Bible Study
Hi there,
As promised in my latest YouTube video ‘God’s Greatest Gift‘ please find the study notes below.
There’ is a critical omission in that video between the 23rd and .the 25th minute of recording.
We read in 1 Corinthians 15:54 that we (spirits) are clothed in a mortal body. And this body goes through tear and wear, this body wasn’t exactly redeemed, our spirit is, …..so this explains why we still die despite the truth that we received eternal life through Christ.
“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” NKJV
This does not in anyway mean that we go ahead, throw up our hands in air, in hopelessness when death or sickness knocks. No!
We must be reminded of Romans 8:11
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11
The gift of eternal life we have through the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is a STEADY supply of life and health to our mortal bodies.
Because the Spirit of God is in us, the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, the Spirit of Eternal Life, this same Spirit GIVES LIFE to our mortal bodies. And “out of our bellies (spirit/heart) should continually flow RIVERS of Living Waters…Words of Life….inspired by the Spirit in Us. This way, our mortal bodies continue to live and enjoy a sweet supply of the life of God. Continually. Hallelujah!!!
I know that this study will bless you. If you have not watched the video, please make out time to watch it.
My Love Always ❤
………………………………………..
1. What is God’s greatest gift?
If I asked a group of persons, say in a Sunday School class; ‘What is God’s Greatest Gift to Mankind?, I am sure to get a myriad of answers.
Some would say ‘GRACE’ and that will not be entirely wrong- Ephesians 2:8, Ephesians 3:7, etc point to GRACE as the gift of God.
Some would quote any of the 7 gifts of the Spirit in Isaiah 11:1-2;
- “The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord”
Some would say it is one of The God Appointed Gifts for the Church we see in 1 Corinthians 12: 28-
- Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, Healings, Helps, Administrations, Varieties of tongues.
- and the greatest of this group of Gifts ….LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13.
Everyone given any of these gifts is expected to minister them also to the Body of Christ……”As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” These gifts are GRACES.
Some would say the Holy Spirit- many scriptures, I chose 2;
- And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also” Acts 10:45 NKJV
- Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 NKJV
So many, majority would say, Jesus Christ. And that’s what I would have answered without blinking some moments ago……
- John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ‘ John 3:16. NKJV
- “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”
- “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!“
- II Corinthians 9:15 NKJV
But what really is the greatest gift of God? Did I hear you ask “Grace, are you saying it’s not Jesus Christ?’ Yes please! Jesus is Not God’s greatest Gift to mankind. Let’s look at some scriptures together……
- For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ‘ John 3:16. NKJV
- John 10:28- “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand”
- John 17:2- “You gave the Son power over all people so that he could give eternal life to all those you have given to him.” ERV
- Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. NKJV.
From these scriptures, we see that God’s greatest gift to mankind is eternal life!
God sent us His Son to the world, to save the world, great, but importantly to plant eternal life in everyone that believes. This doesn’t really sound fantastic does it? It is more exciting and heartwarming to think that Christ came to save us-from sin, sickness, oppression and all forms of poverty! I agree, but God’s ultimate plan was to give back to man eternal life. Why is Eternal life important to God? We’ll answer that in a bit, but first, what is eternal life?
Look at what Jesus said in John 12:49-50…..
- John 12:49-50 – “For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” NKJV
2. What is Eternal life?
- John 6:47- Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
- John 10:28- “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand”
- -“That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit” NKJV
- And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” ERV. FELLOWSHIP.
- ‘The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.’ NKJV.
From the above Bible portions, Eternal life means Everlasting life, Eternal life means never ending life, means never perishing, means life more abundantly, means continuous life.
And I can hear your question; why then do Believers still die, even though they’ve received eternal life- ………Because we wear mortal bodies, this flesh, it Must pass away.
Look at 1 Corinthians 15:54…..
- So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” NKJV
- “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—”
I Corinthians 15:51 NKJV - “But listen, I tell you this secret: We will not all die, but we will all be changed.“
1 Corinthians 15:51 ERV - “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
Romans 14:8 NKJV.
3. Why is eternal life important to God?
- It is His promise and God is a promise keeper-
-1 John 2:25- ‘And this is the promise that He has promised us”—eternal life” NKJV.
– “‘in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, ‘ Titus 1:2 NKJV.
- It is His Will- “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- It is God’s original design for man-
Genesis 2:17- ‘but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” NKJV…..
AND Genesis 3:22 ….”Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— NKJV……
God didn’t want man to live forever in a sinful state. You know! I always wondered why God only pointed out the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to Adam in Genesis 2:17! Why didn’t He mention the tree of life at this point? This is what I think- because man didn’t need it. God breathed His life, Spirit into man after forming Him from the dust of the earth, man didn’t have any business with the tree of life. He had God-kind of life. He had everlasting life. So the tree of life was neither a need nor a threat to man. These are my personal thoughts.
Following this line of thought is my concern about scriptures like Revelation 2:7…….
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
Revelation 2:7 NKJV
Revelation 2:7, seems to suggest that eternal life will be rewarded to God’s people in eternity! But is that exactly correct? Does it not negate John 6:47- that reads; “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life” This was Jesus giving an assurance of eternal life if you believe in Him….
So if we say that Jesus Christ came to give us eternal life and when we receive Jesus we have it, then why Revelations 2:7?……Again, my personal thoughts…….it is for those who didn’t die in Christ Jesus. They didn’t receive eternal life and to continue reigning with Christ, fellowshipping with the Father, they’ll need to eat from the tree of life.
Look at the following portion of scripture……
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2 NKJV
- God created man in His image for fellowship-
1 John 1:1-3- ‘That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ‘ NKJV
- To keep us safe from the Destroyer…..following the fall.
John 10:28-“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand”
Same scripture from the Message Translation……”I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and the Thief. No one could ever get them away from Him. I and the Father are one heart and mind” John 10:28-30.
- Eternal Life keeps us in the Covenant…..keeps us connected to the Father. Whether we are Alive or dead (physically). ……In John 6:54-58; We see a connection between eternal life, the communion, and the hope of resurrection.
‘Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”’ John 6:54-58. NKJV.
Because we have eternal life we cannot be lost even if dead. We are connected to the Father. What is the gateway to eternal life?
4. What is the gateway to eternal life?
The people of old actually understood God’s greatest gift and they wanted it! The woman at the well in John 4:10, The Luke 10:25 Lawyer, The Ruler in Luke 18:18, Interesting also how Peter (the talkative) recognized that Jesus had the access to eternal life (John 6:68).
- Eternal life is in Jesus Christ-
- John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ‘ John 3:16. NKJV
- John 6:47- Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.
- John 10:10 – ‘The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.’ NKJV.
- John 5:24- “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” NKJV
- John 17: 3- “And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God, and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent.” ERV. FELLOWSHIP
- 1 John 5:11
You cannot go to the Father except through Christ. Jesus says He is the Way, Truth and Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me (…). So the moment you have Jesus Christ, you have Eternal life, and you can have FELLOWSHIP with the Father.Who can have eternal life?
5. Who can have eternal life?
Whosoever believes !!! -John 3:16
6. How can anyone receive eternal life?
through Jesus Christ.
Give Your life to Jesus Christ Now.
7. What are you doing with the greatest gift God gave you?
- Jeremiah 29:11:
- Win souls
- Overcome
- Live victoriously
- Have the hope of glory.
