Jim Elliot said, “Eternity shall be at one and the same time a great eye-opener and a great mouth-shutter.” Thomas Watson said, “Eternity to the godly is a day that has no sunset; eternity to the wicked is a night that has no sunrise.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 reads, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also he has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” There are three ways in time to express love toward eternity.

First, by expressing love toward divinity. Matthew 22:37-38 reads, “Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:25-28 are parallel passages. Four Godward commandments are recorded in Exodus 20:1-11. Keeping the first four of the Ten Commandments demonstrates our love for God as he intends. Many people attempt to love God on their own terms and not his. God requires obedience and disobedience proves we do not love him as much as we might think.

Second, by expressing love toward humanity. Matthew 22:39-40 reads, “And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Six manward commandments are recorded in Exodus 20:12-17. Keeping the final six of the Ten Commandments demonstrates our love for humanity as God intends. Loving humanity involves loving enough to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. These commandments provide clear direction for the genuine believer to lovingly obey.

Third, by expressing love toward Christianity. 1 John 3:14-15 reads, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” 1 John 3:23 reads, “And this is his commandment: that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” Stephen Olford said, “Love is the binding power which holds the body of the Christian church together.” Loving our brothers and sisters in Christ provides assurance of abiding eternal life as well as a witness to the watching world.

George Sweeting said, “Eternity is the grand climax of all history. It is the age to come when every person will acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Eternity will bring to this world all God intended for us. Sin will have been judged and banished. Rewards will have been presented. Life will continue with new vitality, meaning, and perfection. What an age that will be!” These words by George Sweeting are only for believers. Make certain you are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Someone wisely warns, “Eternity is too long to be wrong!”

Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, of Robertsdale, is the author of "Don't Miss the Revival! Messages for Revival and Spiritual Awakening from Isaiah.