How Can You Live Forever?
The Bible’s answer
The Bible promises: “The person who does what God wants lives forever.” (1 John 2:17, Holy Bible—Easy-to-Read Version) What does God want you to do?
Learn about God and his Son, Jesus. In prayer to God, Jesus said: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) What is involved in “coming to know” God and Jesus? We can get to know them by studying the Bible and applying its message in our life.a The Bible reveals the thinking of our Creator, Jehovah God, who is the Giver of life. (Acts 17:24, 25) The Bible also tells us about his Son, Jesus, who taught “sayings of everlasting life.”—John 6:67-69.
Exercise faith in the ransom sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus came to earth “to minister and to give his life as a ransom.” (Matthew 20:28) Jesus’ ransom sacrifice opened the way for humans to live forever in Paradise on earth.b (Psalm 37:29) Jesus said: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Note that more is required than simply believing in Jesus. We must ‘exercise faith in him,’ choosing to live in harmony with his teachings and with the will of his Father.—Matthew 7:21; James 2:17.
Build a strong friendship with God. God wants us to draw close to him and become his friend. (James 2:23; 4:8) God is eternal. He will never die, and he wants his friends to live forever as well. Through his Word, God expresses what he wants for all who seek him: “May you enjoy life forever.”—Psalm 22:26.
Misconceptions About Living Forever
Misconception: Human efforts will result in everlasting life.
Fact: Although some medical advances promise to increase the human life span, such efforts will not lead to everlasting life. Only God can give us everlasting life, because only he is “the source of life.” (Psalm 36:9) He promises to “swallow up death forever” and grant everlasting life to all faithful humans.—Isaiah 25:8; 1 John 2:25.
Misconception: Only people of certain races will live forever.
Fact: God does not show favoritism. On the contrary, “in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) People of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds who obey God can live forever.
Misconception: Everlasting life will be boring.
Fact: The offer of everlasting life comes from God, who loves us and wants us to be happy. (James 1:17; 1 John 4:8) He knows that in order for us to be happy, we need purposeful work. (Ecclesiastes 3:12) God promises that those who live forever on earth will have satisfying, meaningful work that will benefit them and their loved ones.—Isaiah 65:22, 23.
Moreover, those who live forever will continue to learn new things about their Creator and his vast creative works. He made humans with a desire to live forever and to learn about him, though they “will never find out the work that the true God has made from start to finish.” (Ecclesiastes 3:10, 11) Thus, those who live forever will always have interesting things to learn and do.
a Jehovah’s Witnesses offer a free Bible study program. For more information, watch the video What Happens at a Bible Study?
b See the article “Jesus Saves—How?”