 «And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved» (Mathew, 24:12-13).

Jesus warned us about it because He does not want our love to grow cold. Jesus tells us that many people won’t endure to the end and won’t lay hold on eternal life. And He defines what it means to lay hold of eternal life: it means to endure to the end. Despite the trials, tribulations and sufferings you will have to go through, endure to the end! If you have started the race, you need to strive to finish it. The lack of effort and striving is the main reason why so many people that have begun their walk with God go astray before the end. I pray that this would not happen to you, my dear friend. Be strong and lay hold of eternal life! Flee the things that can make us lose the track to eternal life! Strive for “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” and fight the good fight of faith!

Till tomorrow!

God bless you!

Pastor Rufus Ajiboye