Lesson Introduction
Eternal life is God’s gift to us through Jesus Christ. We do not earn it through good works, religious activities, or personal effort. It is made available to us because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection.
When Jesus declared, “It is finished” on the cross, He announced the completion of the work He had come to accomplish. His sacrifice provides the foundation for our forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and new life in Him.
In this lesson, we will explore how the finished work of Christ relates to eternal life, why we cannot earn salvation, and how believers can live confidently in what Jesus has accomplished.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of eternal life through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You that I do not have to earn Your love or work to purchase my salvation. Help me understand the meaning of the finished work of Christ and the freedom I have received through faith in Him. Teach me to trust Your Word, appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus, and live each day in the reality of the life You have given me. May I grow in grace, understanding, and knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lesson Content
1. Jesus Came to Accomplish the Father’s Will
Scripture — John 6:38 (KJV)
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
Jesus did not come into the world without a purpose. He came to fulfil the will of the Father. His earthly ministry, His sacrifice, and His resurrection were central to God’s plan of salvation.
Eternal life is connected to this mission because Jesus came to bring us into a restored relationship with God. Our salvation is not the result of our own plan or achievement. It rests on what God has done through His Son.
Practical Example:
Imagine receiving a gift that someone has carefully prepared for you. You did not create it or pay for it; the giver chose to provide it. In the same way, eternal life begins with God’s gracious provision through Jesus, not with our attempt to make ourselves worthy.
Remember: Jesus came to accomplish the Father’s will and provide salvation for us.
2. Jesus Declared, “It Is Finished”
Scripture — John 19:30 (KJV)
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
These words were spoken as Jesus completed His work on the cross. His death was not an accident or a failed mission. He willingly gave His life to accomplish the work the Father had given Him.
The declaration “It is finished” assures us that Jesus’ sacrifice was purposeful and sufficient for the work He came to accomplish. We do not need to add our own sacrifice to His in order to purchase forgiveness or earn eternal life.
This does not mean believers have nothing left to learn or do in their daily lives. Rather, our service and obedience flow from the salvation Christ has provided; they are not payments that complete His sacrifice.
Practical Example:
A person who understands that Jesus has provided salvation can serve God out of gratitude rather than fearfully trying to earn acceptance through endless religious activities.
Remember: Jesus completed His work of redemption; we receive salvation through faith rather than trying to finish His work ourselves.
3. Jesus Gave Himself for Our Sins
Scripture — Galatians 1:4 (KJV)
“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”
Jesus willingly gave Himself for our sins. His sacrifice addresses the problem of sin and opens the way for us to be reconciled to God.
Eternal life is not a reward given to people who have never sinned. It is God’s gift through Jesus Christ. We acknowledge our need for Him and trust in what He has done.
Because Jesus gave Himself for us, we no longer need to approach God as though our own efforts could pay for our salvation. We can approach Him through the provision He has made in Christ.
Practical Example:
When a believer remembers past mistakes, the answer is not to pretend the mistakes never happened or to try to pay God back through good deeds. The believer can acknowledge the wrong, receive God’s correction, and trust in Christ’s sacrifice.
Remember: Jesus gave Himself for our sins so that we could receive God’s saving grace.
4. We Are Justified Freely by God’s Grace
Scripture — Romans 3:24 (KJV)
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”
To be justified is to be declared righteous. Paul teaches that justification is given freely by God’s grace through the redemption found in Christ Jesus.
Grace means that salvation is God’s generous provision, not something we can demand as payment for our good behaviour.
Our good works cannot purchase eternal life. Instead, when we believe in Christ, we receive what God has provided. This truth gives us a foundation for gratitude, humility, and confidence in His promise.
Practical Example:
A believer may volunteer, help people, pray, and study the Bible. These are valuable activities, but they are not the price of eternal life. They are appropriate responses to God’s grace.
Remember: We are justified freely by grace through Jesus Christ, not by earning God’s acceptance.
5. Christ Reconciled Us to God
Scripture — 2 Corinthians 5:18 (KJV)
“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
Reconciliation means the restoration of a relationship that has been broken. Sin separates humanity from God, but God took the initiative to provide reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
The good news is that God has acted through Christ to bring people back to Himself. Eternal life is more than the promise of existence without end; it involves knowing God through His Son and living in the relationship He has made possible.
Those who receive this message are also called to share it with others, helping them understand God’s invitation to reconciliation.
Practical Example:
Instead of telling someone that God will accept them only after they become perfect, we can explain their need for Christ and point them to the reconciliation God offers through Him.
Remember: Through Jesus Christ, God has provided the way for us to be reconciled to Himself.
6. Eternal Life Is a Gift, Not a Wage
Scripture — Romans 6:23 (KJV)
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Paul contrasts wages with a gift. Wages are earned through work, but a gift is received from the giver.
