part five
The Promise
  
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An Invitation to Life       

Everyone who believes in the Son will have life everlasting.

A wealthy man planned a great banquet, and invited many guests. When the preparations were completed, he sent his servant to gather those who had been invited. "Come,” he said, “for all things are ready."

But all those who had been invited began to make excuses.

The first replied: "I have just purchased a piece of land, and I must go and look at it again. Please have me excused."

The second said: "I have just purchased a herd of cattle, and I must go and examine it. Please have me excused."

A third answered: "I have recently been married, and for this, I cannot attend."

Finally, the servant returned and reported what had happened. Hearing the disappointing news, the master commanded: "Go quickly into the streets of the city, and gather the poor, the lame, the ill and the blind."

The servant hurried to do this, and soon returned, saying: "Sir, I have done as you commanded, and still there is room at the table."

"Go then," the rich man replied, " along the highways and among the fields, and urge those you meet to come in, that my table might be filled. For I say to you: none of those that were originally invited will taste of the banquet that I had prepared for them."

Whoever hears my word and believes in the One who has sent me will find eternal life and not be condemned. Instead, they will pass from death unto life. Do not be amazed at this; for the time is coming when even the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear his voice shall live. In their graves, the dead will recognize his voice and be raised up; those that have done good will be raised to new life, and those who have lived wrongfully will be raised to condemnation.

Herein lies the way to eternal life: know the only true God and Jesus Christ, the one sent to you by God. Take my words to heart. For God so loved the world, that he offered his only Son a living sacrifice, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but be redeemed and have everlasting life. This good news of the kingdom shall be preached in the entire world as a witness to all nations; and then shall the end come.

turn the page to read the next section: The End Times

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