How Does Jesus’ Birth Confirm Our Hope of Heaven?

Every day, we trust the sun to rise; we never doubt its appearance because it has always been faithful. In the same way, we anchor our confidence in eternal life in God’s faithfulness and the consistency of His promises. Just as we rely on the sunrise, we can trust that God will fulfill His word regarding eternal life.

Hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, the prophet Isaiah foretold, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given... and His name shall be called Mighty God...” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus’ miraculous birth, born of a virgin (Luke 1:27), and the fulfillment of countless prophecies are miracles that only God could accomplish. With this same divine authority, Jesus declared forgiveness of sins and promised eternal life—a promise validated by His resurrection, as steadfast and certain as the rising sun.

Jesus’ humble arrival in a manger was the only One who could ensure salvation and life everlasting as 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 

The Savior’s life and teachings reveal God’s Kingdom, providing ample instruction in faith.

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The authority upholds, and the law guarantees a legally binding contract—whether for a job, a home, or a commitment. Similarly, God, the ultimate Lawgiver, “seals” His unbreakable word: “When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal” (Ephesians 1:13-14), the guarantee of inheritance in eternal life. God’s word, unlike earthly contracts, is more enduring because they’re backed by His unchanging nature.

Jesus revealed the way to eternity, declaring, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). His sinless life exemplified His teachings as a model of righteousness and eternal values. His words, like a covenant, indestructibly rooted in God’s authority, are impossible to void. Unlike human agreements, God’s word is absolute and faithful: “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind...Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).

Through Jesus, we can place our faith in a covenant as unbreakable as the most binding contract—yet far more enduring, secured by God Himself. Jesus secured this covenant by accomplishing redemption for our sins on the cross.

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When a close friend promises to help in a challenging time, we believe them based on trust built through shared history and proven loyalty. We don’t question if they will show up because they have shown that they are dependable. In the same way, God demonstrated His faithfulness in sending Jesus, and we can trust His promise of eternal life as surely as we would trust a friend who has never let us down.

Martin Luther echoed this trust, saying, “When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved. When I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost.”

In 1993, Mary Johnson exemplified this kind of grace when her son, Laramiun Byrd, was killed in a gang-related incident. Over time, she reached out to his killer, Oshea Israel, meeting him in prison and forgiving him. Their bond grew into an unlikely friendship, and they even became neighbors, publicly sharing their stories to promote forgiveness and reconciliation. Like Mary’s extraordinary act of forgiveness, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross shows God’s grace—a love that overcomes unimaginable hurt and offers reconciliation.

Through His birth, teachings, and the ultimate sacrifice on the cross, Jesus proved He speaks the truth as a loving friend and Savior, exchanging our sin for His righteousness. A. W. Tozer says, “The only sin Jesus ever had was ours. And the only righteousness we can ever has is His.” 

The blood of Jesus “cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7-9). His resurrection provides the final assurance that Jesus met sin’s penalty and was accepted by God the Father as an atonement.

Jesus’ resurrection captured sin’s death penalty and replaced it with eternal life. 

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The resurrection proves that Jesus has power over sin and death, validating His identity as the Son of God and affirming every promise He made. It’s the ultimate assurance that believers, too, will share in victory over death and receive the gift of eternal life. By rising from the dead, Jesus confirmed His role as Savior and Lord, providing us with a secure foundation for our trust in God.

Peter declares in Acts 2:24, “God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.”

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). Resurrection is the cornerstone and certainty of our own resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 states, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Just as basic mathematical truths—like 2 + 2 always equaling 4—are unchanging, so is the reliability of God’s word and assurance of victory over death. Mathematical principles remain constant, and likewise, so do God’s promises.

Author Lee Strobel captures this assurance: “Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good; he came into this world to make dead people live.” Believing in Jesus, “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” (John 3:16), we live by faith--- the very basis of eternal life.

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Most of us experience the unwavering love of a parent or close family member. Likewise, God’s love and our security in Him are even more assured. Just as a parent’s love for a child endures, God’s love is even deeper and unending.

The apostle John, known as Jesus’ “beloved disciple,” writes of this confidence in 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” John’s message of assurance is powerful; he walked with Jesus, witnessed His crucifixion, and saw His resurrected body. His words remind believers that faith in Jesus is eternal, forever.

Salvation is God’s gift of grace—not earned but received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith isn’t “hoping so” or wishful thinking—it’s a confident trust rooted in Jesus! Faith fully trusts God’s promises, not because we cross our fingers or “hope for the best,” but because He has proven Himself faithful time and again. This is the faith that gives justification from sin and peace with God (Romans 5:1). It is certain, like relying on the sunrise or the unchanging nature of God’s Word, rather than the fleeting assurances the world offers. The great preacher Charles Spurgeon helps us understand: “Saving faith is an immediate relation to Christ, accepting, receiving, resting upon Him alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal life by virtue of God’s grace.” 

Fully assured of what God promises through faith in Jesus, we can live out that faith, shining out the truth of eternal life. 

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Vance Havner once says, “Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts: the gift of God to man—His unspeakable gift of His Son—and the gift of man to God when we present our bodies as a living sacrifice.” Romans 12:1-2 describes these living sacrifices as those who resist conforming to the world, choosing instead to live in a holiness that pleases God.

Prioritizing time in God’s presence through prayer and His Word deepens holiness and shapes us to be more like Jesus. As 1 John 2:5 says, ‘If anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them.’ With confidence in the unshakable promise of eternal life, Christmas becomes a sacred invitation to share with others the true message of the season—a message of redemption, hope, and eternal assurance in Christ that the world so desperately needs.

Finally, as certain as the sunrise, as unbreakable as a trusted promise, as enduring as a parent’s love, and as unchanging as mathematical laws, God’s declarations stand firm. The birth, life, teachings, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection of Jesus all confirm His promise of eternal life. Yes, you can be certain of heaven! Let’s read this verse again: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:13). 

John R. Rice once says, “You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look up into the Father’s face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift.” This Christmas, let’s rest secure in God’s promises, embracing the greatest gift of all—eternal life, offered and firmly assured through Jesus Christ.

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