Page 105 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES 105
EVERY WORD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED.” 2nd Cor. 13:1

With this text in mind, that every fact is established in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let us
examine the recorded witness that the Scriptures bear pertaining to the subject of when one receives
eternal life. There are 15 pertinent passages in the New Testament using the words eternal life and 10
verses using the phrase everlasting life. About half of both categories are repetitive passages which
you can (and should) verify for yourself. Let us look at 10 of those passages which convey different
aspects and qualifying content that shed light on the subject of when the believer will inherit
eternal/everlasting life. You might be in for a shock, for the Scriptures do not convey the likes of what is
being presented by the wide-gate and broad-way gospel.

Let us begin with Paul who wrote two-thirds of the New Testament. Let us consider what Paul spoke to
Timothy, his “true son in the faith” (1 Tim.1:2). I stress this point about Timothy because Paul, by making
such a statement, confirms that Timothy is a born-again believer. In the opening of this epistle Paul
calls Timothy “my true son in the faith” (1:2). His closing words in this same epistle to this “man of God”
is to “lay hold on eternal life to which you were called” (6:11-12).

1st Witness: We must ask ourselves why it is that Paul would speak to Timothy,
his “true son in the faith”, telling him to “lay hold on eternal life” if he
“ BUT YOU
O MAN OF GOD… already possessed it, as the modern-day version of the gospel
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT proclaims takes place at the new birth? Timothy is not only born-
again, but he is an apostle and is pastoring the church at Ephesus.
OF FAITH,
As a born-again believer, Timothy is told by Paul to lay hold on
LAY HOLD ON eternal life by fighting the good fight of faith just as Paul did (2nd Tim.
ETERNAL LIFE, 4:7). That is alsoa message for the born-again believer today These
passages of Paul to Timothy make perfect sense if we realize that
TO WHICH
YOU WERE ALSO CALLED…” the Scripture presents eternal life as a hope and a promise rather
than a present possession! Otherwise, Paul’s words to Timothy
1 Tim. 6:11-12 make no sense whatever if he already possessed eternal life as
proclaimed today. There is more.
2nd Witness:
In this very same epistle Paul begins to exhort the believers who are
“ …COMMAND THOSE WHO rich to also “lay hold on eternal life.” Notice the reference to the
ARE RICH…
future, “for the time to come” that they may lay hold on eternal life.
LET THEM DO GOOD, THAT Why, we must again ask, is Paul placing eternal life in the future
THEY MAY BE RICH IN GOOD
WORKS, WILLING TO SHARE, tense rather than in the past tense as does the wide-gate and broad-
STORING UP FOR THEMSELVES way gospel?
A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR
Paul gives many more witnesses in his other epistles that eternal life
THE TIME TO COME, is a future expectation. Let us consider more of what he has to say.
THAT THEY MAY

LAY HOLD
ON ETERNAL LIFE.”

1 Tim. 6:17-19 Here in Paul’s epistle to Titus, he opens by referring to eternal life as
(1) a future hope and (2) as a promise. We know a promise is
3rd Witness:
different from a possession. We possess the promise, not what is in it.
“ …ACCORDING TO THE Paul defines hope for us as:
FAITH OF GOD’S ELECT…
“FOR WE ARE SAVED IN THIS HOPE, BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT
IN HOPE OF HOPE; FOR WHY DOES ONE STILL HOPE FOR WHAT HE SEES? BUT IF
ETERNAL LIFE WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE, THEN WE EAGERLY WAIT FOR
IT WITH PERSEVERANCE.”
WHICH GOD, Rom. 8:24-25
WHO CANNOT LIE, PROMISED
Paul’s definition of hope is in perfect alignment with eternal life being
BEFORE TIME BEGAN.” stated as a hope. Paul would not call eternal life a “hope” if it were a
Titus 1:1-2
present possession.

By the time you reach Paul’s concluding thoughts in this same epistle, he emphatically stresses that
we are not saved by works of righteousness which we have done, but rather that we are justified by
God’s grace and therefore have become heirs of the hope of eternal life. Notice the phrase here is
identical to the one he made earlier in this same epistle.