On Eternal Life...I John pt 9

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.(I John 5:11-13)

The letter of the apostle John is all about clarity.His burden is to let christians know what is what and who is who, because the knowledge of God has been redefined by experience based distortions of the faith, just like today.

Therefore John’s epistles seek to clarify for us, who truly knows God? Who speaks for Him? How would one know the true from the false knowledge of God? Are the gnostics right or the Apostles? What is the nature of true spirituality?

Another way to ask these questions would be to ask, Who has eternal life? Or, What is eternal life?

Eternal Life is one of those phrases that is so familiar to so many, they automatically assume they know what it means. Few of us even think about it. Perhaps this is because it is part of the most beloved and translated bible verses ever, John 3:16.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”(John 3:16)

However there ar a couple of very simple but significant misapprehensions of this important theme, that we must address.

* Eternal life doesn’t refer to prolonged life. Because man is made in the image of God, all men,saints or sinners, will be in existence forever. Some will spend eternity in Heaven, worshipping and enjoying God forever.

Others who have rejected God’s salvation, and refused to acknowledge their need of God, or His forgiveness, will spend an eternal conscious existence under God’s condemnation forever. These are the words of Jesus, in John 3 ,

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.(John 3:36)

* Eternal life doesn’t begin when you die. There are many who believe that eternal life is given after death. They hope that they will have been found to be “good enough” to merit eternal life.

This is a tragic miscalculation, those who believe this(and there are many) will be shocked to find upon death that they have”died in their sins”, which is the ultimate disaster.

First of all, no one is “good enough” to obtain eternal life, it is the gift of God. Secondly, if you haven’t recieved eternal life by the time you die, it is too late for you. Now is the time to recieve Life.

* Eternal Life starts now. “He that has the Son, has the Life.” Eternal life is a present possession, a gift God gives in love and grace to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, as the sacrifice for their sins.

According to our opening scripture, those who have eternal life can know it. Also we don’t have to assume that all who confess to be christians actually possess eternal life, for eternal life can be tested.

* Eternal Life is sharing in the life of God. When I was young and first came under conviction of the Holy Spirit, forgiveness was my obsession. How can I possibly be forgiven of my sins by a Holy God? This is where the gospel of Jesus’ death in my place became my salve.

But as I have progressed in faith I have realized that my deepest need of all was Life.My problem was not only what I had done, but who I was. I needed a new nature, as well as forgiveness.

God’s gift is eternal life. He saves by allowing us to become partakers of the Divine nature. He gives us a share in his Life.

* Eternal Life is knowing God. On the night he was betrayed, Jesus prayed , acknowledging that God had given him “…power to give eternal life to as many as thou hast chosen. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”(John 17:3)

Knowing God and being known of Him is what we were created for. God made us to love, enjoy and fellowship with Him, but it was sin that alienated us from Him. We lost the knowledge of God when the human race went into sin.

God cannot be known , other than through Jesus Christ. Eternal life is a restoration of the Image of God to man through Jesus. It is a return to favor with God, for “In thy favor is life”.

* Eternal Life is not a separate and independent existence. The gift of God does not come in distinct units to each person who accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

The allegory that Jesus used to describe Eternal life, is that of the vine and branches. Having eternal life is an ongoing communication of life, as in a grape-vine, a continuous reception of life from the source as the branch remains in the vine.

* Eternal life produces qualities that can be tested. This is the essence of the epistle, that you can know that you have eternal life.

If eternal life is the Life of God, than those who have this life should be able to point to specific aspects of their spiritual life which reflect ,no matter how dimly, that Divine life.

Remember, God is Light…God is Love… and Jesus Christ has come and remains in the flesh.Therefore those who have the Life of God, can know it by applying the three tests of eternal life, the test of Righteousness, Love, and Truth. Eternal life is the cause of all three of these attributes in the believer’s life.

To me, one of Christ most profound prayers to our Father was Father, make them one in me as I am one in you..what a wondrous thing to even imagine..so we have God living in us when we accept Christ..that being said let me step out on a limb and tell you one experience of mine..it did not occur because I was good, no one is but God, but because I was seeking and was willing to die literally and to self and the world to find him..

