failure! But, you see,. John 3:16 ends with this utter, dynamic, positive truth: “but have everlasting life.” I give you here a definition for God’s salvation. God’s salvation is the gift or the restoration of life on the basis of forgiveness of sins — there it is, you see. God’s salvation isn’t the forgive-' ness of sins only, that is not enough, that is just negative and gets you no where. No, God’s salvation is the gift or the restoration of Jife on the basis of forgiveness of sins. If you were saved when you came and trusted Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour, your sins were forgiven, as you well know. Some thing else happened to you that day — you received the gift of everlasting life. As Jesus said you were “born again.” Now let me take up this thought of eternal life. What is your definition of eternal life — what is life to you? When you were converted your sins were forgiven and you received the gift of life. It says in Romans 6, “. . . the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life . . .” Now isn’t it strange that you received this gift and yet you aren’t really sure what the gift is? May I read a verse once more with you as I bring this section of the study to its close. The verse is in the First Epistle of John, chapter 5, and the verse — 11. I am reading “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. These things have I writ ten unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life . . .” Did you get that? “He that hath the Son hath life.” This life is not a place or an experience — life is a Person! Jesus said in John 14:6 — “ . . . I am the way, the truth, and the life . . .” When you became a Christian you received forgiveness of sins and the gift of life. The proof of the gift of life was that Jesus Christ, who is our life, came to live in your heart. Life is a Person!
" A chip on the shoulder is the heaviest load a person needlessly carries.” * * * "The Bible does notneed to be rewritten, but it does need to be reread." * * * "The bad thing about little sins is that they grow up so very fast." TH IS IS A N AGE when men have a knowledge of God, but deny the power thereof . . . it is true in many, many cases which shows that, spir itually, prophecy is being fulfilled. Let us look at some of the existing facts of the hour: 5 per cent of the reported church members do not exist, 10 per cent never attend church, and 40 per cent never give to any cause. 50 per cent never go to Sunday School, 60 per cent never at tend church on Sunday night, 70 per cent never give to missions, 75 per cent never engage in any church activities. 80 per cent never attend prayer meeting, 90 per cent never have fam ily worship, and 95 per cent have never won a soul to Christ. “This know also that in the last days, perilous times shall come.” “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your lab our is not in vain in the Lord” — I Corinthians 15:58. * * * • "You may have good grounds for asking, but you must first be on praying ground." * * * "The yoke of God will never fit a stiff neck/' Wanted Christians who want their gifts to really count in the training of young lives, for Christ and His church. Contact: Stewardship Department Biola College
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