What is the eternal life which we received from Jesus Christ? And what changes (your mind, point of view, purpose, etc) did it bring into your earthly life and after life?
Eternal life is not just the life after death. It is something we can experience right now when we begin to have fellowship with Christ. 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."
In that verse, "eternal" translates a word in the original language that means "agelong." The idea is of life that never ends. It points to an afterlife where there is no death. But it also is talking about eternal life that we "have" right now -- not "will have someday." It is something which starts right now while we are alive on earth and continues on for eternity with Christ our lord in the presence of Father God.
The verse in John 3:16, the word "perish" used in it is a word that means "be totally destroyed." Mathew 25:46 talks about "eternal punishment" as the destiny of people whose lives aren't lived God's way. If eternal life is living forever with God, then the other verse in Mathew implies dying forever that is living forever apart from God.
However, the deepest perspective of what exactly is eternal life is told from the mouth of Jesus in the story of rich young man mentioned in Mathew 19:16-30. In a broader perspective eternal life is best represented in John 3:15, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. The rich young man obeyed all the commandments very well. And his question towards Jesus about what do I still lack, signifies the spiritual arrogance of the highly spiritual people in the society during the time of Jesus. And also there was a lot of possession that he had which blocked his ways to go further in his life of faith. However, Peter who is the representative of the disciple of Jesus went forward.
The major difference is Apostle Peter's child like humbleness led him to the kingdom of heaven. Same rich young man story in Mark 10:21, shows that Jesus calling his disciples as children. And also in Mathew 18:1-4, Jesus says how important it is humble oneself like a little child to enter and become the greatest in kingdom of heaven. This attitude of humility is reminiscent of Jesus humbleness referred to in Philippians 2:5-8. From the mouth of Jesus came the words that Jesus is humble and gentle in Mathew 11:29. This was the main characteristics in disciples of Jesus that differentiated them from this rich young man who represented the arrogance of teachers of law during the days of Jesus who acted as if they knew everything.
John 13:1-17, the event of washing the feet of the disciples sums up how humble Jesus was and also reminding of the fact that the disciples who believed him were already clean but only remaining thing was that they just need go through the process of sanctification which was shown as the washing of the feet not the entire body.
Rich young man was in awkward position. As the religious leaders during that time thought they already know everything, what more can God give them? Indirectly Jesus is pointing out to the rich young man: Are you able to like my disciples who have thrown out everything? Are you free from possessions?
Simply speaking eternal life is not reached only through obeying the commandments. We reach eternal life when we practice love. The way that leads to salvation and eternal life can be opened only through the sacrifice of giving everything to others. Many believers are stopped in their path of faith, by their possessions and material things. John 6:27, Jesus says do not work for the food that spoils but for food that endures for eternal life. There are many cases in which people give up because of such things. Most of the today's people are working to establish their earthly relationship and work for money which meets and provides the needs of their body. However, most are least concerned about the relationship with God and how only when we connect with God by letting go of little things; we can come to have deep and lasting fellowship with God who provides everything for us. The young man went away sad. He was stopped and blocked in his path, before following. On the other hand Jesus disciples, went forward, following Jesus. They followed the life of Jesus as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:9, though Jesus was rich, he become poor for many even though he had everything. That is the life of love. That is life of wanting to connect mankind with God and restore the relationship of love.
There is an impressive confession in Mathew 19:27, that Apostle Peter says "we have left everything to follow you." For this Jesus said in v:28, that leaving will not end in leaving but there will be compensation. That there will be reward, that is sitting and judging with Jesus. Although disciples were already given the keys of heaven to judge the people already on the earth with word of Jesus, the spiritual manifestation of the reward as well as eternity already started on earth, but after their life on earth it will manifest into manyfolds in the form of material as well sharing in the gracious presence of the Father God. However, Jesus focus was not to make them material rich again, but to show them that by becoming spiritually rich in humility, we already are rich like Jesus and come to possess the heart of God. We are no longer confined in the possessions or any other things which decays with time but we are united with the glorious and eternal love of our father God which in itself will bring and add up other things as well. Mathew 6:33 proves that point. Seeking kingdom of God also adds up others things as well. But the important thing remains eternally is that, it is not about the things or reward or position but is about the having the heart of humility through which only we can come to know God and meet him and his remains the only way to live with him eternally.
It is our privilege to become poor when faced with freewill to take or leave everything behind. It does not end with us leaving everything behind. We must know the heart of God who wants to give us more than what we have left behind.
After knowing this truth, my mind set changed and this showed me the precious heart of God, who wants to have deep connections with me in terms of love. Now that has brought me to realize how important it is to have humble heart to meet God and know God. I wish live the life of love where I can keep on emptying everything i have to attain Christ my Lord and to have best and beautiful relationship with him.
