I’ve read these days that Jesus didn’t primarily concern himself with afterlife issues. That later, Christianity got “too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.” But where do they get these historical convictions which remove a person’s hope for eternal life? They’d better have a pretty good explanation because according to Paul “if in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor 15:19 ESV). At least Paul seems to be under the conviction that Jesus taught about eternal life. He’s not the only first century Christ follower who said they were passing on this idea from Jesus himself. Here are just some of Jesus’ intentions for his mission, including his own words on it.
He is said to have come…
to be a sacrifice for sins (salvation).
After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… (Heb 1:3, see Heb 10:1-10)
to teach truth about God.
Long ago . . . God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, . . .
(Heb 1:1-2)
to preach the Kingdom and repentance.
[Jesus] said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (Mark 1:38)
Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt 4:17)
to bring salvation to the sinners (e.g. to seek the lost).
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, . . . For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
to give eternal life (i.e. salvation).
“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” (Matt 19:29)
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
to heal the sick and give sight to the blind and to set the captives free.
(Luke 4:16-22)
to oppose oppression and oppose the devil.
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
(1 John 3:8 )
for judgement (already but not yet).
(John 9:35-39, Acts 17:30-31)
to make distinctions and division between good and evil
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth…”
(Matt 10:34, Matt 25:31-46)
These are what the leaders commissioned by Jesus and who had followed Jesus were saying that they learned from him. They were saying this in the first century. To say that they say otherwise is to do some embarrassingly twisted mental gymnastics.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:7-11)
The apostle closest to Jesus says this about him and orthodoxy:
Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. (1 John 2:24-26)
Erik
Stephen Dawe
Liam
