Lifetime plans ∙∙
I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. – John 11:25
John 5:24 I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.
1 John 5:11-13
11 And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
13 I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
The Irony of Lifetime Plans
The following online marketing ad was seen on the web in various locations. Upon closer examination, it seems a bit ironic, does it not? Imagine encountering an ad that reads like this:
“Annual plans, starting at just $12 + tax, or Lifetime plans, available for a limited time!”
At first glance, this sounds enticing, but a closer look exposes a glaring contradiction. Is a lifetime plan really a lifetime plan if it’s only available for a fleeting moment? What does this say about the actual longevity of the plan? If the commitment behind it is so short-lived, can we trust it to last?
Lessons from the Past
To make sense of these so-called lifetime promises, we can look back at history. Praenumeration was a practice widespread in the 18th-century German book trade. Back then, publishers offered books for sale before they had even been printed. Readers could preorder these books in the planning stages, and the funds raised were used to cover the costs of publication.
Fast forward to the present day, and we see this concept reimagined through crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is frequently used by startups seeking to finance innovative ideas they plan to implement. Modern businesses utilize this approach to raise funding from online communities, bringing creative projects, such as books, to life.
Lifetime Plans in Crowdfunding
The concept of crowdfunding often revolves around enticing pledges of a “lifetime” offer. These investments promise significant discounts or “lifetime access” to future products. At first glance, it appears to be an incredible opportunity offering value to eager backers.
However, this optimism is often at odds with reality. Startups, unfortunately, face a high risk of failure. They are fragile, and unfortunately, most do not survive. Many projects don’t come to fruition, and when a company folds, those alluring “lifetime” plans become worthless. “The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.”
Consequently, lifetime plans are often sunsetted (derived from the idiomatic expression “Ride off into the sunset”), and the original investors do not get what they were promised.
It’s a poignant reminder that lifetime plans in human ventures rarely last a lifetime.
When life presents us with challenges, temporary solutions are often a stopgap but are insufficient in the long run. This is especially true when it comes to life’s ultimate challenge, death. At that moment, you won’t need a book about salvation or an abstract doctrine to comfort you. Instead, you’ll need the Savior Himself.
REFLECT & PRAY
Warren Wiersbe said it beautifully, “When you belong to Him, you have all that you will ever need in life, death, time, or eternity.”
The apostle Paul confirms this timeless truth in 1 Corinthians 1:30, reminding us that Jesus is everything we could hope for.
Father, thank You for providing a paid-in-full, eternal lifetime plan. Thank You for the confidence and certainty this provides for every child of the King.
INSIGHT
Seeking the Best Plan for Eternity
What about eternal lifetime plans? When it comes to preparing for eternity, choosing the best plan available is one of the most important decisions we can make. Being ready for life after death is a primal concern of humanity, and the quality and reliability of such a plan hinge on the nature of the one offering it.
What should we consider? Character, integrity, and reliability are critical. Are there satisfied beneficiaries? Is the provider trustworthy with an impeccable reputation? Each of us bears the responsibility of conducting thorough research and exercising due diligence to ensure we make a wisdom-driven decision.
The Divine Plan of Redemption
The Father is deeply invested in the business of redemption. His divine enterprise wasn’t an afterthought; it was conceived before the foundations of the earth existed (2 Timothy 1:9). It was born in eternity, crafted in the eternal realm of God’s consciousness long before anything else came into being.
When we wholeheartedly place our trust in the eternal plan God has extended to the children of the King, we discover an unshakable foundation. The Father’s “company” is unmatched. It is eternal, immune to collapse or failure, and every promise He makes is fulfilled without exception.
The beauty of this eternal lifetime plan is that those who invest in it will never suffer loss or risk being cast out. The Lord Jesus Christ confirms this in John 10:29, “My Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”
The Cost and Guarantee of the Eternal Plan
How is the Father’s eternal lifetime plan made possible? It was for this very purpose that Jesus Christ came. The Father sent His Son into the world to provide eternal life for all who would believe.
John 3:16 explains, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Additionally, Jesus offers reassurance in John 5:24, “I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, but has crossed over from death to life.”
The Unmatched Authority of Christ
Such claims from just anyone else would sound ludicrous. Without evidence, these promises could easily be dismissed as the ramblings of a liar, lunatic, or a fool. But the Lord Jesus Christ’s extraordinary claims are backed by exceptional credentials.
His life, teaching, miracles, sacrificial death, victorious resurrection, and triumphant ascension prove He has the authority to offer eternal life. Consider His words in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.”
This statement goes far beyond hope. “Jesus does not merely say that he will bring about the resurrection or that he will be the cause of the resurrection (both of which are true), but something much stronger: I am the resurrection and the life” (ESV Notes).
The Light Out of the Shadows
The work of the Lord Jesus Christ brings the doctrine of resurrection into clear focus. While the Old Testament contained hints of resurrection truths, they remained incomplete and a bit shadowy. Jesus, however, illuminated this truth for everyone to see.
By His teaching, miracles, and resurrection, He established once and for all the certainty of life after death. He declared that death is real, yet eternal life and bodily resurrection await those who trust in Him (Wiersbe).
Warren Wiersbe explains it this way, “He took it out of a book and put it into a person, Himself. ‘I am the resurrection and the life!’ We are saved by the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and not by a doctrine written in a book. When we know Him by faith, we need not fear the shadow of death.”
When Does Eternal Life Begin?
Do we have to wait until death to experience the benefits of this eternal plan? Absolutely not! Eternal life begins the moment faith is placed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
This life is not merely a future hope but a present possession for every child of the King. The apostle John makes it abundantly clear in 1 John 5:12, “Whoever has the Son has life.”
From the moment we acknowledge and receive Christ as our personal savior and Lord, we step into the blessings of eternal life. This promise is not theoretical or distant but real and immediate for all who believe.
Eternal security isn’t about fleeting human promises; it stands on the character, authority, and love of God Himself. There is no greater plan. Through Jesus Christ, we have life, security, and a hope that will never fade.
¯_(ツ)_/¯3-16-2
© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 