He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:25
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life. 1 John 2:25
Sure, we've all read this verses a million times! We believe, we've repented...we're going to heaven. It's all good! But what do you think of when you hear the words "eternal life"? I always pictured myself in a glorious new body (thin and in shape and gorgeous, of course!) strutting down Heaven's golden streets, hanging out with friends, family, talking with God and doing His work for ever and ever and ever. Amen. Most of us have some picture of our heavenly future in our mind, though I'm sure it will be far better than any of us can imagine..
But did you realize Jesus Himself defined eternal life to us?
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3
The You here is Father God. So, eternal life is having a relationship with God. Pure and simple.
In 1 John 1, the apostle John even calls Jesus by the name Eternal Life.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 1 John 5:20
I don't know about you, but this really struck me. Eternal life isn't a thing or a place or a span of time. It isn't achieved by saying a prayer or offering a sacrifice. Eternal life is knowing God. Like the natural Sun, God is the source of all life and power and the more time we spend with Him, the more we inhabit eternity.
In times past before modern technology, ships at sea had more difficulty navigating at night than in the daytime. If the skies were cloudy and they couldn't see the stars, they had no way to set their course. Even during the day, they needed the sun to be able to use their instruments to determine which way to go. Without the sun, they were dead in the water.
Aren't we very much like those ships? Without a relationship with the Son, we can't find our way to eternal life. He is eternal life. Talking with Him, hanging out with Him, reading His Word, knowing Him like we know a close friend or family member, this is eternal life! We must plug into the source of life and love and power and follow His brightness to that eternal horizon.
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