When the Bible talks about eternal life, we often think about living forever. This is not wrong but Jesus gives us a deeper understanding of eternal life. Jesus said...
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)
Jesus defines eternal life as the knowledge of the one true God, not just living forever – an intimate relationship with God. The truth is that all human beings will live forever. Yes, we will put off this mortal body but our spirit (the real you) continues to live on. The question is where and how you would spend the rest of eternity, not how long you will live.
In order to fully comprehend this, we need to go way back to the beginning where it all began – in the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness, as spiritual beings and give them authority over the Earth (Gen 1:28-31). God gave humans the opportunity to rule over the Earth through relationship with Him.
Unfortunately, Adam and Eve disobeyed God when Satan tempted them. They ate from the tree of knowledge and evil that God had commanded them not to eat. (Gen 3:1-24). Becuase of this disobedience, man acquired a sinful nature which separated us from God. God’s love for mankind has never and will never change but the guilt and condemnation of sin meant that men could not approach God confidently.
This great gulf between God and men could only be bridged by one Person – Jesus Christ. He is The Way, the truth and the life John 14:6. He came to make a way for us to know God intimately like He had intended from the beginning. How did Jesus do that? He took all of the consequences of sin on behalf of all human being beings that have ever lived and will over live.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
Jesus delivered the human race from the bondage of sin, death, sickness and poverty and He is the ONLY way to have intimate relationship with God – FOREVER! Jesus is awesome!
It was a terrible price for Jesus to pay for us but He did it because it would please God the Father and also because He loves us. His love for us has not changed and it never will.
What does this mean for us? It means that everyone who confesses and believes that Jesus is the Son of God and that God has raised Him from the dead (Rom 10:9-10), will now has access to God – to know Him FOREVER.
What a great privilege to know God!
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