Eternal life is a great topic in the Bible; it is the greatest blessing God gives us in His salvation. Obtaining eternal life and enjoying the blessings of eternal life are divided into three different periods. The first period involves obtaining eternal life in this age, the second involves obtaining eternal life in the coming age, and the third involves the enjoyment of eternal life in eternity. If we do not differentiate between these three periods in our examination of what the Bible says about eternal life, we will not be clear.
We obtain eternal life in this age when we believe. When we believe in the Lord in this age, we obtain eternal life. We do not have to wait for the next age or for eternity to obtain it.
1. “That which was from the beginning” (1 John 1:1).
Many misunderstand and think that eternal life involves a blessing in eternity. Actually, the Bible shows that eternal life is not a blessing in eternity; rather, it is the life of eternity. This eternal life was from the beginning. Only the life of God was from the beginning. Therefore, the eternal life is just the life of God, which existed before the universe and time began.
2. “The eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us” (1 John 1:2).
Eternal life is the life of God because God is eternal. In the Bible eternal means without beginning and without end. God is eternal, without beginning and without end, so His life is also eternal, without beginning and without end. The life of God, which has no beginning and no end, is the eternal life.
1. “Eternal life...is in His Son” (1 John 5:11-12).
The Son of God is God incarnated, God Himself embodied in His Son; therefore, the life of God is also in His Son. This life, which is in God’s Son, is the eternal life.
2. “In Him was life” (John 1:4).
The incarnated Lord Jesus is the Son of God, so God’s life, the eternal life, is in Him. When we receive Him and obtain Him, we also obtain the eternal life in Him.
1. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).
God considers His life, the eternal life, to be a gift freely given to us in the Lord Jesus. We do not need to pay for it; as long as we receive it, we obtain it.
2. “God gave to us eternal life” (1 John 5:11).
Since the eternal life, the life of God, was given to us by God, it is God’s gift, not God’s reward, to us. It is freely given, not sold to us.
1. “God so loved...that He gave...that everyone who believes into Him would not perish, but would have eternal life” (John 3:16).
God loves us and gives us His life, the eternal life, which is in His Son for us to receive. The way to receive eternal life is to believe in His Son. As soon as we believe in His Son and receive His Son by faith, we obtain the eternal life that is in the Son.
2. “He who believes into the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36).
Since the eternal life of God that is in His Son is a gift, as soon as we believe into His Son and obtain His Son, we spontaneously obtain the eternal life within His Son.
3. “He who hears My word and believes...has eternal life” (John 5:24).
When we hear the Lord’s word, the gospel, and believe in Him, we immediately have eternal life. Many think that even though we believe in the Lord now, we do not obtain eternal life until some time in the future. They do not realize that there is no time between believes and has. From the moment we believe, we immediately have. As soon as we believe in the Lord, we have eternal life. After we believe, we do not need to wait, for even the slightest moment, to obtain eternal life. There is no need to wait for what we are immediately given.