Life Eternal
All of us have either read or quoted this verse of Scripture hundreds or perhaps thousands of times in our lives. In this one basic sentence, you can summarize the complete gospel. However, because of its use (or if I may say "over-use") many, both in and outside the Church, have failed to completely grasp its meaning. The question that deserves to be answered is: What is everlasting life? Does this mean only that I will live forever? No, because everyone will live forever. Does this mean that although I live forever, eternal life means that I will live forever with God in heaven instead of being in hell with Satan? This answer, although true, is not the complete truth, and this is what I want to discuss today.
Unfortunately, much of the Church today has watered down the gospel to being only about forgiveness of sins and a ticket to heaven. I think many believe that the phrase in John 3:16 but have everlasting life is repetitive because everlasting life means that we will not perish or go to hell. This truth is reflected in the question that is commonly associated with today's form of evangelism: "If you died today, would you go to heaven?" This question preaches a salvation born out of fear instead of love.
Consequently, many denominations of the Church preach forgiveness of sins only or what I like to call "fire insurance." Oh, no pastor or evangelist would ever admit it, but they have been deceived into preaching a message that doesn't offend anyone because after all, religion and God only applies after you're dead. "Just walk and aisle and say a prayer to get your sins forgiven and you won't have worry about this present world because you'll have eternity to live with Jesus." While being saved includes forgiveness of sins and a ticket to heaven to live with the Lord forever, it is only part of the packagethe icing on the cake.
"So, what is eternal life?" you ask. I'll quote the Lord Jesus from John 17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
Brothers and sisters, eternal life is about a relationship with God and salvation is about God's effort to restore the relationship that was lost in the Garden of Eden. This is why Jesus came: to save that which was lost. [Matthew 18:11] The relationship God had with Adam and Eve didn't exist in heaven; it existed on earth. The relationship was restored by Jesus Christ after He came to earth and died on the cross to pay the ransom of Satan's hold on mankind.
When we see salvation as only the forgiveness of sins and a ticket to heaven, we have missed the primary reason for the cross, which was to reconcile a sinful people to God, and for this to be effective in this present world. Jesus said in John 10:10, The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. The life the Lord spoke of refers to this present life. After all, he is comparing His offer with what Satan can do in this present world. Additionally, if the Lord wasn't referring to this present world, but to heaven, why would He say that we would have it more abundantly? How much more abundant can you get than in heaven?
You see, our salvation involves this present life because God desires fellowship with Him as He had with Adam and Eveand this was on earth. In fact, the Bible says that Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world. [Galatians 1:4] It is God's desire that we have intimate relationship with Him so that we can receive this abundant life He purchased for us on the cross.
This watered-down gospel of preaching forgiveness of sins and eternal issues only has been the primary reason the church hasn't affected the world in the same way the early church did. Instead of preaching a gospel born out of fear, they had a revelation of God's love and understood the relationship with God and consequently were able to turn the world upside down. They knew what the Bible says in Romans 2:4, that a revelation of the goodness of God is what leads people to repentance. Much of today's church hasn't come close to living up to this standard because all it preaches is forgiveness of sins to escape eternal punishment and receive a ticket to heaven. Meanwhile, the world is destroying itself and people are sick, poor, oppressed, drugged, and depressed, and the church has no answers but to send people to the doctor. The world doesn't see a relationship with Christ as having any bearing on our lives today because many of His ambassadors have refused to walk in this truth. Christ has delivered us from this present evil world and our relationship with Him has a great bearing on what is happening today. This is what we must preach. Yes, it's great to get your sins forgiven and know that you're going to heaven when you die. But what about this present evil world? Where's the victory in the Resurrection? Where's this abundant life Jesus promised?
Many of you may not like what I'm about to say, but I think it's an insult in the face of Jesus and His cross to forsake what He endured and died to give us. To preach and concentrate your entire efforts on heaven and hell issues is like receiving the greatest gift in the world, ripping off 1/4 of it and throwing the rest in the trash--just because it doesn't line up with your theology. Like I said, it's an insult in the face of the Lord Jesus, Who took stripes on His back to provide healing for every person that would ever need it [2 Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:17]; endured the shame of the cross, being made a curse for us to deliver us from the curse of the law of sin and death [Galatians 3:13]; endured the punishment for our peace [Isaiah 53:5]; became poor so that we would be rich [2 Corinthians 8:9]; and rose again to give us power and authority over the devil [Romans 6; Colossians 2:14-15]; and most importantly, His death opened the door to relationship with God for those who would believe on His name [John 1:12]. This is life eternal--an intimate relationship with the God Who became a man to die in your place, so you could partake in His love.
Brothers and sisters, eternal life begins the moment a person confesses Jesus as Lord and believes in his or her heart that God raised Him from the dead [Romans 10:9]. When once we lived to please ourselves, now, in Christ, we live for and through Him so that we can be revelations of the abundant life He has purchased for us.
