3 minute read

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We believe in an eternal life for all who have ever lived (John 5:28-29). Everyone will be resurrected to be reunited with their soul and stand before God. Those who have placed faith in Christ will finally enter glorious eternal fellowship with God in heaven (John 5:24; John 17:3; Romans 10:13). This is what John 3:16 is all about.

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For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever

believes in him

shall not perish

but have eternal life.

 

So many of us have memorized this verse but we fail to grasp its immense fullness.

 

We believe God loves this world…so much he will do all he can to provide forgiveness, restoration and salvation.

 

We believe God the Father allowed God the Son to join humanity and live among us as a “fully God – fully man” person named Jesus.

 

We believe that “whoever” means absolutely anyone who has ever been born can believe in him for forgiveness and salvation. In Bible Greek, the word “whoever” means any, every, the whole. There is no heavenly hidden list of people born ineligible for forgiveness.

 

We believe the phrase “believes in him” means to have complete, personal trust in his death and resurrection is totally pay for our sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). He completely paid our sin-price.

 

We believe that all who believe “shall not perish.” They will escape the discipline and punishment of God that is waiting for those who deliberately refuse Christ and live a life of sin. Such lives are characterized by such things as anger and hate (Ephesians 4:31), refusal to forgive (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25), immorality (Matthew 5:28; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3), pride, greed, racism (Galatians 3:28; Revelation 7:9), and deliberate indifference and injustice toward the hurt, poor and oppressed (Proverbs 21:1 and 31:9; Luke 20:47).

 

We believe that believers will be given eternal life. This life is more than mere eternal existence. Rather eternal life will be a life of love, peace and joy as we continually praise the Saviour. We believe eternal life begins when we believe in him as saviour (John 10:10). He immediately sends God the Holy Spirit into our lives to teach and protect us (John 14:16-17 and 26), and Jesus intercedes with the Father in our behalf (Romans 8:34).

 

​Again, love above disagreements

The Apostles’ Creed was written for Christians. Its focus is on the beliefs, life and destiny of the Christ followers. Great people of immense faith have prayed, fasted and studied Scripture to know the ultimate destiny of those who are not believers at death. There are disagreements.

 

Our common ground is this: rejecting Christ and living an unrighteous life leads to discipline and punishment from God. Period. We agree on this.

 

Of first importance is the command of our Lord. We are to love and serve one another. We are commanded to shelter and comfort those of the faith (Galatians 6:10). Jesus put aside everything, including his life, to pay for our salvation (Philippians 2:6-8). We can certainly put aside differences which have no bearing on the bond of fellowship we share in the common belief that Jesus, God the Son, died and rose again for our sin.

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It is more than "agreeing to disagree." We can agree to disagree and harbour hard feelings and prejudice. It is seeking the best for the other person and sharing the joy and sufferings of Christ because he is our saviour, and because we truly love one another.

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Want to know more about eternal life in Christ? Contact us.

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Next: Amen