1Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
Twenty-three conditions of eternal life are given in Scripture – no amount of ‘grace-only’ preaching will change the facts of the Word (continued): Let the promise of it remain in you and continue in God and Christ (1Jn. 2:24-25; 5:11-20). Love everybody (1Jn. 3:14-15). Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for eternal life (Jude 1:20-24). Overcome sin (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Be faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10; Heb. 12:14-15). Believe and obey the gospel (John 3:15-19, 36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:40, 47, 54; 2Cor. 5:17; Rom. 1:5). Be born again, hear Christ, and follow Him (John 3:1-36; 10:27-29).
We get eternal life now and keep it forever if we meet the above conditions, but it does not become an unforfeitable eternal possession until we enter into it (Matt. 7:13; 18:8-9; 19:17; Rom. 6:22); receive it (Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:12; 1Pet. 1:13; Rev. 2:10); reap it (Gal. 6:7-8); and inherit it in the world to come (Matt. 19:27-29; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30), and at the end of this life (Rom. 6:22).
‘Unblameable’ [Greek: amemptos] Blameless before God (Php. 3:6; Luke 1:6; Heb. 8:7).
‘At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.’ This could not refer to the event of Zechariah 14:5 and Jude 1:14 when the saints will accompany Christ to earth, for they are not then presented before the Father. By this time they will have been with God for at least seven years. This then refers to the coming of Jesus with the saints back to heaven after He meets them in the air (4:16-17; John 13:1-3).
Living the Word 