Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 1 Samuel 2:30

God pledges:

“those who honour me, I will honour”. 1 Sam 2:30

This pledge, although not made in the context of the gospel, is consistent with its principles. Namely, if you accept that the Lord Jesus Christ (who is God in human form) died for your sins and then rose from the dead, God will give you eternal life.

Below, this wonderful promise is explained in more detail using the prompts WHO, WHAT, HOW, WHY, WHEN, and WHERE.

WHO is this promise to?

Everyone and anyone, including me and you! The reality is God wants to give everyone eternal life – no exceptions (1 Tim 2:3-4)!  It doesn’t matter what you do, what you will do or what you have done, God wants to give YOU eternal life.

The only thing you must do is accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as YOUR saviour. The instant you accept Him you will receive eternal life and nothing or no one can take it away. Further, God promises that He will never take it away either (Joh 3:16,18).

HOW do we accept him by faith?

Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for YOUR sins (Rom 5:6,8). He died but is now alive – never to die again (Rev 1:17-18) and is currently sitting at the right hand of God.  He is sinless and chose to die for our sins knowing how awful it would be but also knowing it is the only way we can have eternal life.

WHAT is eternal life?

God promises to reward anyone who places their faith in Him with eternal life.  Eternal life is described in the bible as being alive after death experiencing joy and fulfillment in the presence of God forever.  It is also described as a life void of crying, mourning, pain, and death.  It is a new life that never ends lived in complete happiness with God (Rev 21:3-4).

In addition, God will give all spiritual blessings in heavenly places to each person who believes (Eph 1:3).  That means in this life you will also have innumerable blessings from God Himself.

WHY does he make the promise?

Because God loves YOU more than anyone else loves you! Importantly, there is no other way we can have eternal life (or spiritual blessings). God tells us that each of us has fallen short because of sin (Rom 3:23).  Specifically, we have failed to meet God’s righteous (perfect) standard and therefore it is impossible for us in our own merit to exist in his presence.

The only way we can live in the presence of God is to do it on the merit of His son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth is difficult for us to comprehend. That is why he tells us that the only way to please him is to trust (have faith) in Him (Heb 11:6).

WHEN DO WE NEED TO HONOUR GOD?

The short answer is before we die. However, this raises a challenge. No one knows precisely, the day, time and circumstances they will die. Perhaps some suffering from terminal disease have a good idea of “how” and that their death is imminent – but even they don’t know the actual moment.  That is why you should do it now.  Accept the Lord Jesus Christ where you are right now – and he will give you eternal life.

WHERE SHOULD I HONOUR HIM

Wherever you are, God’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save! He can save you wherever you are now.

There is a second part of God’s pledge that helps us understand the significance of God’s pledge. It tells us that the consequence of not honouring him is to exist after death separated from God forever, in a place where there is no happiness – only regret, pain and sorrow.

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear Isaiah 59:1