Reflections On John 17:3 - pt.2
"And this is eternal life,that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" John 17:3.
What does the term "Eternal Life" mean? Does it speak only of that time after Jesus comes to take those who have trusted Him home to be with Him for all eternity? Or, should it also include that time in a believer's life from the point of having fled to take refuge in Him? What do you think?
posted by mark pierson at 12:00 PM
14 Comments:
My first survey
May 02, 2006 12:20 PM
The time in a believer's life from the point of having fled to take refuge in Him. You have to start the clock here. We are dead men walking without Christ
Great
May 02, 2006 12:36 PM
I think eternal life begins the moment one trusts in Christ's completed work, but it will be more dramatically experienced when we leave this flesh. I also think of how our lives are but a vapor, so that even though the time between conversion and translation may seem long to us, it is a nano-second to God.
May 02, 2006 1:19 PM
I think it begins from the moment you trusts, but if you ask me why i think it, i couldn't tell ya, i just think it does.
May 02, 2006 9:49 PM
If you have eternal life, you will live forever.
If it is a future thing, you do not have it now.
God Bless
Matthew
May 03, 2006 3:49 AM
Here's my take:
My eternal life began before the foundation of the world as God chose me, not the other way around.
May 03, 2006 8:02 PM
Gayla, how can you have eternal life if you are not alive.
Indeed, God may have appointed that you have eternal life before the foundation of the world, but if you had posessed it then, you would have to have been alive then.
What is more, before you believed you were dead in trespasses and sins. A person who is dead in trespasses and sins does not have eternal life.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
May 04, 2006 6:01 AM
Good, Good, A conversation is starting up. This is what I was hoping for.
All I ask is that Christian charity is maintained. I love you all and do not want any feelings hurt, not on this blog.
May 04, 2006 6:19 AM
Matthew, I was just stating that my 'destiny' was ordained by God even before I ever existed.
As you said, obviously I hadn't actually *possessed* eternal life yet, nor do I now - in the literal sense of eternal life, life after physical death.
Ecl 3:11 says, He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart...
Is 43:13 says, Even from eternity I am He...
I'm just saying that eternity exists outside of time, outside of our finite thoughts about it. And God, in His mercy, chose me for eternal life while I was still dead in sin.
May 04, 2006 10:26 AM
Gayla, I strongly disagree with the idea that you do not posess eternal life now.
Eternal life is not life after physical death, but it is living forever.
If we take up the notion that eternal life is future, then we hand the victory over to Arminians who think Christians can be lost and cult followers who say we cease to exist after death.
'He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life'
We have eternal life NOW.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
May 04, 2006 12:15 PM
Matthew: I like what you say...
"We have eternal life NOW."
I agree with you!
But I also see where Gayla is coming from.
Good points,both of you.
Rose, Doug, Janice: Thanks for stopping by. Please feel free to continue,all.
May 04, 2006 12:46 PM
Matthew, I totally agree with you.
I think perhaps I wasn't expressing my thoughts well, and that we are, in fact, on the same page. :)
Thanks for the clarification.
May 04, 2006 1:44 PM
Just wanted to add that I've been on this 'sovereignty journey' but for a relatively short amount of time. God's still moving, still showing me brand new truths.
So I know that what's in my head and heart may not translate well to the written word.
I ask your indulgence in the patience department!! :)
May 04, 2006 1:48 PM
I believe it was Spurgeon who said something like, "It takes a little faith to bring the soul to heaven, but a whole lot of faith to bring heaven to the soul."
Getting the noise out of our lives helps too.
May 06, 2006 12:12 AM
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