Free Gift of Eternal Life (1)

Gifts Are Powerful, Wonderful Things

1. Gifts are excellent things with great benefits and power (Pr 17:8,23; 18:16; 19:6; 21:14).
2. God richly gives men good things to enjoy like food (Matt 5:45; Acts 14:17; I Tim 6:17).
3. It is a fact every good gift and perfect gift comes down from the Father above (Jas 1:17).
4. How big of a free gift would thrill your soul, excite your love, and motivate your service, yet what God freely gave us through the death of His Son exceeds even the imagination.
5. God chose various words and concepts to describe salvation, but He calls it a free gift; we do not want to compromise either word, since they unite to mock Arminian offers.
6. The bigger a gift and its cost and the more undeserved it is should highly exalt the Giver.
7. You know no trouble like sin, death, and eternal hell nor know any gift like eternal life.
8. No one ever gave you a gift with any cost comparable to the death of God’s only Son.
9. God gave this unspeakable gift of the highest cost and value to His inveterate enemies.

Popular, Profane Plans of Eternal Life

1. Most Christians today confuse gifts and offers to beg sinners to accept or receive
2. Christians without total submission to the Bible end up requiring all sinners to perform, without regard for man’s total depravity … or the stated gift of eternal life by imputation … or the glory of God in jeopardy by ascribing the determining difference to man’s will.
3. Here is a thumbnail sketch of how the conservative religious world gets people saved.
   1. God loves all mankind with incredible concern and wants to save every one of them.
   2. Jesus Christ died for all the sins of all men and offers them the chance of eternal life.
   3. If a sinner wants to have his sins paid for and go to heaven, he must accept the offer.
   4. The acceptance is a simple decision of child-like faith to invite Jesus into their heart.
   5. Then repentance, baptism, or good works may be added to confirm the little decision.
4. Only two plans of salvation – conditional by an offering or unconditional by a free gift.
   1. We have proved this before by seven categories of detailed Bible proof … here, here.
   2. For an explanation of how all salvation verses fit together – five phases … here, here.
5. A true gift is a bestowal without conditions, so it can be certain and free to the recipient.
   1. A good example of a gift is a man’s will freely bequeathing property (Heb 9:15-17).
   2. A good example of a gift is a presidential pardon called a stay of execution … here.
   3. A good example is the intentional act of adoption of an infant without knowledge.
   4. A good example is a transfer of funds to pay down or pay off the debts of a person.
   5. The best example is imputation of Adam’s sin and guilt = count, account, or reckon.
   6. The best example is intentional by grace through faith to save all (Ro 4:16; Eph 2:8).
   7. It does not matter if you actively accept or receive these examples – the gift is assigned or transferred to the beneficiary or recipient; neglect of the gift merely and only causes you to lose some personal enjoyment or further rewards by ignoring it.
6. An offer is a payment or reward for performance or work and depends on the recipient.
   1. A good example is Moses’ system of religion of … do these commandments and live.
   2. A good example is bonuses and incentive compensation of work done to meet goals.
   3. It matters entirely that you accept, receive, and perform, or the offer is not realized.
   4. An offer is wages for you doing a job meeting the givers requirements for the wages.
   5. An offer with benefits only by performance is salvation by works (Rom 4:4-5; 11:6).
7. An evangelist offering a watch to show how you must accept it ignores man’s condition.
   1. Arminians reject depravity of man’s will, so any man can grasp and love the gospel.
   2. Arminians worship man’s free will, ignoring Eden, so man is not dead in trespasses.
   3. Arminians therefore work to dilute what is required and use any gimmicks to entice.
   4. Arminians believe a man can escape the strong man by hearing of the stronger Man.
   5. The cure for cancer offered to a corpse in a hospital or funeral home has no value.
8. After this ancient evangelistic tactic of a watch came every foolish practice of heretics.
   1. Charles Finney invented the mourners bench for an act at a church altar to get saved.
   2. Then came the lordship controversy to deny accepting Jesus as Lord to get saved.
   3. Sermons are diluted to nothing, like Jack Hyles asking if you want to go to heaven.
   4. Music of various kinds, endless appeals, celebrity testimonies, sad stories of sinners dying without a decision, verses on eyelids, and other nonsense are among tactics.
9. Foolish Arminians use a “Romans Road” to preach a conditional offer (Romans 6:23).
   1. Of course, they ignore chapters in Romans like 1:18-32; 3:9-18; 5:12-19; 9:1-24.
   2. Their ignorance, like painting John 3:16 on their eyelids, cannot comprehend a gift.
   3. They think that a gift must be received in order to be transferred, but that is wrong.
   4. If a person is dead in bed, offering medicine is of no help; they must be given life.
   5. If a person is on death row, pardoning him extends his life, no matter his response.
   6. If a will transfers an estate to a person, it does not affect title, if they enjoy it or not.
   7. The only offer we read about is Jesus offering Himself to God (Heb 9:14,26, etc.).
   8. The key accepting we read about is God accepting sinners in the Beloved (Eph 1:6).
   9. A gospel offering life by conditions is works and puts God in debt (Rom 4:4-5; 11:6).
10. They will muster a Legion of misinterpretations and sound bites to present their heresy.
    1. Matthew 24:13 is ripped out of its context to require perseverance for eternal life.
    2. Mark 16:16 says faith needs baptism for salvation, but baptism is fearfully separated.
    3. John 1:12 is only half a sentence, and the second half denies their corruption of it.
    4. John 3:3 is not instruction to get born again but evidence of it by God’s will (3:8).
    5. John 6:37b is only half a verse, and the first half of it denies their corruption of it.
    6. Romans 6:23 is a glorious, powerful verse, but it has no offer of eternal life in it.
    7. Romans 10:9 follows 10:1 of Paul’s prayer for an Israel and chapter 9 about election.
    8. II Peter 3:9 of God not wanting any to perish cannot violate context and scripture.
    9. Revelation 3:20 has nothing to do with eternal life, but they will boldly misuse it.

