Guaranteed

Do a Google search on “guaranteed for life” and you’ll find no less than 17 million results. From life insurance to headsets, guarantees are available. On products, there may be wording similar to:

Unconditional Unlimited Lifetime Replacement Guarantee

Of course, there are some limitations, and we’re not certain until the very fine print whether it’s the lifetime of the product or our own lifetime being referenced.

The Bible offers an even better guarantee – not just for this life, but for eternity:

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. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:14-16 KJV)

This concept of eternal life was not new with Jesus. The question had divided Judaism, creating Pharisee and Sadducee doctrines that divide people today. I prefer what the Jesus to say about God:

And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err. (Mark 12:26-27 KJV)

There’s nothing in the Bible to refute John’s claim as to why it was written:

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:11-13 KJV)

Not because of anything we do. It is God’s will and His gift:

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. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

Now, a guarantee – something that assures a specified outcome – is given by a guarantor. As the giver of this salvation, God is the guarantor, and I believe He is able, just as Paul believed:

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:11-12 KJV)

There is nothing that can break God’s guarantee:

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. (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)

Amen!