Eternal Life

First of all, eternal life is not living or lasting forever. It includes the idea of unending existance, but it is much more than just that. The basic premise of eternal life is being born-again (Jhn 3-6), being a partaker of God’s own nature (2 Pet 1:4), knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ (Jhn 17:3), and fellowshipping with Him forever in the eternal age.

An unbeliever (a person who is not born-again) does not have eternal life. Unbelievers will also exist forever, but their final destination is the lake of fire, not in God’s eternal presence. Thus, the important thing to remember about life is quality.

The Greek word for “eternal” has a basic meaning of “pertaining to an age”. Back in the day, the Jews divided time into the present age and the age to come. Thus eternal life is the proper life in that age.

The Greek word for “life” used in this phrase is zoe. Zoe life is the proper quality of life which belongs to God. It’s a fullness of life. You could also say that it’s “God’s way of life.”

“Eternal life is not a gift from God, it is the Gift of God.”

Eternal life is not received in the way most people think. Eternal life is not a “thing” given to us. It’s not like we open a package and there is eternal life we receive. Eternal life is “bestowed” to a human being in Christ (1 Jhn 5:11-12). Jesus Christ is the Gift given to us and no man can have eternal life apart from Him. In other words, if you have the Son of God, then you have this life. If you haven’t believed in the Son of God, then you don’t have eternal life. God has given us His Son as a free Gift so that we have His life. Christ Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (Jhn 14:6). And eternal life can never be taken away because He can never be taken away. God will never leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5).

Once a person believes in Jesus Christ, He has the Son which bestows this special life. But many don’t realize that we can have eternal life, but not live in the fullness of eternal life. (we don’t live this way of life in the fullest possible way). Jesus came to the earth not only to bestow God’s life, but also for the purpose that we would live God’s way of life “to the full”. (Jhn 10:10). The truth is, a believer may have zoe life, but may not be experiencing the fullness thereof…abundantly.