God Gives Eternal Life as a Free Gift

1. The FIRST GIFT of salvation is that God gave the elect to Jesus Christ by covenant.
   1. God chose certain persons and gave them to Christ’s charge (Eph 1:3-4; II Tim 1:9).
   2. Jesus said He came to die for those the Father gave Him (Jn 6:37-39; 10:26-29; 17:2).
   3. God’s electing and predestinating gift clears and guarantees them (Romans 8:28-39).
   4. The angels knew about the gift, and Jesus shall declare it again (Mat 1:21; Heb 2:13).
   5. Not one gave himself to God as the basis for God’s choice (Psalm 14:2-3; I Pet 1:2).
   6. The recipients of His gift were written in eternity in the book of life (Rev 13:8; 17:8).
   7. These are the chosen, elect, and predestinated of God for eternal life (Rom 9:8-24; 11:5,7,28; I Cor 1:27-31; I Thess 1:2-4; II Thess 2:13; II Tim 2:10,19; II Pet 1:5-11).
2. The SECOND GIFT of salvation is that God gave Jesus Christ to die for the elect.
   1. God promised eternal life before Genesis and assigned Jesus (Titus 1:2; I Pet 1:20).
   2. Jesus Christ, having power over His life, gave it for the sheep (Jn 10:11,15; Eph 5:2).
   3. Jesus gave Himself a ransom (Matt 20:28; Gal 1:4; Eph 5:25; I Tim 2:6; Titus 2:14).
   4. If men read their favorite verse wisely, God gave His Son as a gift to guarantee the eternal life of believers, including His Gentile children through the world (Jn 3:16).
   5. The driving love behind eternal life is God’s love of His children (I Jn 4:9-11; 3:1).
   6. No man could have even touched Jesus without God’s gift (John 19:11; 10:17-18)
   7. This gift of God sending His Son to pay for sins is His choice (Rom 3:25; Dan 9:24).
3. The THIRD GIFT of salvation is God gave Jesus Christ authority over the human race.
   1. Power here is authority (John 19:10; Rom 13:1-3; I Cor 7:4; 9:4-6; II Tim 3:5; etc.).
   2. Flesh here is mankind, obviously excluding angel spirits, and all irrational animals.
   3. God saving animals and/or taking them to heaven is absurd heresy (Eccl 3:21; 12:7).
   4. Jesus created all things without any exception (John 1:1-3; Eph 3:9; Hebrews 1:2).
   5. Jesus’ authority to judge had been stated (John 3:35-36; 5:17-30; 6:37,44; 10:26-29).
   6. God made Jesus Christ the final, authoritative Judge over all men (John 5:22,26-27)
   7. Men will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:9-11; II Cor 5:9-11).
   8. Jesus Himself will curse angels and men into eternal torment (Matt 7:21-23; 25:41).
   9. Grasp the obvious point here, far beyond general providence, is your eternal destiny.
   10. When we say Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, do you fully understand these terms?
4. The FOURTH GIFT of salvation Jesus gave eternal life to those the Father gave Him.
   1. Eternal life is repeatedly stated as the gift of God (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8; I John 5:11).
   2. Jesus gave eternal life to those the Father gave Him (Jn 10:28-29; 17:2; I Cor 15:57).
   3. The gift of God was by grace and given freely (Rom 3:24; 5:15-18; 8:32; I Cor 2:12).
