Life Eternal

John 3:16, one of the most known and memorized verses of the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life."  John, more than any other NT author, is clear that the reward given to Christians for belief in Jesus is eternal life (John 10:28; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-12).  Moreover, those that do not have the son do not have eternal life but its converse: eternal death and damnation.

Although eternal life is significant and an essential teaching of the New Testament, it is important to note that eternal life is not the purpose of confession and belief in Christ.  Eternal life is a side effect of a right relationship with God.  Think of it logically, God is life and the Holy Spirit resides in believers; therefore, believers are blessed with eternal life as a result of their relationship with the Lord.

Again, eternal life is not the purpose of belief, it is a side effect of belief.  The purpose and end of belief in Christ is a reconciled right relationship with the Lord.  This, in and of itself, is the most wonderful and amazing gift that confession and belief in Jesus provides for Christians.  It is the right relationship with God that belief offers; a side effect of that relationship is eternal life.

God is the giver, the Lord of life.  Death is a result of sin.  In Eden, Adam and Eve had eternal life because they were in right relationship with God but, due to the Fall, their relationship was damaged and their eternal life revoked as a result.  Because the Lord is life, when we are obedient to Him, His will and Word, we will be blessed.  Part of His blessing is life, eternal life.

Because eternal life is a side effect of right relationship with the Lord, the giver of life, eternal life is not an "after death" venture.  Instead, eternal life is the life we now live in preparation for our lives after the ceasing of this mortal coil.  In essence we should strive to live in a constant state of eternal life.  In reality, this means that we will pursue a right relationship with the Lord.  Remember, not only is eternal life a side effect of a right relationship with God through Jesus, but it is a life to be lived now not after death.  Therefore, let us be diligent to live lives pleasing to Him and to His will.