GIVE JESUS YOURSELF FOR CHRISTMAS

Today, as Christians all around the world celebrate the Incarnation, God becoming flesh (Jn. 1-14; Phil. 2:5-8), I want to look at what the Word of God has to say about His eternal existence.  The word "eternal" only occurs twice in the Old Testament (Deut. 33:27; Isa. 60:13).  The first refers to the God of Israel, and the second, to the New Jerusalem, the everlasting city of God.

It is the New Testament that the word "eternal" occurs forty-five times, with just four referring to eternal damnation (Mk. 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 1 Jn. 3:15; Jude 1:7).  Forty-one refer to eternal life, with these sixteen specifically mentioning how our eternal life is connected to our faith in Jesus Christ.  They are:

*   "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  Jesus said unto him . . . follow Me" (Mt. 19:16, 21).
*   "And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him . . . follow Me" (Lk. 18:18-22).
*   "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (Jn. 3:14-15).
*   "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (Jn. 5:39).
*   "Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.  Whoso eats My flesh, and drinks My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (Jn. 6:53-54; comp. 1 Cor. 11:23-26).
*   "Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go?  Thou hast the words of eternal life.  And we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God" (Jn. 6:68-69).
*   "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:  and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand" (Jn. 10:27-28).
*   "As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.  And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent" (Jn. 17:2-3).
*   "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 5:21).
*   "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"  (Rom. 6:23).
*   "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim. 2:10).
*   "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Pet. 5:10).
*   "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you" (1 Jn. 5:11).
*   "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life . . ." (1 Jn. 5:13).
*   "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:20).
*   "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 1:21).

The gift one should give Jesus on His "birthday" is oneself!