“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting…”

There is a sporting goods company called Everlast. While the name might give you extra confidence in the life of the item you are purchasing, no thinking person really believes that the equipment is never going to wear out. Neither does the company guarantee that their products will last forever.

When God promises us that we have everlasting life, He means everlasting. If we could lose our salvation, it would not be everlasting life. Rather, it would be something like probation.

The dictionary correctly defines everlasting as “lasting forever” or “eternity”. This is the greatest length of time, and yet our minds cannot properly conceive of time without end. As linear-thinking humans, we are used to having starting and stopping points, but our time with the Lord will never have an end.

Recently we talked about how those suffering eternal separation from God are left with no hope. In contrast, those with everlasting life have the eternal joyful confidence and assurance that they can never, ever be separated from God. As long as God is still God, He will hold us in the palm of His hand and never let us go.

Knowing we have an eternal home in Heaven for the greatest length of time can give us confidence as we face the struggles of life. If we stay focused on eternity, we will truly see trials as a light and temporary affliction (2 Cor 4:17).