   4. Man earned sin’s wages, death, but God gave us the opposite (Rom 6:23; II Pet 1:3).
   5. God gave a law through Moses, but eternal life was given by promise (Gal 3:21-22).
   6. Man is unwilling and unable to receive this gift actively (I Cor 2:14; Ephesians 2:1).
      1. Receive = To take in one’s hand, or into one’s possession (something held out or offered). To accept (something offered or presented). Man must act to receive.
      2. Active receiving is common (Rom 14:1; I Cor 9:24; Col 2:6; I Tim 4:4; Jas 2:25).
      3. Receive = To have (a thing) given, bestowed, or conferred. To be the object of (some action); to experience or meet with (some treatment). Man is acted upon.
      4. Passive receiving is common (Jn 7:23; Ac 3:7; Rom 1:27; II Cor 11:24; I Pet 1:9).
   7. None see, hear, understand, believe, seek, please (Jn 3:3; 8:43; 10:26; Ro 3:11; 8:8).
   8. Man is passive in God’s gift (John 1:16; Rom 5:11,17; I Cor 4:7; Gal 4:5; Heb 1:3; 9:15), which makes it an unconditional gift we must never allow to be compromised.
   9. All the phases of God’s gift of eternal life should be understood well to see its glory.
5. These SEVERAL GIFTS Jesus described in His prayer to His Father before His arrest.
   1. His prayer with His apostles and for His apostles and for us is glorious (Jn 17:1-3).
   2. The reason Jesus came to die was the mutual glory of Jehovah God and His Son
   3. God gave Jesus complete and sovereign rule over all mankind to determine destinies.
   4. God had given His elect to Jesus to save, and Jesus was to give them eternal life.
   5. The words allow no possibility at all that even one of the elect could be lost to hell.
   6. Eternal life is not the result of knowing God and His Son but rather the means for it.
   7. In one incredible verse – verse 2 – there are three gifts that result in our eternal life.
   8. See three gifts – not one involves man’s choice, but especially not the combination.
   9. These incredible facts about eternal life in Christ should cause all else in life to fade.
6. The TOTAL GIFT described above in components is unspeakably great (II Cor 9:15).
   1. The choice by the creator and holy God of the Bible to save vile rebels by the death of His only begotten Son is an incredible transaction not left to human cooperation.
   2. There is not any chance even one of God’s elect will miss eternal life, for all shall be saved without loss of one (John 6:37-39; 17:2; Romans 4:16; 8:28-39; Heb 2:13).
   3. If Jesus Christ does not actively save you, there is no hope or reason for salvation, for God’s gift is not the Arminian foolish and vain offer that fails in 97% of all men.
   4. The combination of gifts described here exalt the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ and the unconditional nature of the gift of eternal life without any human assistance.
   5. When this section is understood, no wonder the gospel is glad tidings of good things.
   6. The bigger a gift, its cost, and how undeserved it is should exalt both it and the Giver.
   7. If you do not like His total sovereignty in life, He mocks you (Is 45:9-10; Dan 4:34).

