Does salvation guarantee eternal life

Answer 1

Of salvation Scripture says "Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke Ch 19)

Of Eternal Life Scripture says "When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent". (John Ch 7)

It would appear from above that salvation is the means of gaining eternal life. It does not guarantee eternal life.

See also question "What is eternal life - John 3 17"

AnswerIMHO, there is no one single religion that has proven their tenets to guarantee a certain course of action occurs after death. The way I see it: life is something that we experience here on Earth, perhaps after we die we experience another type of existence, but it would be different from life, because most definitions of life involve having a material body. So eternal life does not make logical sense if we have no body. Perhaps there is an eternal existence of some kind that we may experience, but it would be different from 'eternal life.'

Salvation is mostly a concept of the Christian traditions and is based on the belief that we are all born with original sin. So to find salvation we must believe in Christ as our saviour, and then we become somehow absolved of this sin.

I personally do not think that if God loves us as much as we have been told he does that he would make us start out in life with such a burden, already guilty of something before we even took our first breath. So, in my opinion, the basis of salvation being required for a certain state of existence 'eternal life' after death does not make logical sense.

I believe that if we live a life where we love others, are non-judgmental, and generally have peace in our hearts that we will have that eternal existence close to God, or whatever 'God' may actually be.

Hmmm... maybe if we all put together all the good intentions, all the good will, all the love for each other, accepting all religions, all races, all colors, and all beliefs of all people on Earth, maybe then we could approach being a part of God, and attain 'eternal life.'

Maybe that's the answer?

It depends on your faith, And being mortals, we are limited in our ability to see the beyond. Maybe there is salvation and eternal life, but there is only one way to find out out and that is to die.

See Related LinksSee the Related Links for "Soulanswer.com: Life After Death" to the bottom for the answer. AnswerOnly promises, no guarantee, the same with Eternal sufferings, only threats no guarantee. AnswerSalvation only guarantees eternal life if the person who is promising the salvation can actually deliver what they promise and also that they are not being deceptive in their promise.

So it is important to know the character of the God who promises salvation:

He is a God who cannot lie.

Numbers 23:1919God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Hebrews 6:1818That by two immutable things, in which it wasimpossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

He has given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee

Romans 8:14-1714For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

He has promised salvation to whoever believes

John 3:14-1714And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but ispassed from death unto life.

Summary: Quite clearly salvation does guarantee eternal life because the one who has promised it is both willing and able to do what He has promised.

Answer:

The answer is Yes.