Page 101 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

CEMBER 2011~

101

IS IS
ETERNAL LIFE ETERNAL LIFE

A A
PRESENT PROMISED
POSSESSION? POSSESSION?

“…LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE, TO WHICH YOU WERE ALSO CALLED…
…KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, WHO ALONE HAS IMMORTALITY,
DWELLING IN UNAPPROACHABLE LIGHT, WHOM NO MAN HAS SEEN OR CAN SEE,
TO WHOM BE HONOR AND EVERLASTING POWER. AMEN.” 1 Tim. 6:12-16 excerpts

When it comes to the subject of eternal life, we live in times in which men say things other than what
the apostle Paul spoke about this subject. Paul is writing to Timothy, his true son in the faith (1 Tim. 1:2).
It is in this same epistle, that he exhorts Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to
the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity…do not neglect the gift that is in
you…by the laying on of hands of the presbytery…take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue
in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim.4:12-16). Such
exhortation that Paul gives to his young protégé is foreign theology in Christianity today. Rather than
following the likes of Paul’s words, everything pertaining to salvation is stated to be a completed act, a
done deal, a thing of the past, that is now considered to be a present possession of the believer.

Now look carefully at the opening text above from 1 Timothy 6:12-16. Paul makes two references to
the subject of this newsletter, namely, “eternal life” and “immortality.” Paul is not in harmony with
today’s popular salvation clichés, “once saved, always saved” or “unconditional eternal security”, but
rather reminds Timothy of the need to “…lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called.”
Timothy is a born-again believer like you and me, is he not? Why does Paul not view eternal life as a
present possession of the believer as so many teach today?

Secondly, as Paul begins now to describe the majesty of Jesus Christ in these verses, he clarifies that
it is Jesus “…who alone has immortality.” However, this is not the modern-day perspective on this
subject. There is today a tenacious defense of eternal life and immortality as being a present
possession belonging the believer. Since Paul wrote two-thirds of the New Testament epistles, we
should take note that he teaches Timothy just the opposite of what is being taught today.