Offering of Eternal Life Starts to God

1. The FIRST OFFERING of salvation is Jesus offered Himself to God (Heb 9:11-15).
   1. Jesus, spotless Lamb of God, offered Himself to God in heaven, not to man on earth.
   2. The Holy Spirit was with the Man Christ Jesus during His earthly ministry (Is 42:1; 61:1; Matthew 12:18; Luke 4:18; John 3:34; Acts 1:2; 10:38; Hebrews 1:9).
   3. And the Spirit raised Him from the dead in power (Rom 1:4; I Tim 3:16; I Pet 3:18).
   4. Moses’ offerings recalled sins; Jesus’ offering put them away (Heb 9:8-15; 10:1-9).
   5. Jesus offers Himself no more; His offering was once (Heb 7:27; 9:24-28; 10:10-18).
   6. Jesus offered Himself to God for us; He did not offer Himself to us (Matt 20:28; John 15:13; II Cor 5:14-15; 8:9; Galatians 1:4; 2:20; Ephesians 5:2,25; I Tim 2:6,14; Titus 2:14; I Peter 2:21-24; 3:18; I John 3:16; Revelation 1:5).
   7. His offering to God was totally and finally accepted as you will see with proof below.
2. The SECOND OFFERING of salvation is the gospel for knowledge, assurance, etc.
   1. The gospel is good news for the elect to learn things (Rom 1:11-17; I Cor 1:21-24).
   2. The gospel brings life and immortality to light by news (II Tim 1:9-10; Is 55:1-3).
   3. The deep things of God are revealed to us by the Spirit and preaching (I Cor 2:6-12).
   4. The gospel offers an easy yoke and light burden for rest (Mat 11:28-30; Heb 4:1-11).
   5. Gospel faith marks the elect ordained to eternal life (Acts 13:46-48; II Cor 2:14-17).
   6. Arminians are sacramentalists like priests, carrying a gospel remedy for salvation.
   7. But if the gospel is the necessary offer for eternal life, why was it sent only to some?
3. The THIRD OFFERING of salvation is Jesus offering blessings for faith and works.
   1. There is grace in which we stand after and different from eternal life (Rom 5:3-5).
   2. If we open the door to greater fellowship with Him, He will come in to us (Rev 3:20).
   3. If we love Him and keep His commandments, He will come to us (John 14:21-23).
   4. The water of life – eternal life – offered in the gospel is free to take (Rev 21:6; 22:17).
   5. When the elect pray, an angel before God’s throne offers incense (Revelation 8:3-4).
4. The FOURTH OFFERING of salvation is our offer of love and obedience to Him.
   1. Paul’s evangelism among Gentiles was an offering to God (Rom 15:16; Mal 1:11).
   2. We can by holy lives and lips offer acceptable sacrifices (Heb 13:15-16; I Pet 2:5).
   3. It is our reasonable service to offer back to God our lives a sacrifice (Rom 12:1-2).
   4. We can answer God in baptism by immersion for what He gave in Christ (I Pet 3:21).
5. The HERESY OF AN OFFER of eternal life by God to sinners is hopelessly profane.
   1. If God offered eternal life by your compliance, all would reject it (Ps 14:1-3; Jn 5:39-40; 6:44,65; 8:43,47; Rom 3:9-18; 5:6; 8:7-8; I Cor 2:14; II Cor 2:14-17; 4:3-4).
   2. A gospel based on an offer requiring your assistance is impossible and deprives Him.
   3. Our receiving related to eternal life is only passive (Rom 5:11,17; Gal 4:5; Heb 9:15).
   4. The receiving in John is the result of God’s prior work (John 1:12-13; Romans 9:16).
   5. If the offer is crucial, why was it withheld from most men in history (Ps 147:19-20)?
   6. If the offer is the means, salvation is by silver and gold for missions (I Pet 1:18-21).
   7. If heaven is an offer, then the difference between heaven and hell is all that you do.
   8. If heaven is an offer, then you got your name written in it sometime by your works.
   9. If heaven is an offer, then it is by obedience of many – you, soul winner, pianist, etc.

