Lesson Introduction
Understanding eternal life changes more than what we believe about life after death. It changes how we understand God and how we relate to Him today.
Through Jesus Christ, we learn that God is not someone we must persuade to become good toward us. He has already demonstrated His love by giving His Son for our salvation. We discover that His grace is the foundation of our relationship with Him, His Word reveals His character and will, and His love teaches us how to love others.
This does not mean that God overlooks sin or that we never need correction. Rather, we learn to understand His holiness, love, mercy, and truth through what He has revealed in Scripture and through His Son, Jesus Christ.
In this lesson, we will examine how eternal life transforms our understanding of God’s character and helps us grow in our relationship with Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me eternal life through Jesus Christ. Thank You for revealing Your character and love through Your Son. Help me understand You according to Your Word rather than according to fear, human opinions, or my own assumptions. Teach me to appreciate Your grace, respect Your holiness, trust Your promises, and grow in my knowledge of You. Help me live in the confidence of Your love and reflect Your character in my relationships with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lesson Content
1. We Understand God’s Love Through Jesus Christ
Scripture — 1 John 4:9–10 (KJV)
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
God has demonstrated His love through the sending of Jesus Christ. We do not have to guess whether God has shown love toward humanity; the coming and sacrifice of Jesus are central evidence of that love.
Notice that John says God loved us first. His love was not a reward for our goodness. He acted to provide salvation while humanity needed reconciliation with Him.
Because we have eternal life through Christ, we can approach God with gratitude and trust rather than believing that we must earn His willingness to love us.
Practical Example:
When you make a mistake, remember that God’s love was demonstrated through Christ, not earned through your perfection. Acknowledge the mistake, seek to make things right, and turn to God’s Word for guidance rather than hiding from Him in shame.
Remember: Jesus Christ reveals God’s love and demonstrates that God took the initiative to provide salvation.
2. We Learn God’s Character Through His Son
Scripture — John 14:9 (KJV)
“Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”
Jesus came to reveal the Father. His words and actions show us God’s character and purpose in a way that directs our understanding toward Him.
When we want to understand God’s heart, we should pay careful attention to Jesus as He is revealed in Scripture. We see His compassion toward people, His commitment to truth, His opposition to hypocrisy, and His willingness to give Himself for others.
We must also read individual passages in their context rather than using one verse to make assumptions about God’s character. Through Jesus, we see that God’s love and holiness are not enemies; His truth matters, and His mercy is real.
Practical Example:
If you want to understand how to respond to people who are struggling, study how Jesus treated people in the Gospels. Observe both His compassion and His commitment to truth.
Remember: Jesus reveals the Father, so we should learn about God’s character through Christ and the testimony of Scripture.
3. We Relate to God Through Grace, Not Fearful Bargaining
Scripture — Romans 5:1–2 (KJV)
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Paul teaches that believers are justified by faith and have peace with God through Jesus Christ. He also explains that through Christ we have access into grace.
This changes how we understand our relationship with God. Instead of treating prayer or giving as payments intended to persuade Him to accept us, we can approach Him on the basis of what Jesus has accomplished.
This peace does not mean that life will always be easy or that believers will never experience difficult emotions. It means that our standing with God is grounded in Christ rather than in a continual attempt to earn our way into His favour.
Practical Example:
Instead of praying, “God, I have done enough good things, so You must answer me,” you can pray with humility and confidence in His grace, asking for wisdom and trusting His goodness.
Remember: Through Jesus Christ, believers have peace with God and access to His grace.
4. We Understand God’s Holiness Without Trying to Earn Salvation
Scripture — 1 Peter 1:15–16 (KJV)
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
God’s grace does not make holiness unimportant. Peter teaches believers to live holy lives because God is holy.
The important distinction is that we do not become God’s children by earning salvation through perfect behaviour. Instead, having received His grace, we are called to live in ways that reflect His character.
Holiness involves setting ourselves apart from sin and seeking to honour God in our thoughts, words, relationships, and choices. As we learn from Scripture, we become more aware of the attitudes and actions that need to change.
Practical Example:
A believer who understands grace should not use it as an excuse to cheat or mistreat others. Instead, that believer can choose honesty because God’s truth matters and because their life should reflect the One they serve.
Remember: God’s grace does not remove the call to holiness; it gives us a new foundation from which to live.
5. We Can Trust God’s Promises
Scripture — 2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV)
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”
Paul teaches that God’s promises find their fulfilment in Christ. This encourages us to understand God’s promises through Jesus and according to the passages in which they appear.
Not every promise in Scripture was spoken to every individual in exactly the same way. We must read the Bible carefully, considering who was speaking, to whom the promise was given, and how it relates to God’s plan revealed in Christ.
Eternal life itself rests on God’s promise concerning His Son. We can trust what God has revealed without assuming that every personal desire is automatically a promise He has made to us.
Practical Example:
When you read a Bible promise, ask what it meant in its original context and how it relates to the gospel. This helps you trust God’s Word without making claims the passage does not support.
