Making Your Life Count For Eternity

The Lord Jesus commanded every true believer to live a radiant life; as the salt and light of the earth. To walk as children of light shining till the glorious day and have nothing to do anymore with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them (Ephesians 5:3-13).

The Lord made believers watchmen to warn the people, seek after the lost, the sick, the oppressed, the fatherless, the widows, feed the hungry, rehabilitate the destitute and persuade all to return to God. In doing these, there are great rewards awaiting the obedient.
It takes the death of the old life to live the righteous life. As strangers and pilgrims, we are enjoined to abstain from fleshly lusts with war against the soul. Put off the old man with his deeds; be renewed in the spirit and put on the new man. The believer must understand that he is on the battlefield contending against sinful desires, Satan, the flesh, compromise, worldliness, self, bad habits etc, which may hinder his Christian journey. He must fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life by abstaining from every appearance of evil (1Peter 2:11-12; 1Thessalonians 5:22); fight against sinful pleasure (Galatians 2:20); mortify the works of the flesh, flee youthful lusts, compromise and carnality, covetousness and love of money the root of all evil and idolatry. He is on the other hand, encouraged to follow after: righteousness (1Thesalonians 4:1-4) ; godliness, faith; sowing to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8); engaged in spiritual service by deep involvement in regular soul winning John 4: 35-36; and self sacrifice (John 12:24-25; Matthew 16:24-27).

3. Blessed And Glorious Expectation Of Saints In Eternity

What a wonderful and blessed hope that awaits sincere and sanctified believers who are able to endure and hold fast their confidence in the Lord to the very end. As we refuse to focus on the things that are seen but on the invisible, then our light afflictions, the persecutions by the ungodly people acting as agents of the devil, the sufferings of the gospel etc will end up in rewards of eternal bliss from our Lord.
We are therefore admonished to beware of the danger of spiritual stagnancy, relapsing to the old lifestyle and blindness to the truth, backsliding and destitution of eternal life. We must keep the faith, become spotless, blameless and be found at peace with Him when He comes in glory to give us an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom. Job saw it far away and proclaimed with confidence “for I know that my Redeemer liveth ….” Paul declared with full persuasion “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”; “when Christ Who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory” John the Beloved exclaimed with amazement and certainty “what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us ….. when he shall appear we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is”. We also must press forward in exercising faith with great expectancy of the lively hope and inheritance reserved for us in heaven.
Yes, friends, truly “there remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God ….. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest ….” (Hebrews 4:9-11).