ECT The connection between: Loving Jesus—Obedience—Eternal Life

[ZacharyB]

John 14:15 • “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 14:21 • “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.”
John 14:23 • “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him”
John 14:24 • “He who does not love Me does not keep My words”
John 15:14 • “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”
Does anyone get to heaven …
who does not love Jesus, who is not His friend, who does not keep His commandments?

James 1 (NKJV):
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth (eternal) death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

James is warning these beloved brethren (1:16) …
Believers who love Jesus will overcome the temptation to sin, and thus will be approved,
and receive the crown of (eternal) life … instead of earning eternal death.

He is echoing Paul’s warning in Romans 6 …
Believers must choose to be slaves of obedience, which leads to righteousness and holiness,
instead of choosing to be slaves of sin … which leads to eternal death.

There are 2 opposites above in James 1 …
Overcoming sinning  the crown of life … compared to … Sinning  eternal death

“The believer who perseveres will receive the crown of life.
The ‘crown of life’ is the crown of victory over sin, or the crown of victory in our life’s race.
The main meaning of the crown of life is salvation, or eternal life.”
… The Applied New Testament Commentary -- Thomas Hale, 1996, ChariotVictor Publishing
(Dr. Hale is a Spirit-filled believer who served as a medical missionary with Interserve in Nepal.)

Revelation 2 (NKJV):
10 … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

Jesus considers being “faithful” has to do with overcoming sin, etc. (see Revelation 3:21).
He certainly does not define an overcomer as one who believes He is the Son of God.
The second death is being cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14 and 21:8).

There are 2 opposites above in Revelation 2 …
Being faithful until death  the crown of life … vs … Not overcoming  eternal death!

“Above all, the church at Smyrna needed encouragement and strength to endure persecution.
If they remained firm to the end – to the point of death – they would receive the crown of life,
that is, eternal life (see Mark 13:13, 1 Cor 9:25, 1 Pet 5:4) … The second death mentioned here
means eternal death; it is the final punishment for all evildoers.”
… The Applied New Testament Commentary -- Thomas Hale, 1996, ChariotVictor Publishing

Please notice that there are NO crowns (plural) mentioned anywhere above!
No different crowns of varying values … re: rewards.
When it comes to the crown of life, there is only one … the crown of eternal life!

The crown of life is also called the crown of righteousness • 2 Timothy 4:7-8
The crown of life is also called the imperishable crown • 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
The crown of life is also called the crown of glory • 1 Peter 5:1-4

Revelation 3:11 (NKJV) “Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Definitely not Happy Holidays! … but … Merry Christmas!

 

[Jamie Gigliotti]

Zach is seems many get confused by Paul, Just as Peter said. Devotion to Christ has nothing to do with legalism... it has everything to with personal fellowship witb God, through His Son, His super natural transcendental Holy Spirit.
Merry Christmas to you!

 

[ZacharyB]

Zach is seems many get confused by Paul, Just as Peter said. Devotion to Christ has nothing to do with legalism... it has everything to with personal fellowship witb God, through His Son, His super natural transcendental Holy Spirit.
Merry Christmas to you!

It's wonderful that you see the light, brother!

 

[turbosixx]

John 14:15 • “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 14:21 • “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.”
John 14:23 • “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him”
John 14:24 • “He who does not love Me does not keep My words”
John 15:14 • “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”
Does anyone get to heaven …
who does not love Jesus, who is not His friend, who does not keep His commandments?

James 1 (NKJV):
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved,
he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth (eternal) death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

James is warning these beloved brethren (1:16) …
Believers who love Jesus will overcome the temptation to sin, and thus will be approved,
and receive the crown of (eternal) life … instead of earning eternal death.

He is echoing Paul’s warning in Romans 6 …
Believers must choose to be slaves of obedience, which leads to righteousness and holiness,
instead of choosing to be slaves of sin … which leads to eternal death.

There are 2 opposites above in James 1 …
Overcoming sinning  the crown of life … compared to … Sinning  eternal death

“The believer who perseveres will receive the crown of life.
The ‘crown of life’ is the crown of victory over sin, or the crown of victory in our life’s race.
The main meaning of the crown of life is salvation, or eternal life.”
… The Applied New Testament Commentary -- Thomas Hale, 1996, ChariotVictor Publishing
(Dr. Hale is a Spirit-filled believer who served as a medical missionary with Interserve in Nepal.)

Revelation 2 (NKJV):
10 … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

Jesus considers being “faithful” has to do with overcoming sin, etc. (see Revelation 3:21).
He certainly does not define an overcomer as one who believes He is the Son of God.
The second death is being cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14 and 21:8).

