Grace Evangelical Society

P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202
  • About
    • Home
    • Beliefs
    • Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • Resources
    • Grace in Focus Blog
    • Grace in Focus International Blogs
    • Grace in Focus Radio
    • Grace in Focus Magazine
    • Free eBooks
    • Journal of the GES
    • Book Reviews
    • Partners in Grace Newsletter
    • Audio Messages
    • Videos
    • Email Subscription
    • Bookstore
    • Online Tracts
  • Store
    • Main Page
    • On Sale
    • Return Policy
    • Your Cart
    • Your Account
  • Events
  • Connect
    • Contact Us
    • Free Grace Church and Bible Study Tracker
    • Free Grace Jobs
    • Ministry Links
  • Donate
    • One Time Donation
    • Monthly Donation
    • Your Account
  • Search
Home
→
Blog
→
The Messiah and Eternal Life (John 6:68-69; 11:25-27)

The Messiah and Eternal Life (John 6:68-69; 11:25-27)

May 20, 2019 by Shawn Lazar in Blog - Christ, Christology, eternal life, evangelism

Some people say we must believe that Jesus is the Christ, without necessarily believing in Him for eternal life or any other kind of salvation.

By contrast, we argue that when you believe that Jesus is the Christ—i.e., the Savior—you must have some understanding of the kind of salvation He brings. To believe in Jesus as the Christ is to believe in Him as the One who gives eternal salvation.

Adam and Eve could have lived forever with God. Instead, they brought death into the world. It was understood that the promised Messiah would take care of that fundamental problem.

Here are two passages which strongly suggest that people understood the Messiah is the One Who brought eternal life.

The first example will be familiar to readers of this blog:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world” (John 11:25-27).

Jesus asked Martha if she believed Him when He promised that whoever believes in Him “will never die” (i.e., have eternal life). She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ.” For Martha, it seems that the title “the Christ” was shorthand for the One Who gives eternal life through faith. Imagine if someone came to you and said, “Do you believe that I am the chief diplomat, chief executive and chief administrator of this country, and commander-in-chief of its armed forces?” You could answer, “Yes, I believe that you’re the President.” The title “President” summarizes those descriptions.

But here’s an even earlier example, from John 6:

Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:67-69).

Peter did not want to leave Jesus because He believed Jesus was “the Christ” who had “the words of eternal life.” That is what the Christ does—He preaches words of eternal life, and He gives eternal life to believers.

When you tell people that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, what kind of salvation do you say He came to bring? Eternal? Or something less?

Subscribe by Email

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Shawn_L

by Shawn Lazar

Shawn Lazar (BTh, McGill; MA, VU Amsterdam) was the Editor of Grace in Focus magazine and Director of Publications for Grace Evangelical Society from May 2012 through June 2022. He and his wife Abby have three children. He has written several books including: Beyond Doubt: How to Be Sure of Your Salvation and Chosen to Serve: Why Divine Election Is to Service, Not to Eternal Life.

If you wish to ask a question about a given blog, email us your question at ges@faithalone.org.

Cart

Recently Added

February 8, 2023

Can I Dance and Still Be Saved?

Recently, I taught a Sunday school class at a Baptist church in the town of Aldama, Mexico. It’s about a four-hour drive south of El...
February 7, 2023

If You Throw Away or Abandon Your Faith, How Can You Still Be Saved?

Welcome to Grace in Focus radio. Today, Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates answer a question about “falling away from the faith.” What is the meaning...
February 7, 2023

Will the United States Be Excluded from Jesus’ Kingdom? 

Marguerite Galbraith, Sharon’s best friend, raised this interesting question. Many Evangelicals speculate that the United States will not be part of the Lord’s kingdom since...

Grace in Focus Radio

All Episodes

Listen to Stitcher

Listen on Spotify

Grace In Focus Magazine

Grace In Focus is sent to subscribers in the United States free of charge.

Subscribe for Free

The primary source of Grace Evangelical Society's funding is through charitable contributions. GES uses all contributions and proceeds from the sales of our resources to further the gospel of grace in the United States and abroad.

Donate

Bookstore Specials

  • Grace in Eclipse: A Study in Eternal Rewards (Second Edition) $15.00 $8.00
  • Grudem Against Grace: A Defense of Free Grace Theology $15.00 $10.00
  • Here Walks My Enemy: The Story of Luis (Paperback) $6.95 $3.00
  • The Journey of Faith $15.00 $9.00
  • Inerrancy for Dummies $7.95 $5.00
Grace Evangelical Society

(940) 270-8827 / ges@faithalone.org

4851 S I-35E Suite 203, Corinth, TX 76210
P.O. Box 1308, Denton, TX 76202

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube