We have seen that the believers have been made a new creation by being regenerated and by receiving the Spirit of God. Now we must go on to see that the believers have been made a new creation also by having the eternal life. The word “eternal” means uncreated, without beginning or ending, unchangeably existing. As believers in Christ, we have eternal life, the divine, uncreated life of God.
The word eternal denotes not only the duration of time, which is everlasting, without end, but also the quality, which is absolutely perfect and complete, without any shortage or defect. Such an expression emphasizes the eternal nature of the divine life, the life of the eternal God. This life is also eternal with respect to its sphere. Therefore, the word eternal denotes three things: time, space, and quality. As to the element of time, this life will last forever. As to space, to sphere, this life is vast, unlimited. As to quality, eternal life is perfect and complete, without defect or shortage. The sphere or field of eternal life encompasses the whole universe. Eternal life is neither temporary nor limited; rather, it is everlasting with respect to time and unlimited with respect to space. Furthermore, eternal life, which is the divine life, has no defects and no shortages.
Eternal life is the life of God (Eph. 4:18). We may say that this life is actually God Himself. Moreover, this life is of the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:2), especially when it becomes our life for our enjoyment.
Eternal life is the life of God, and the life of God was from the beginning: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld, and our hands handled concerning the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). This verse indicates that the life of God was from the beginning. Here “from the beginning” differs from “in the beginning” in John 1:1. “In the beginning” traces back to eternity past before creation, whereas “from the beginning” proceeds forward from creation. Furthermore, in 1 John 1:1 the phrase “from the beginning” is used in an absolute sense as in John 8:44; 1 John 2:13, 14; and 3:8, not in the relative sense as in John 15:27; 1 John 2:7, 24; 3:11; and 2 John 5 and 6.
First John 1:2 tells us that this eternal life “was with the Father.” The Greek word rendered “with” is pros (used with the Greek accusative case). It is a preposition of motion, implying living, acting, in union and communion with. The eternal life was not only with the Father, but was living and acting in union and communion with the Father in eternity. The Father is the source of the eternal life, from whom and with whom the Son was manifested as the expression of the eternal life for those the Father has chosen to partake of and enjoy this life.
The eternal life, the life of God, was manifested to the apostles. “The life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and report to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us” (1 John 1:2). This manifestation of the eternal life was through Christ’s incarnation, which is emphasized strongly in the Gospel of John (John 1:14). Such a manifestation, corresponding to the Word of life being touchable (1 John 1:1), indicates the substantial nature of the Lord’s humanity, which is the manifestation of the divine life in the New Testament economy.
The manifestation of eternal life includes revelation and impartation of life to men, with the view to bringing man into the eternal life, into its union and communion with the Father.
Eternal life is the life which is in the Son of God. “This is the testimony, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (1 John 5:11-12). The testimony of God is not only that Jesus is His Son but also that He gives to us eternal life, which is in His Son. His Son is the means for God to give us His eternal life. Because the life is in the Son and the Son is the life (John 11:25; 14:6; Col. 3:4), the Son and the life are one.
If we have the Son of God, we have eternal life because eternal life is in the Son. We may say that the Son is the container of eternal life. When we receive the Son by believing in Him, we have eternal life.
Eternal life, the divine life, is the “capital” of our Christian life. Actually, this eternal life is the Son, and the Son is the embodiment of the Triune God. Therefore, eternal life is not a thing; it is a person who is the embodiment of the Triune God.
Another verse which indicates that eternal life is in the Son is John 1:4: “In Him was life.” The “Him” in this verse denotes the Word, who was God and through whom all things came into being (John 1:1, 3). The Word, which is the expression and explanation of God, contains God as our life. Therefore, eternal life can be found only in the Word as the expression of God. When we receive the Word, we receive the life within it. The Word is the expression of God, and the life is the content of God. When we receive the Word, we receive God’s content as life and are thereby born of God and become the children of God (John 1:12-13).