Yesterday, a sister asked the above question. Deep within me, I was thinking, eternal life is to live forever and ever.
However, in John 17:3 we see a different perspective of eternal life. "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
In another word, eternal life is to know God.
This made me recalled Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
This knowledge of God as He is revealed unto us in Jesus Christ from the Holy Scriptures is not just an intellectual or a speculative knowledge; it is not just a theoretical knowledge of doctrines. But a knowledge that will change our life continually.
The more we know God, there is a longing for holiness. He can declare as in Hebrews 11, that he is a stranger and a pilgrim upon this earth and he desires a better country, even the heavenly country, where God and the Lamb with all of God’s children shall be for ever and ever in that perfected state.
Eternal life is also a knowledge of God's character and also a involvement with God in His attributes. The more we pursue to know Him, the more we know His character/attributes: for example, in Him there is no evil, He abhors the wicked, He is merciful, kind and gracious etc. This knowledge has such an effect upon us as we are involved in mind, affection and will, that we stand guilty before God. We now can identify with the publican in Luke 18:13 as we see him standing afar off, who would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote himself upon his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” So this knowledge brings us to confession of sin. The knowledge that God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity brings us to repentance toward Him, to an attitude of hatred for sin and an acknowledgement that we are worthy only of God’s wrath, because we have sinned and come short of the glory of God, which is Jesus Christ Himself. It will also help us to appreciate the work of Christ on the cross and express our gratitude.
May God be gracious to us!
However, in John 17:3 we see a different perspective of eternal life. "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
In another word, eternal life is to know God.
This made me recalled Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
This knowledge of God as He is revealed unto us in Jesus Christ from the Holy Scriptures is not just an intellectual or a speculative knowledge; it is not just a theoretical knowledge of doctrines. But a knowledge that will change our life continually.
The more we know God, there is a longing for holiness. He can declare as in Hebrews 11, that he is a stranger and a pilgrim upon this earth and he desires a better country, even the heavenly country, where God and the Lamb with all of God’s children shall be for ever and ever in that perfected state.
Eternal life is also a knowledge of God's character and also a involvement with God in His attributes. The more we pursue to know Him, the more we know His character/attributes: for example, in Him there is no evil, He abhors the wicked, He is merciful, kind and gracious etc. This knowledge has such an effect upon us as we are involved in mind, affection and will, that we stand guilty before God. We now can identify with the publican in Luke 18:13 as we see him standing afar off, who would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote himself upon his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” So this knowledge brings us to confession of sin. The knowledge that God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity brings us to repentance toward Him, to an attitude of hatred for sin and an acknowledgement that we are worthy only of God’s wrath, because we have sinned and come short of the glory of God, which is Jesus Christ Himself. It will also help us to appreciate the work of Christ on the cross and express our gratitude.
May God be gracious to us!
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