When I Accepted and Believed the Gospel as True
The Reward Is Eternal
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned but has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:42
In this commentary, I will share my personal experience that led me to become born again and, consequently, to receive the “free” gift of eternal life. Here are the events in my life that led me to understand the simplicity of the gospel.
My parents raised me in the Roman Catholic faith. I attended a catholic school. I was an altar boy, regularly scheduled to assist the priest serving Mass. It was all in Latin then. There were many rituals, ceremonies, and strict observances. On the first Friday of each month, a priest would come to the school to hear confessions, and then we would go to the 11 am church service. The month of May was specially consecrated to Mary, Jesus’ mother, through daily prayers, including reciting the rosary, kneeling before her statue holding baby Jesus, and, at the same time, crushing the serpent's head with her heel. Lent was a special time when we gave up something, mostly sweets, for forty days. Was it then that I received the gift of eternal life? If I had died, then as a good catholic, would I have received eternal life? After all, I burned candles for those who were stuck in purgatory, and I confessed my sins regularly. No. I would have gone to hell. God forbids us to pray to the dead to intercede on our behalf. Only Jesus is our intercessor. He also forbids calling a religious figure Father. That is reserved for God, the Father only. Jesus instructed us to avoid repetitive prayer and to pray in the privacy of our rooms. No, I did not receive the gift of eternal life by following my parents' tradition and religious custom of the Roman Catholic Church.
I stopped going to Sunday Mass during my mid-teens. I slowly got interested in the New Age trend. I was more interested in girls than in religion. Gradually, I became more involved in the New Age movement and began studying paranormal phenomena.
The paranormal included ESP, clairvoyance, mind over matter, communicating with a guide (angel), and more. I finished college and got a job. A co-worker was also very involved in the paranormal. Actually, he was so involved that he let a demon take control of him. He would allow it. He informed me that Satan wanted to see me. That's when I realized who was behind the paranormal movement. Satan wanted to use me as he had used my co-worker. Then I asked God the Father to protect me. God did protect me. Satan and his demons were unable to enter my body or use me to further their agenda. I eventually quit my job and moved on. Was that when I received the gift of eternal life? After all, God had answered my prayer to protect me from demons. No. If I had died, I would have ended up in hell.
One rainy morning on my way to work, I was driving up a small winding curve on a hill. My car lost control, and I was heading toward two young boys who were on their way to school. My foot was on the brake pedal, but I couldn't stop; I could see their fear as I approached. I asked God to take my life in exchange for theirs... Immediately, the car swerved and crashed on the opposite side of the road in a rocky ditch. The boys were unharmed. My car was totalled. Was that when I received the gift of eternal life? After all, I gave my life to God in exchange for the lives of the two young boys. No, I did not receive the gift of eternal life then, either.
A door-to-door salesman knocked at my door. Without any hesitation, I asked if he had a bible. That is when I became curious and began searching for the truth. In those days, as a Catholic, owning a Bible was forbidden, especially one with a complete Old Testament version. A good friend invited me to a weekend retreat. It was a gathering of young men to get to know Jesus. Throughout the weekend, I listened to testimonies about how Jesus has affected their lives and helped them overcome huge obstacles. It emotionally moved me. I asked Jesus to come into my life. It changed me; it helped me reconcile with my father and express my love to my mother, brother and sister. Was that when I received the gift of eternal life? No,
I became interested in joining a Christian denomination. I got involved with the Worldwide Church of God. To become a member, I had to go to a series of interviews. I was even told that I must stop smoking before being baptised. So I quit smoking, got baptized, submerged in water, their hands were laid on my head, and elders prayed for me. This denomination observed the Sabbath day of rest, from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.
We also observed all the Jewish feast days, which took place in the Spring and Fall seasons. I paid tithe, plus a special tithe set aside for the Feast of Tabernacles, and, every third year, a special tithe dedicated to the needy in the church. I also keep the special dietary ordinance, avoiding unclean food as prescribed in the Book of the Law of Moses. It required a lot of discipline to set aside at least half an hour for morning and bedtime prayer, and at least one hour of Bible study each day. Surely, at this time, you would conclude that I received the gift of eternal life. No. If I had died then, I would have ended up in hell.
So, what does it take to receive the "free" gift of eternal life? Is it by going to church every Saturday or Sunday? Is it by giving one's heart to Jesus? Is it by being part of a congregation? Is it by swearing an oath? Is it by keeping the 613 commandments? Is it by sinning no more? Is it by walking down to the front of the congregation stage to accept Jesus as my Lord? Is it by serving in the community? Is it by giving to the poor? Is it by having good conduct and a good reputation? Is it by stopping smoking and drinking? No, none of the above will do. Therefore, what should we do to receive the “free” gift of eternal life?