I realize this conversation will brand me a fool to most, but I know there is a living God, we have talked..

one day when I was a young man, I was praying for God to reveal his true nature to me, teach me who I am, give me strength to follow your way even in death..

As I prayed, with clasped hands, tears flowing in His beauty and my needs, I heard a trumpet blow from my clasped hands, very loud..then I heard a singing, which appeared to start with one cell of natural description..all things, begin to sing(christ said even the rocks would sing if the people did not, he was serious)..one cell at a time would add in until the music was so extreme I began to pass out..before passing out I heard a voice say, I am God, You are Jesus and it is the end of time.. I said Lord I am too much of a fool and sinner to be Jesus, Then i heard Jesus say, because you have humbled yourself before me I will explain the voices you hear in your head..all exist as a conversation between me(Jesus speaking)and my Father, you are becoming one in me as I am one in your Father and are beginning to hear our conversation as I hear the Father so will you if you repent of your sins and seek with all your being in truth and in spirit. As these words were spoken to me I heard all things as His voice..I trembled at His power and cried for strength. he said at this time those who accept Christ are infants, barely able to walk much less stand before me..I said Lord teach us to walk upright before you and to your throne..he said, the world today is dead before me..it has turned away from faith and believing to their own understanding, it is as little children soiling themselves, not even knowing they have..look at the world and I saw all things in the world from an elevated place, and I saw through God’s eyes the wickedness and sin that has entrapped mankind and I wept, I too am guilty, he said, do not weep for you have a King, a brother, a friend, who will show you my reality and I saw the world again as Eden, where the verses came out into clear daylight,example..the birds of the field do not sow or reap for food , why do you oh men of little faith , the world was a supernatural place that grew fruit trees from the soil when we were hungry in an instance, all lives in light, and all sang the same words as Christ to the Father..a beautiful song..then he told me, for mankind Heaven exist in the circle of humilty, Faith, and prayer, in this posture you will stand upright before me as a child and learn my ways..
Brother Randles I say this to you because I believe you can hear it..just want to see folks turn from this world’s so called reality(which is darkness)to a higher pasture one drenched in the spirit and power of God..all things of man will perish, not one stone which was placed on another in my honor will stand..do not hold on to life in this world as it creates sin, seek me in truth and in spirit and all things will be made new..

peace to you and yours in Christ...see ya in Heaven..thank you for your service

I think that sometimes people over-complicate simple verses because to make them too simple can contradict one of their core beliefs.

A simple example. James is said to be the brother of John. The bible speaks of Jesus’ brothers.

However, many absolutely INSIST that it should be translated “cousins”. Now, on the surface that seems kinda silly. I mean, it’s very straightforward in language and context, but still people persist in this contorted meaning. And it makes sense when you find out what these same people believe about Mary: That she never had sex in her entire life.

Therefore, their belief about Mary FORCES them to deny the plain meaning of scripture.

And the same thing happens with discussions on eternal life. Thing is, it can also be translated “immortal”. However, many don’t want to do that. They want to say “eternal life” means more abundant, more special, more “real”, and all sorts of things that focus on quality rather than duration. And, honestly, the duration one can be argued to some degree, since “forever” in the bible doesn’t always mean “forever”. There are many past events that came to a conclusion, yet the bible uses phrases to describe them that are translated in English as “forever” or “never-ending”.

Nevertheless, the reason so many don’t want to play the “eternal life means immortality” is because the implication of that is that those places that discuss the fate of the saved as “eternal life” make it clear that the lost do not share in this. This creates a conundrum for many of them because they believe the lost really do have immortality, but will spend it being tortured in a certain “bad place”. i.e. if they accept the plain meaning of “eternal life vs death” and “eternal life vs perish”, it means those who are not Christs will, at some time, die/perish, and cease to exist. That contradicts their “eternal suffering in hell” message.

So, sometimes, when you see someone applying a LOT of definitions to a word, be careful to determine if their definition is supported by scripture and they are not doing a lot of twisting and bending of the word of God.

Just a thought.

BTW, I, personally see “eternal life” as life, beginning today, throughout the next age. And if there are any ages after that, all bets are off, though I hope it includes them, and the concept may not even apply. I also don’t see eternity as having to be the same thing as the linear passage of time that we enjoy in this age.

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