Eternal life - what is this in scripture

[PeterJens]

Eternal life is an interesting phrase

I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has
eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 5:24

God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription:
"The Lord knows those who are his," and,
"Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
2 Tim 2:19

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord;
and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
Acts 13:48

Sow to
The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction;
the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Gal 6:8

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the
benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
Rom 6:22

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good
confession in the presence of many witnesses.
1 Tim 6:12

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you
the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
1 John 1:2

And this is what he promised us--even eternal life.
1 John 2:23

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
to bring you to eternal life.
Jude 1:21

Jesus's phrase could be interpreted that we have eternal life in the future because
we believe Him now, but it is a future promise rather than a present experience.

Paul, John, Jude appear to be suggesting our lives determine our eternal life when
we meet Jesus rather than in the present moment.

So as I see the meaning by walking and being transformed we inherit the promise
which is realised in heaven. If one can read "eternal life" as a future reality only
realised later, it changes our view on what is guaranteed and what it means to
walk with Jesus.

 

[for_his_glory]

Exist: to have actual being or reality; to live

Existence: the fact or state of existing, living or occurring the manner of existing

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Dust + breath from God = a living soul. When the flesh dies physically it returns back to the dust of the ground and our spirit is preserved with God for final judgment.

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The promise of Eternal life with the Father begins with complete obedience to God's commands when we first repented and asked Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, John 3:5-7; Romans 10:9, 10, as we are no longer of this world, John 15:19. Grace pardons the believer who has put their faith in Christ and are indwelled with the Holy Spirit, Ephesians 2:8. Mercy gets us there as we have the promise of eternal life with the Father, John 3:16, but only if we are obedient to God's commands and statures as we surrender all of ourselves to Him, Galatians 2:20, and also endure all trials and tribulations while on this earth until the end of our physical death or alive when Christ comes on the last day and we are caught up to Him and the promise of eternal life is fulfilled, Matthew 24:13; John 5:28, 29; 6:40.

 

[PeterJens]

12 The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life.
13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
14 And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
1 John 5:12-14

John is writing above about knowing we have eternal life now.
So John is bringing things into the present and not just the future.

 

[for_his_glory]

We have it now as a promise of God, but in the flesh we will never experience it until we are changed as this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, 1 Corinthians 15:51-55.

 

[Nathan12]

If one can read "eternal life" as a future reality only realised later, it changes our view on what is guaranteed and what it means to walk with Jesus.

According to Scripture eternal life is a present possession as well as a future reality. Eternal life is Christ in you, the hope of glory. I trust this is your understanding.

 

[PeterJens]

According to Scripture eternal life is a present possession as well as a future reality. Eternal life is Christ in you, the hope of glory. I trust this is your understanding.

There is a problem with figurative language and actual reality.
If I hold I am now an eternal spirit in Christ that can never die or be judged etc.
this is very different from I have life that will never cease, which is a continuation
of the life we have without end.

Some have claimed they are created into a eternal spirit, which will go to heaven
when they die, and their flesh is left behind.

Others say the gift of eternal life is like a gift that is received and then is never
taken back.

The problem is coming to Christ is founded on our walk with Jesus and
walking in His way. If eternal life is the focus and not our communion
with the Lord, something has gone wrong.

So my interest is how scripture supports different ideas and how the
emphasis of scripture supports one or more interpretations.

 

[Nathan12]

If eternal life is the focus and not our communion with the Lord, something has gone wrong.

Since eternal or everlasting life is Christ's focus (particularly in the Gospel of John) then nothing has gone wrong.

JOHN 3 (AND MANY OTHER CHAPTERS)
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 

[for_his_glory]

If eternal life is the focus and not our communion
with the Lord, something has gone wrong.

Eternal life doesn't begin when we are in the New Jerusalem as eternal life is a present tense possession, a promise of God to all who will believe on His Son Christ Jesus.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

 

[PeterJens]

Since eternal or everlasting life is Christ's focus (particularly in the Gospel of John) then nothing has gone wrong.

JOHN 3 (AND MANY OTHER CHAPTERS)
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

One can be focused on the prize of not dying in the second death.
This is the great reward Jesus brings us, forgiveness of sins, life without end.

But pie in the sky when you die, as the phrase meant, does not deal with
everyday life now. By having eternal life today, does that put me in the
Kingdom now, with all the authority of the Kingdom, anointed in the Holy Spirit
or is it something still to come?

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 John 5

 

[for_his_glory]

But pie in the sky when you die, as the phrase meant, does not deal with
everyday life now. By having eternal life today, does that put me in the
Kingdom now, with all the authority of the Kingdom, anointed in the Holy Spirit
or is it something still to come?

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Eternal life is a present tense possession as we already have eternal life the day we first believed, John 3:16. The kingdom of God is within us and we are empowered by the Holy Spirit that dwells in our inner man with all authority of the kingdom of God.

Power and authority is given to us by the grace of God to carry on the commission of God to take his word out into the world. This power gives us victory over the wicked forces of Satan and his dominions that are in the world trying to defeat us in our quest for the Lord, if we take authority over him in the name of Jesus.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:12 for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Matthew 10:28 and fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

[Nathan12]

By having eternal life today, does that put me in the Kingdom now, with all the authority of the Kingdom, anointed in the Holy Spirit or is it something still to come?

Absolutely. It is a present reality for the child of God. There are many Scriptures relating to this.