Jesus said that it’s exceedingly difficult for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of God. It was believed at the time that great wealth was a symbol of God’s special favor on a person. Therefore, the disciples were astonished at the weight of the moment. If entering heaven was difficult for a wealthy person, who was believed to have special favor with God, what did that mean for everyone else? “Who then can be saved,” the disciples asked? Jesus responded to their concern with a statement that pointed to the coming of a new and better covenant: “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Jesus Alone Makes Eternal Life Possible
“He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13–14)
The rules-based system was impossible because it was dependent on human ability. Therefore, God sought a new contract that did not rely on human strength. Brilliantly, under the new contract, the impossible requirements of the law were no longer binding between God and the people. Instead, the requirements were binding between God and Himself. Paul reminds us that Jesus canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness through His death on the cross.
As a result, believers are the beneficiaries of a new and better contract. The new contract cannot fail because it’s based on the performance and trustworthiness of God alone. What we were not able to accomplish, Jesus accomplished on our behalf. Jesus alone makes eternal life possible.
Jesus Alone Makes the Security of Eternal Life Possible
Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. (Hebrews 6:17–18)
Many people struggle to believe that what God accomplished is powerful enough to take them all the way to heaven. We often insert ourselves into the contract and worry that our performance will disqualify us from eternal life. In these moments, we fail to recognize that believers are merely the beneficiaries of the contract.
For example, the beneficiary of a life insurance policy will receive the financial advantage after the policyholder dies. One has confidence in the financial benefit based on the financial strength of the company—not the beneficiary. Similarly, believers have received the spiritual advantage of eternal life. The confidence we have in the fulfillment of the promise is founded on the moral strength of the Lord—not the believer.
To underscore this point, the author of Hebrews reminds us that the new contract is backed with a guarantee that offers the greatest amount of hope to the beneficiary. With the new covenant, Almighty God represents both the Promisor and Guarantor of the promise. He alone makes eternal life possible and ensures the full delivery of the promise to every beneficiary. Jesus alone makes the security of eternal life possible.
The Promise of Eternal Life Is Eternal
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29)
The promise of eternal life would not be eternal if it ended prematurely. Since there can be no greater entity in the universe to ensure the veracity of a promise, believers can have great confidence in their eternal security. The preservation of our salvation is based on our heavenly Father, who is “greater than all.” The new covenant offers the most credible, authentic, and compelling promise anywhere in the universe and beyond. As you renew your mind to this incredible truth, you will rest in the finished work of Christ. Receive this incredible promise by faith and rejoice that you are eternally secure.
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