Sin leads to death, but God offers eternal life through Jesus Christ. We cannot work enough hours, perform enough religious duties, or accumulate enough good deeds to purchase this life.
Faith does not mean that we earn salvation by performing the work of believing. Rather, faith is how we receive and rely on God’s promise concerning His Son.
Practical Example:
If someone gives you a birthday present, you do not pay the giver the full value before receiving it. In the same way, we receive eternal life as God’s gift through Jesus rather than trying to pay for it with religious performance.
Remember: Eternal life is God’s gift through Jesus Christ, not a wage we earn.
7. Christ’s Resurrection Confirms Our Living Hope
Scripture — 1 Corinthians 15:20 (KJV)
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
The death of Jesus was not the end of the story. He rose from the dead, demonstrating His victory over death and establishing the foundation of the believer’s hope of resurrection.
Eternal life is present for those who believe in Christ, and it also carries a future promise. Christians still experience physical weakness, suffering, and death in this present world, but they look forward to the resurrection God has promised.
The resurrection reminds us that our hope rests on the living Christ, not merely on a set of religious teachings or human efforts.
Practical Example:
When a believer faces sickness, grief, or the death of a loved one, the resurrection of Jesus gives reason to hope. It does not mean that sorrow is unreal, but it reminds us that death does not have the final word in God’s plan.
Remember: Jesus rose from the dead, giving believers a living hope and the promise of resurrection.
8. We Are Saved by Grace Through Faith
Scripture — Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
These verses clearly explain that salvation comes by grace through faith. It is God’s gift, not a personal achievement.
No one can boast that eternal life was earned through moral effort or religious performance. All the glory belongs to God for what He has provided through Christ.
The following verse, Ephesians 2:10, explains that believers are created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Good works therefore have an important place in the Christian life, but they are the fruit of God’s work in us, not the purchase price of salvation.
Practical Example:
A believer can help a neighbour, give generously, or serve in ministry because God’s grace has changed their heart. These actions express love and gratitude rather than an attempt to buy eternal life.
Remember: We are saved by grace through faith, and good works follow as the fruit of our new life.
9. We Can Serve God from a Place of Acceptance
Scripture — Romans 8:1 (KJV)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Paul teaches that those who are in Christ are not under condemnation. This truth should shape how believers respond to God and how they deal with failure.
We do not have to live in constant fear that one mistake means we must earn our salvation all over again. When we sin, we should not excuse wrongdoing; we should bring it into the light, receive correction from Scripture, and walk in the truth.
Our confidence rests in Christ rather than in the claim that we never make mistakes. We can serve God with gratitude while continuing to grow in maturity.
Practical Example:
If a believer speaks harshly to someone, they can acknowledge the wrong, apologise, and seek to respond differently next time. They do not need to believe that they must purchase God’s love through punishment or religious activity.
Remember: In Christ, we can respond to correction without living under condemnation or trying to earn salvation.
10. We Live Out the Life Christ Has Given Us
Scripture — Colossians 2:6 (KJV)
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
Paul encourages believers to continue walking in Christ just as they received Him. We receive Christ through faith, and we continue learning to live in Him through faith.
The finished work of Christ does not mean that our daily choices no longer matter. It means our Christian life begins from what God has provided rather than from an attempt to earn salvation.
We can grow in love, patience, forgiveness, service, and understanding because we belong to Christ. Our conduct is an expression of our new life, not the payment required to obtain it.
Practical Example:
A believer who understands grace can choose to forgive someone, speak truthfully, and help a person in need—not to become worthy of eternal life, but because they have received God’s gift and want their life to reflect Christ.
Remember: We receive eternal life through Christ and learn to live out that new life through faith, love, and obedience.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we have learned that:
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Jesus came to accomplish the Father’s will.
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Jesus declared His work finished at the cross.
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He gave Himself for our sins.
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We are justified freely by God’s grace.
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God reconciles us to Himself through Christ.
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Eternal life is a gift, not a wage.
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Christ’s resurrection establishes our living hope.
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Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works.
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Believers in Christ do not need to live under condemnation.
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We live out our new life in response to what Christ has accomplished.
Final Takeaway
The finished work of Jesus Christ is the foundation of our salvation. Eternal life is God’s gift, received through faith in Christ—not a reward we earn through religious effort. Because Jesus died and rose again, we can live in gratitude, confidence, and the hope of resurrection.
Reflection Question
Am I relying on what Jesus Christ has accomplished for my salvation, or am I still trying to earn God’s acceptance through my own efforts? How can understanding the finished work of Christ change the way I live each day?
Next Lesson
Lesson 8: Eternal Life Is a Gift, Not a Reward