Eternal Life

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jn 3 :16)

What is eternal life? Some would say living forever, but if that is all it is, my desire of it would be based upon the enjoyability of the life I am living. If I am enjoying my life, then living forever ain’t so bad. However, if I am having a hard life, then living forever would be akin to hell.

Some folks would say it is going to Heaven when I die. Now, I like that ending, but what about today or tomorrow or even yesterday? Is my only hope that when it is all said and done that I won’t burn in hell?

There is a difference between life and living and there are different kinds of life we can live, but if we want eternal life, the life marked by no beginning and no end, the God-infused life of fullness, abundance, power and purpose, how do we get there? I like the old farmers answer, “You can’t get there from here.”

An understanding of what is meant by the term eternal life is necessary, in order for us to know how to get there. First of all, eternal life is not a destination. It is the way of living rightly related to, and in fellowship with God. Jesus prayed "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn 17:3) The words translated eternal life in this verse are the same as those in John 3:16 above. Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God and Himself. This knowing is a personal, experiential knowing It is a knowing and being known, that has a personal intimate quality about it and is on going, and life changing. But “You can’t get there from here.”

From our Mother’s womb, we are born into a natural life, and in that state we cannot experience eternal life. We are born earthly, and our roots are sunk into the earthly, and our lives and knowledge consist of and are filled with the desire for earthly things. That which is earthly cannot perceive, understand, nor enter into eternal life.

So how do we get there? Just as we are born into our natural state, our earthly life, so we must be reborn, born anew, born again born from above in order to be able to enter into eternal life. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:6-7) We must be born of the Spirit in order to enter into this eternal life. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can perceive it, understand it, and walk in it, and it is only through Jesus Christ that we can enter into it.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Jn 14:6)