There are 2 opposites above in Revelation 2 …
Being faithful until death  the crown of life … vs … Not overcoming  eternal death!

“Above all, the church at Smyrna needed encouragement and strength to endure persecution.
If they remained firm to the end – to the point of death – they would receive the crown of life,
that is, eternal life (see Mark 13:13, 1 Cor 9:25, 1 Pet 5:4) … The second death mentioned here
means eternal death; it is the final punishment for all evildoers.”
… The Applied New Testament Commentary -- Thomas Hale, 1996, ChariotVictor Publishing

Please notice that there are NO crowns (plural) mentioned anywhere above!
No different crowns of varying values … re: rewards.
When it comes to the crown of life, there is only one … the crown of eternal life!

The crown of life is also called the crown of righteousness • 2 Timothy 4:7-8
The crown of life is also called the imperishable crown • 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
The crown of life is also called the crown of glory • 1 Peter 5:1-4

Revelation 3:11 (NKJV) “Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Definitely not Happy Holidays! … but … Merry Christmas!

It's clear it takes obedience.
Jn. 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

I don't understand why it's easier for others to believe words like "the finished work of Christ" when they're not found in the bible and ZERO NT writers say anything about finished work.

It reminds me of the garden when Satan changed God's word there and they believed it over what God said.

 

[Jerry Shugart]

Revelation 2 (NKJV):
10 … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

How does a person "overcome"?:

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 Jn.5;104).​

 

[Jerry Shugart]

It's clear it takes obedience.
Jn. 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Just click on your link for John 3:36 and there you will read:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them" (Jn.3:36; NKJV).​

 

[turbosixx]

Just click on your link for John 3:36 and there you will read:

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them" (Jn.3:36; NKJV).​

I'm no Greek scholar but I do like to go to the Greek interlinear and Strongs. If we do that we see the word used is:

Strongs G544
apeitheó: to disobey
Original Word: ἀπειθέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: apeitheó
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-i-theh'-o)
Short Definition: I disobey, rebel, am disloyal
Definition: I disobey, rebel, am disloyal, refuse conformity.

We see the same word used here:

Rom. 2:8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

 

[ZacharyB]

It's clear it takes obedience.
Jn. 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life;
whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God remains on him.
I don't understand why it's easier for others to believe words like "the finished work of Christ" when they're not found in the bible and ZERO NT writers say anything about finished work.

IMO, there's quite a bit in the NT about "finished work", and etc.
However, IMO, it applies to the "faithful" who are walking in God's Plan, i.e. God's will.
There are God's elect (chosen ones), and there are the tares (weeds).
Jesus said BOTH are in the Kingdom of God (heaven) ...
with the tares being weeded out at the end of the age and thrown into the fire!

 

[ZacharyB]

How does a person "overcome"?

Rev 3:21
"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

Jesus is talking about overcoming everything in general:
overcoming the world, Satan and his demons, SIN, and etc.

John was only talking about overcoming the world.

 

[turbosixx]

IMO, there's quite a bit in the NT about "finished work", and etc.
However, IMO, it applies to the "faithful" who are walking in God's Plan, i.e. God's will.
There are God's elect (chosen ones), and there are the tares (weeds).
Jesus said BOTH are in the Kingdom of God (heaven) ...
with the tares being weeded out at the end of the age and thrown into the fire!

Could you give me a couple of passages on "finished work". Being obedient isn't "faith alone".

 

[ZacharyB]

Could you give me a couple of passages on "finished work".
Being obedient isn't "faith alone".

Here we're talking of the many great promises to born-again believers.
IMO, they are referring only to "faithful" believers (e.g. see Eph 1:2 & Col 1:1).

Hebrews says: disobedience = unbelief.

IMO, the whole of the NT shows that the English word "believe" means:
heart belief, deep faith, real trust, co-operation, obedience, endurance.
Did I miss anything?

There are many NT verses that teach all of the above, so why ignore/reject them?

We must RECONCILE all of the NT verses, without rejecting any of them.
IMO, the bold above does this.

 

[turbosixx]

Here we're talking of the many great promises to born-again believers.
IMO, they are referring only to "faithful" believers (e.g. see Eph 1:2 & Col 1:1).

Hebrews says: disobedience = unbelief.

IMO, the whole of the NT shows that the English word "believe" means:
heart belief, deep faith, real trust, co-operation, obedience, endurance.
Did I miss anything?

There are many NT verses that teach all of the above, so why ignore/reject them?

We must RECONCILE all of the NT verses, without rejecting any of them.
IMO, the bold above does this.

I agree. Believing is like breathing, you have to keep doing it.