Remember: We can trust God’s promises by understanding them in their biblical context and seeing how they are fulfilled in Christ.
6. We No Longer Need to Hide from God in Shame
Scripture — Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Because Jesus is our great High Priest, the writer of Hebrews invites believers to approach God’s throne of grace for mercy and help.
Coming boldly does not mean approaching God arrogantly or pretending we never fail. It means that we can come to Him with confidence in Christ rather than believing we must first make ourselves perfect.
When we recognise wrongdoing, we should be honest about it and respond to God’s correction. Shame may tempt us to hide, but the gospel directs us toward the mercy and grace God provides.
Practical Example:
If you realise that you have acted out of anger, do not pretend that nothing happened. Acknowledge your actions, seek forgiveness where appropriate, and ask God for wisdom to respond differently.
Remember: Through Christ, we can approach God for mercy and help instead of hiding in shame.
7. We Learn to See Others Through God’s Love
Scripture — 1 John 4:11 (KJV)
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
God’s love for us teaches us to show love to others. Eternal life is not meant to make us proud or to encourage us to look down on people who have not yet understood the gospel.
Knowing God’s grace should make us more compassionate, patient, and willing to serve. We remember that salvation is God’s gift and that every person deserves to be treated with dignity.
Loving others does not mean approving of everything they do or ignoring harmful behaviour. We can speak truthfully, establish appropriate boundaries, and still treat people with respect.
Practical Example:
When someone misunderstands Scripture or makes a mistake, you can correct them patiently rather than humiliating them. Your aim should be to help them understand truth, not to prove that you are better than they are.
Remember: Having received God’s love, we are called to show genuine love to others.
8. We Begin to Understand God’s Purpose for Our Lives
Scripture — Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Paul describes believers as God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.
Eternal life changes our perspective because our lives are no longer understood only in terms of personal achievement, possessions, or recognition. We can seek to live in ways that honour God and benefit others.
Godly service may take many forms: caring for family, helping a neighbour, sharing the gospel, teaching Scripture faithfully, working honestly, or supporting people in need.
We should not assume that every personal ambition is automatically God’s specific plan. Instead, we can seek wisdom through Scripture, prayer, godly counsel, and careful consideration of our responsibilities and opportunities.
Practical Example:
A person may use their skills to help others learn, create useful resources, or support someone in difficulty. These actions can become meaningful expressions of Christian love and service.
Remember: In Christ, we are called to live purposefully and to walk in the good works God has prepared for us.
9. We Grow in Knowing God Throughout Our Lives
Scripture — 2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
Receiving eternal life does not mean that we immediately understand everything about God. We begin a life of growing in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We grow as we study Scripture, listen carefully to its teaching, pray, learn from mature believers, and put God’s truth into practice. Growth takes time, and believers may need to correct misunderstandings as they learn.
We should not measure our relationship with God only by how much information we know. Biblical knowledge should help us trust Christ more deeply and live in ways that reflect His truth and love.
Practical Example:
If you encounter a Bible passage that you do not understand, take time to read the surrounding verses, compare related Scriptures, and ask thoughtful questions rather than rushing to a conclusion.
Remember: Eternal life brings us into a relationship with God, and we continue growing in our knowledge of Christ.
10. Our Understanding of God Gives Us Hope
Scripture — Romans 8:38–39 (KJV)
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Paul expresses his confidence in the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. His words provide encouragement to believers who face hardship, uncertainty, and suffering.
Understanding eternal life gives us a hope that is deeper than our present circumstances. We may still experience grief, disappointment, persecution, and physical weakness, but these experiences do not erase the hope we have in Christ.
This passage does not promise that we will never suffer. It assures believers that suffering and the challenges of life cannot overcome God’s love for us in Christ.
Practical Example:
During a difficult season, a believer can acknowledge sadness or uncertainty while holding on to the truth that their hope rests in Christ rather than in the absence of problems.
Remember: Our hope rests in God’s love in Christ, even when life is difficult.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, we have learned that:
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Jesus Christ reveals God’s love for us.
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We learn God’s character through His Son and the testimony of Scripture.
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Grace gives us peace with God through Jesus Christ.
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God’s grace calls us to live holy lives.
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We trust God’s promises by understanding them in their biblical context.
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Through Christ, we can approach God for mercy and help.
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God’s love teaches us to love others.
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Eternal life encourages us to live purposefully and serve others.
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We continue growing in our knowledge of Christ throughout our lives.
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God’s love in Christ gives us hope in difficult circumstances.
Final Takeaway
Eternal life changes how we understand God because, through Jesus Christ, we discover the love, grace, holiness, and truth God has revealed. We no longer need to approach Him as though we must earn salvation. Instead, we can trust His provision in Christ, grow in His Word, and allow His love to shape how we live and treat others.
Reflection Question
Has receiving the message of God’s grace changed the way I see Him? Do I approach Him with confidence in Jesus Christ, and how can my understanding of His love change the way I treat other people?
Next Lesson
Lesson 10: Living Every Day in the Reality of Eternal Life