Eternal Life

[visionary]

Is "life eternal" the same as "eternal life"?

(John 17:3).
New Living Translation
And this is the way to have eternal life--to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

Jubilee Bible 2000
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Believers don’t have to “wait” for eternal life, because it’s not something that starts when they die. Rather, eternal life begins the moment a person experiences faith in Yeshua. It is the believer's current possession. John 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” Notice the "has" in that it is not "will have". I believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit brings us into being in this world but not of this world.

Yeshua equated “eternal life” with a knowledge of God and of the Son. I believe this is a biblical "know" and not a theological know. This life-giving knowledge of the Father and the Son is a true, personal knowledge, not just an academic awareness. There will be some on the great day of Yom Kippur / Judgment Day who had claimed to be followers of Yeshua but never really had a relationship with Him. Matthew 7:23 "And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."

Most people think of eternal life as living forever in heaven. Eternal life is the life everlasting in the presence of God has been preached. But it's more than that. Eternal life also is a here-and-now thing. Probably the best-known Bible reference to eternal life is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

"Eternal life" also refers to the quality of this life as Yeshua stated John 10:10 "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" Eternal life is God's own life, living in you.

 

[Brighten04]

Yes, the concept of eternal life escapes most Christians IMHO. The boldness to live through Jesus Christ is mostly missing today in Christendom as far as I can see. But it takes surrender and most are not willing to allow the old man to die and the new creation to live.

 

[visionary]

Isa 45:21-25 “Declare and bring near, let them even take counsel together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has declared it from that time? Is it not I, יהוה? And there is no mighty one besides Me, a righteous Ěl and a Saviour, there is none besides Me. 22 “Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am Ěl, and there is none else. 23 “I have sworn by Myself, a word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, so that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue swear. 24 “One shall say, ‘Only in יהוה do I have righteousness and strength’ – he comes to Him. And all those displeased with Him shall be put to shame. 25“In יהוה all the seed of Yisra’ĕl shall be declared right and boast. ”

 

[Brighten04]

Has anyone ever wondered why the believers of the first century gladly laid down their lives for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Their ministry was unpolluted and powerful. I think they understood etrenal life a lot better than we do today. Today, it is more about form without any power.

 

[Lamb]

Has anyone ever wondered why the believers of the first century gladly laid down their lives for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Their ministry was unpolluted and powerful. I think they understood etrenal life a lot better than we do today. Today, it is more about form without any power.

I'm not so sure about that. I mean, we read the letters Paul wrote to people in the New Testament correcting their beliefs that had gone astray.

 

[Brighten04]

I'm not so sure about that. I mean, we read the letters Paul wrote to people in the New Testament correcting their beliefs that had gone astray.

Yes. but Paul wrote to gentile Christians, not to those who received the first baptism in the Holy Ghost in the upper room at Pentecost in Acts 2. I can imagine satan shaking in his boots on that day when ordinary people were transformed spiritual powerhouses operating in the Holy Ghost just as Jesus had done. Of course he would not want that kind of power to spread. But it did spread, so he had to water it down. And here we are.

 

[Lamb]

Paul corrected Peter (Galatians 2:11-14). There has always been bad theology that trickles in...it's because of our sinful nature.

 

[Brighten04]

Paul corrected Peter (Galatians 2:11-14). There has always been bad theology that trickles in...it's because of our sinful nature.

Yeah, people fight to hold on to what they get use to. Eternal life is allowing the old carnal nature to die so that the eternal spiritual life can dominate.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Seems to me that "eternal life" and "life eternal" are much the same just a rearrangement of two words. Have you checked how the Greek orders the words and if changes in word order mean anything special in Greek?

 

[popsthebuilder]

Seems the same to me.

Faith in selfless Unity for Good.

 

[visionary]

When I ponder "life" eternal... I think about what kind of life I would be living for eternity.
When I ponder "eternal" life.. I think about the promises of God, the gift of eternal life with Him.

So to me one is the inner life, while the other is the world one would live in for eternity.