Divine Service: The Gateway to Eternal Life
Serving the Lord guarantees eternal life because it is not merely the outward fulfillment of duties, but a deep, sincere dedication that transforms the entire life of the believer. According to the presented sources, eternal life begins here and now when a person, living by the precepts of Christ, enters into constant communion with God—a communion expressed through faith, love, devotion, and obedience to His commandments.Thus, according to one source, serving the Lord is our duty before the Creator and Redeemer, and through this service, believers receive an “unspeakable wealth” that manifests as eternal life:"Thus, Christian, serving Jesus is our duty, for He is our God, Creator, Lord, Redeemer, and Provider. Our service is glorious, for He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is sweet, for His yoke is good and His burden is light. It is desirable, for He grants a great and unspeakable reward. Let us work with a sincere heart so that we, too, may receive from Him a wage with the laborers in His vineyard (Matt. 20:1). The Christian service that believers render to the Lord and their King, Jesus Christ, consists of 1) true, living, and heartfelt faith in Christ. 'Faith in the One Whom He has sent' is God's doing so that you may believe in Him, says Christ (John 6:29)." (source: link txt)Another source emphasizes that living in Christ, as reflected in serving God, makes a person pleasing to Him:"By living in Christ—living according to the Gospel of Christ—we please the Living God. Only in this way does a person become acceptable to God. In such a life, one does not please oneself but only God, living not for oneself but solely for God. Thus, by living for eternal life, you please the Living God. And by living this life, you, Christians of Thessalonica, demonstrate it by already embodying it. The God-man Lord, having become man, does not demand anything unnatural from us, but only what a person can accomplish within the limits of his human nature. And as we fulfill the commandments of the God-man Christ, we simultaneously are filled with divine power that flows eternal life throughout our entire being. Eternal life is complete and yet divinely infinite, so we must continuously excel in it. And the more we acquire it, the more we hunger and thirst for it. And in this sweet longing and wondrous desire lies our unspeakable wealth." (source: link txt)Thus, for the believer, serving the Lord means more than merely carrying out religious obligations—it is about transforming one’s life into a constant communion with the Divine. In this process, a person becomes spiritually renewed, embodying love and devotion. This inner transformation and growth in faith fill the believer's life today with the presence of God's light and grace, opening the doors to eternal life.