THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE ETERNAL October 26, 1997 am

Ephesians 1:1-3 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Colossians 2:2-3 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

• That is true.
• But the additional facts are that, though they are free to us, they cost the Saviour His life!
• And they are not only free to us, but they are eternal.
• All blessings.
• No condemnation.
• All old past sins gone.

• IN CHRIST.
• Our texts mentioned that all blessings in heavenly places are in Christ
• No condemnation is in Christ.
• Being a new creature, a new beginning, is in Christ.
• All treasures of wisdom and understanding are in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

In fact, the next verse said:

Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

• Everything will wind up in the end in two places -either outside Christ or inside Christ.
• Only what is inside Christ will remain in the end.
• All else will be cast aside.
• Therefore, since the blessings of God in heavenly places are only in Christ, and only what is in Christ will remain forever, we can say THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE ETERNAL.

Hebrews 12:26-28 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

• This means that one more final time will bring out that which remains.
• God will not do anything after this as far as working with the world goes.
• ONE MORE TIME, when this shaking occurs, all that will be left is that which cannot be shaken.
• And then he said we have a Kingdom which cannot be Shaken.
• If we are IN CHRIST then we are IN THE KINGDOM and we will remain while all else is removed forever.

• Whether it happens in three years (2000), or after my life is gone, I do not want to perish.
• When all else is forgotten and fallen away, I want to remain when all else is gone!
• YOU need to make sure you get hold of Christ and the things of God.
• This world will end one day and you have a chance to remain for eternity with Jesus.
• And why not be saved and ready now?
• The best things in life are free.
• The best things in life are in Christ.
• And the best things in life are ETERNAL!

• There are people like that here and in every true church.
• True friends who will not betray your trust in them, and will do what they can to help you, are in the true church.
• And the CHURCH is actually the BODY of Christ.
• So these best things in life are IN CHRIST.

• We are the wineskins.
• His Spirit is the new wine.
• Hebrews 9:14 says His Spirit is the ETERNAL SPIRIT
• If we want eternal life we need His Spirit.

• And therefore the new wine is the Spirit and the wine bottles are the Church.

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

• IN THIS BODY we must UNITE and fellowship.
• If we want to be in Christ, we need to recognize that we must love one another.
• God could have chosen to do this thing any way He wanted.
• After all, He is God!
• Anything imaginable.
• But He chose to have all in CHRIST and to place all His blessings in heavenly places in there.
• And if we want to be part of them, and stick around forever, we better learn to unite.
• He allows no division in His body.

Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

• If we want to PUT ON CHRIST, or GET INTO CHRIST, we had better repent of all our sins of division, and UNITE in love with God's people.
• The church is the only thing that will last after this world is gone.
• All the love we need and seek in life is TRULY in Christ.
• The lost souls of the world have love, but not THIS love.
• But we must realize that if we want to enjoy this love, and these blessings, then we have to take part in it and love the same way.
• For God only allows those who become part of the BODY of Christ which loves in that manner, to enter that Body.

• I want to live forever.
• I want eternal life.
• I accepted Jesus' words as truth.
• When the people were told to repent, get baptized and receive God's Spirit, after they asked how to be saved, I want to likewise do that to be saved.
• I want to be in CHRIST!!!

Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Colossians 1:18-19 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

• And these alone will remain forever.
• We must CHOOSE if we will be in Him or not.
• Its entirely up to you.
• If you want it bad enough, you will obey whatever Jesus and the apostles said we must do.

• Perfect unity is mentioned.
• We have studied the book of Ephesians in the last few services and noticed the need for the recognition of the BODY of Christ and UNITY we need to be in it.
• Ephesians mentions the blessings in Him, and how He made a way for us to be in Christ.
• Then it says:

Paul mentions our need to love one another.

• We want to remain forever, do we not?
• Paul says this is what it takes for us to be together in Christ where God chose for the blessings to be.
• God is forcing us to love one another.
• And Paul said that PERFECT UNITY IS FOUND IN CHRIST.

• The Number 7 means PERFECT and COMPLETE.
• God COMPLETED His work on the 7th day.
• And there are 7 "one's " in this text.
• 7 "one's" mean PERFECT UNITY.

1. "One" body
2. "One" Spirit
3. "One" hope of the calling
4. "One" Lord
5. "One" Faith
6. "One" baptism
7. "One" God and father of all who is above all, and through all and in you all.

• Only one place contains all the blessings.
• The Church is ALL the true Christians who obey all the bible.
• We must get in there!

• 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,

• One goal - Christ be all in all and we have an inheritance in that (Eph 1:11).
• One thing towards which God is doing and pointing everything.

• Not many masters.
• We do not all each do our own thing.
• We all follow Him.

• We all can only please God by faith.
• Without faith, impossible to please Him.

• One way to be baptized, one set of requirements.
• Believe and do it in Jesus' name.

• ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL AND IN YOU ALL.

• COMPLETE UNITY
• You must be aware of and obey all these points of unity.
• And then you will enter eternity when Jesus comes back.

1 Corinthians 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

ALL IN ALL

1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

• ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL AND IN YOU ALL.

Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, [even] the sure mercies of David.

• No money or fee.
• You simply repent, get baptized and He gives you the Holy Ghost!

Acts 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.