Eternal life is not just the life after death. It is something we can experience right now when we begin to have fellowship with Christ. 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."
In that verse, "eternal" translates a word in the original language that means "agelong." The idea is of life that never ends. It points to an afterlife where there is no death. But it also is talking about eternal life that we "have" right now -- not "will have someday." It is something which starts right now while we are alive on earth and continues on for eternity with Christ our lord in the presence of Father God.
The verse in John 3:16, the word "perish" used in it is a word that means "be totally destroyed." Mathew 25:46 talks about "eternal punishment" as the destiny of people whose lives aren't lived God's way. If eternal life is living forever with God, then the other verse in Mathew implies dying forever that is living forever apart from God.
However, the deepest perspective of what exactly is eternal life is told from the mouth of Jesus in the story of rich young man mentioned in Mathew 19:16-30. In a broader perspective eternal life is best represented in John 3:15, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. The rich young man obeyed all the commandments very well. And his question towards Jesus about what do I still lack, signifies the spiritual arrogance of the highly spiritual people in the society during the time of Jesus. And also there was a lot of possession that he had which blocked his ways to go further in his life of faith. However, Peter who is the representative of the disciple of Jesus went forward.
The major difference is Apostle Peter's child like humbleness led him to the kingdom of heaven. Same rich young man story in Mark 10:21, shows that Jesus calling his disciples as children. And also in Mathew 18:1-4, Jesus says how important it is humble oneself like a little child to enter and become the greatest in kingdom of heaven. This attitude of humility is reminiscent of Jesus humbleness referred to in Philippians 2:5-8. From the mouth of Jesus came the words that Jesus is humble and gentle in Mathew 11:29. This was the main characteristics in disciples of Jesus that differentiated them from this rich young man who represented the arrogance of teachers of law during the days of Jesus who acted as if they knew everything.
John 13:1-17, the event of washing the feet of the disciples sums up how humble Jesus was and also reminding of the fact that the disciples who believed him were already clean but only remaining thing was that they just need go through the process of sanctification which was shown as the washing of the feet not the entire body.
Rich young man was in awkward position. As the religious leaders during that time thought they already know everything, what more can God give them? Indirectly Jesus is pointing out to the rich young man: Are you able to like my disciples who have thrown out everything? Are you free from possessions?
Simply speaking eternal life is not reached only through obeying the commandments. We reach eternal life when we practice love. The way that leads to salvation and eternal life can be opened only through the sacrifice of giving everything to others. Many believers are stopped in their path of faith, by their possessions and material things. John 6:27, Jesus says do not work for the food that spoils but for food that endures for eternal life. There are many cases in which people give up because of such things. Most of the today's people are working to establish their earthly relationship and work for money which meets and provides the needs of their body. However, most are least concerned about the relationship with God and how only when we connect with God by letting go of little things; we can come to have deep and lasting fellowship with God who provides everything for us. The young man went away sad. He was stopped and blocked in his path, before following. On the other hand Jesus disciples, went forward, following Jesus. They followed the life of Jesus as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8:9, though Jesus was rich, he become poor for many even though he had everything. That is the life of love. That is life of wanting to connect mankind with God and restore the relationship of love.
There is an impressive confession in Mathew 19:27, that Apostle Peter says "we have left everything to follow you." For this Jesus said in v:28, that leaving will not end in leaving but there will be compensation. That there will be reward, that is sitting and judging with Jesus. Although disciples were already given the keys of heaven to judge the people already on the earth with word of Jesus, the spiritual manifestation of the reward as well as eternity already started on earth, but after their life on earth it will manifest into manyfolds in the form of material as well sharing in the gracious presence of the Father God. However, Jesus focus was not to make them material rich again, but to show them that by becoming spiritually rich in humility, we already are rich like Jesus and come to possess the heart of God. We are no longer confined in the possessions or any other things which decays with time but we are united with the glorious and eternal love of our father God which in itself will bring and add up other things as well. Mathew 6:33 proves that point. Seeking kingdom of God also adds up others things as well. But the important thing remains eternally is that, it is not about the things or reward or position but is about the having the heart of humility through which only we can come to know God and meet him and his remains the only way to live with him eternally.
It is our privilege to become poor when faced with freewill to take or leave everything behind. It does not end with us leaving everything behind. We must know the heart of God who wants to give us more than what we have left behind.
After knowing this truth, my mind set changed and this showed me the precious heart of God, who wants to have deep connections with me in terms of love. Now that has brought me to realize how important it is to have humble heart to meet God and know God. I wish live the life of love where I can keep on emptying everything i have to attain Christ my Lord and to have best and beautiful relationship with him.
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