Acceptance of Salvation Is God of Us

1. The FIRST ACCEPTANCE of salvation is God accepting Jesus’ death (Heb 9:11-15).
   1. He obtained eternal redemption and inheritance for us, proving God had accepted it.
   2. God was totally pleased and satisfied by His Son’s sacrifice for us (Isaiah 53:10-12).
   3. God raised Him from the dead, and He took the book out of His hand (Rev 5:1-14).
   4. He saved us and sat down at God’s right hand (Heb 1:3; 10:12; 12:2; Ro 8:34; etc.).
   5. He fulfilled His role as Savior very well, so God highly exalted Him (Phil 2:5-11).
2. The SECOND ACCEPTANCE is God accepting us (Eph 1:6; Rom 15:7; Heb 12:6).
   1. God made us acceptable in Christ by His death (Romans 3:22-26; 5:6-11; 5:12-19).
   2. Rejoice in Paul’s difference between knowing God or being known of God (Gal 4:9).
   3. Remember, we love Him because He first loved us, proving acceptance (I John 4:19).
   4. We emphasize legal acceptance here, but it transitions into practical (II Cor 5:9-11).
   5. Our obedience only shows we are already accepted by God (Acts 10:34-35; 13:48).
   6. Conversion of the Gentiles was acceptable to God by the Holy Spirit (Rom 15:16).
3. The THIRD ACCEPTANCE is our reception of gospel news of His gift (Acts 17:11).
   1. Paul said the news of Christ saving sinners is worthy of all acceptation (I Tim 1:15).
   2. Gospel preaching brings the news of reconciliation to God, and it brings life and immortality to light, but it does not produce the events (II Cor 5:18-19; II Tim 1:10).
   3. Our receiving the gospel is only by God’s power (Jn 1:12-13; 6:44,65; Acts 16:14).
   4. Believing the gospel saves practically (Acts 10:43; 26:18; II Cor 5:19-20; Jas 1:21).
   5. Paul warned of receiving grace in vain – the gospel of grace (I Cor 15:1; II Cor 6:1).
   6. Knowing God and faith in Christ are results of eternal life, not conditions (Jn 17:3).
   7. Assurance of election and Jesus’ death are good works (I Thess 1:2-4; II Pet 1:5-11).
4. The FOURTH ACCEPTANCE of salvation is God’s acceptance of our obedience.
   1. We saw our legal acceptance earlier, but it transitions into practical (II Cor 5:9-11).
   2. Our obedience is necessary for God to accept us practically (II Cor 6:14-18; 7:1).
   3. Since we are accepted in Christ, God accepts worship by Him (I Pet 2:5; Col 3:17).
   4. He worked in us to will and do His pleasure; we work it out boldly (Phil 2:12-13).
   5. Our obedience only shows we are already accepted by God (Acts 10:34-35; 13:48).
   6. God will accept works (Rom 14:18; Phil 4:18; I Tim 2:3; 5:4; Heb 12:28; I Pet 2:20).
   7. We apply ourselves to prove what is God’s acceptable will (Eph 5:10; Rom 12:1-2).

Response to His Gift Should Move Us

1. It is beautifully and powerfully logical you owe the Giver your life (II Cor 5:14-15).
2. Arminians, not having read past faith sound bites, deny the truth a motive for godliness.
   1. But we know that only good works prove God’s sovereign gift of life (II Pet 1:5-11).
   2. And we further know that the vast majority of Arminian decisions amount to nothing.
   3. And trust in one’s own choice that they can renew often has no urgency for godliness.
3. For a presidential pardon on death row, you would do anything for a stay of execution and then because of it. Anything! Every day would be a gift to enjoy and serve the giver.
4. Paul’s use of God’s unspeakable gift was to provoke Corinthians to give (II Cor 9:15).
5. Brotherly love becomes simple in light of God’s love for us (I John 3:11-19; 4:7-21).
6. God’s elect will live holy lives to be like their Father for His great gift (I Pet 1:10-21).
7. Jesus Christ’s death should motivate us and illustrate how we should live (I Pet 4:1-5).
8. We were created and saved by God: we owe holiness in body and spirit (I Cor 6:13-20).