Some of you would probably argue that God is not that finicky and that He sees the heart. Is God that difficult? The opposite is true: God made receiving the gift of eternal life so simple and easy that it is hard to see.
What must we do? What work must we do to receive the gift of eternal life? Circumstances in my life led me to leave the Worldwide Church of God. I did not attend any other denomination. I took it upon myself to find the truth by reading the Bible, rather than relying on anyone's church version to explain it. Something was just not right. There are so many denominations, and all claim to have the truth. Yet, why are Christians divided? Right then are signs that something is drastically wrong. I find they all contain some truth, but their theology is also confusing. I decided to go back to the basics and question everything I was taught.
I started reading the Bible again, but this time I took it as is and took Jesus at His word. What makes God's word difficult to understand? We tend to view the Bible from a secular world perspective. We conclude that it is too difficult to understand; therefore, it is better to leave it to the theologians.
I came across an important verse that encouraged my research:
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day," John 6:44.
God definitely was drawing me to His Son, Jesus. All these past experiences of God reveal that He wanted me to understand something very important, and who would guess that it would pertain to the gift of eternal life?
I read many commentaries. I eventually narrowed my sources to three authors: Lambert Dolphin, Ray Stedman, Jack Kelley and, recently, Andy Woods. They also provided YouTube and MP3 versions of the Bible study. You will find the link below. They all agree that receiving the "free" gift of eternal life means believing that the Son of God is Lord and that He rose from the dead. In all its simplicity, all it takes to receive eternal life is to choose to believe in our Lord and King, Jesus.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light,” Matthew 11:28-30.
We often associate this verse with the problems we face in life. Yes, Jesus will help us face life’s troubles, but this verse is directed to a Jewish audience. The Jews are burdened by observing all the laws and ordinances described in the Book of Leviticus. The Pharisees and the Sadducees only made matters worse by adding more to the laws. The Jews are the ones Jesus was addressing; hey, I know by experience, I lived it. Working for my salvation, meaning working to receive eternal life, is a heavy-laden burden, and it is tough labour to keep our salvation. Jesus explains that learning from Him means taking Him at His word, and you will find rest, which in turn means stopping work. Take the example of God, who rested on the seventh day. He stopped creating and working.
What is Jesus' yoke that is so easy? What is Jesus' burden that is so light? It is to BELIEVE. Is it that simple? To believe in what? Believe that He did all the work so you may receive eternal life, and that He is responsible for keeping you in it.
"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand," John 10:28.
In addition, if that did not convince you, this verse should:
"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand, My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand," John 10:28-29
Take the example of Naaman, commander of the king of Syria’s army, as found in 2 Kings 5. He had leprosy. He heard from a young Jewish girl servant in his wife's household that a prophet in Samaria named Elisha could heal him. He brought it to his king's attention. His king told him to seek out the prophet, be healed, and bring silver, gold, and clothing. Therefore, Naaman did so. When he arrived at Elisha's house, Elisha sent his servant to meet Naaman at the door and give instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times.
Naaman was furious that Elisha did not make a special ritual and prayer to heal him. He left, fuming. However, one of Naaman's servants asked him, "Would you not follow Elisha's instruction if he were to ask you to do something great to show that you are worthy to receive healing? But instead, he asked you to do something as simple as to dip seven times in the Jordan River." This convinced Naaman, so he followed Elisha's instructions and observed his flesh restored like the flesh of a little child.
Naaman was very happy and wanted to reward Elisha with silver, gold and clothing. Elisha refused to receive anything. The purpose of God's healing of Naaman, an enemy of Israel, was to prove that there is no other God on all the earth except in Israel.
Are we not all like Naaman? We refused to consider that the gift of eternal life is so simple to receive. Moreover, there is nothing we can do or give to keep it? Therefore, why are you persisting in disobeying His instruction to believe in His Son, who did it all for us and promised that nothing will ever take it away? Recognise God's mercy and grace and testify that there is no other God on all the earth except in Israel, and His name is Jesus.
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23:19
By Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone!
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
What is the Gospel?
Jesus, the Son of God, shed His blood on the cross, died, was buried for three days, and was resurrected
Word of advice...when in doubt, take Jesus by His word.
This verse describes the final nail on the cross:
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them," Ephesians 2:4-10, NKJV
And Romans 10:9
"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
The Reward Is Eternal
Welcome to the Family of God
