×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Testimony of eternal life

Opinion & Analysis
Over the centuries, well documented are stories of some people presumably having gone to heaven and supposedly given names by God of Christians, who will make the grade for heaven.

Over the centuries, well documented are stories of some people presumably having gone to heaven and supposedly given names by God of Christians, who will make the grade for heaven.

DEVOTION: Erasmus Makarimayi

Some claim they died and rose again after God gave them another chance.

Others, probably the majority of cases, return and claim that only a very small fraction of Christians are “pure” enough for heaven.

Many Christians, having read or heard about such stories and reports, now live in fear that they may fail to go to heaven at the end of the ages.

I am not going to argue whether these stories are true or false, but I will give you the testimony of Jesus so that you will know for yourself with certainty.

Remember, there are people who died and rose to life both in the Old and New Testaments.

The story that quickly comes to mind is that of Lazarus.

Before we go much further, please consider this.

God, having taken it upon Himself in Jesus to come down and die an atoning death, was it just for a few selected people?

Heaven put up a massive investment by putting the life of Jesus Christ on the line for humanity’s redemption.

We know and many agree that Jesus is coming back.

Here’s His expectation. 2 Peter 3:9 (New English Translation) establishes: “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”

Repentance means changing the mindset.

Let’s turn our mind to the truth of the Gospel.

Many agree that salvation is by grace.

However, some are not convinced that heaven is, therefore, by grace.

They erroneously trust self-effort to take them to heaven, thereby, despising what God did in Christ.

Jesus Christ came to save everyone, who would believe in Him.

He’s the grace of God to bring us all to God.

Apostle Paul notes in, Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”

The Gospel of Christ or the Good News of Jesus — that is — the Grace of God is preached to all nations to save multitudes.

God wants all His people to be saved.

1 Timothy 2:4 tells us: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This is why I and many others go about presenting the Gospel. Beloved, believe the Gospel and receive Jesus Christ and be saved.

Jesus obtained eternal not temporary salvation for us.

Because you have believed Christ and accepted the Gospel, you received eternal life.

1 John 5:11-12 tell us: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

That’s the record or evidence of eternal life inside you.

The record or evidence or testimony of eternal life is believing Jesus.

Having believed Jesus and received Him into our hearts, we don’t doubt His life in us.

Eternal life is Christ’s life in us.

Jesus tells us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

We shall not perish because we have everlasting life.

Jesus Christ entered into your heart when you confessed Him.

You have Him in your inside.

If you did, as stated by Romans 10:9, you’re saved. It reads: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Life, therefore, is in the Son of God.

It’s secured in Him and we, therefore, cannot lose it because it’s not us who keep it.

Jesus came to redeem us from damnation.

The old corrupt nature passes away in Christ and we’re born to the new and living spiritual nature.

We were dead in that our fellowship with God was cut at the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden.

Romans 5:14 (New English Translation) puts it this way: “Yet death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those who did not sin in the same way that Adam (who is a type of the coming one) transgressed.”

Moses here refers to the old covenant. It’s only until the New Testament ushered in by the blood of Jesus that we have life.

This life is in Christ and is eternal. We have the record, evidence and the testimony inside us.

All Bible quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise stated. Feedback: [email protected] Fellowship with Pastor Makarimayi on Facebook and on www.twitter.com/PEMAKARIMAYI. Telephone +263 712 332 632