Devotional Space for Grace | When do we receive Eternal Life? | 11.30

[Jim]

LOST and FOUND ​

When do we receive Eternal Life? ​

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And this is the eternal life, namely, that they might be having an experiential knowledge of you, the only genuine God, and of Him whom you sent on a mission, Jesus Christ

John 17:3, An Expanded Translation, Wuest ​

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What is eternal life? William Barclay comments, “Let us remind ourselves of what eternal means. In Greek, it is aionis. This word has to do, not so much with duration of life, for life which went on forever would not necessarily be a boon. Its main meaning is quality of life. There is only one person to whom the aionis can properly be applied, and that is God. Eternal life is, therefore, nothing other than the life of God. To possess it, to enter into it, is to experience here and now something of the splendor and the majesty, and the joy, and the peace, and the holiness, which are characteristic of the life of God.”

Eternal life today? Eternal life can function outside of time as well as within time. So, this new God quality of ainois life begins the moment a person puts faith in Christ. It is our current possession. John 3:36 says, “Whoever believes in the Son HAS eternal life.” See similar present-tense constructions in John 5:24; 6:47. The focus of eternal life is not on our future but on our current standing in Christ – ‘receiving God‘s own life’. This life-giving knowledge or knowing of the Father and the Son is a true, personal relational knowledge not just an academic awareness. Sadly, there will be some on Judgment Day who had claimed to be followers of Christ as Lord but never really had a relationship with him. To those false professors, Jesus will say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matt 7:23).

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We have been given divine eternal life to know the divine eternal persons ​