(Eternal) Life, but not as we know it
If you are anything like me, you’ve probably spent quite a lot of time thinking about eternal life. Sermons are preached about it, books are written on the topic, and it regularly pops up in Bible studies and group discussions.
Questions like “What is it? Where is it? How is it? Will I get bored?” are the basic fodder of the topic. People jokingly say “Please don’t let me be a cherub playing a harp on a fluffy cloud”, but behind that comment there is an underlying uncertainly. What if the renaissance artists were right? Surely there will be more than that.
The phrase ‘eternal life’ appears 41 times in the Bible, primarily in the New Testament. Overall, the terms related to eternal life can be found 48 times throughout the Bible, indicating its importance in Christian doctrine. However, there’s a big “but” here; nowhere does it say that eternal life is everlasting life or life without end, so what is it?
Let me say up front that I don’t know the answer to that question. It is way beyond my pay grade. We do know that Jesus is the only person who had died and reappeared in a resurrected body. Given that the invisible God chose to appear in human form and live as a human, it is equally possible that Jesus reappeared as a human to show us that God had broken the power of Sin and Death.
As a starting point we should look at the biblical passages that refer to eternal life.
Key Verses on Eternal Life
- John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This verse highlights the core Christian belief that faith in Jesus grants eternal life.
- Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” This verse contrasts the consequences of sin with the gift of eternal life offered through Jesus.
- 1 John 2:25: “And this is what he promised us—eternal life.” This verse reaffirms the promise of eternal life to believers.
- John 17:3: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” This verse defines eternal life as a relationship with God and Jesus.
- Titus 1:2: “In hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” This emphasizes the certainty and hope of eternal life as a divine promise.
In each of these verses and throughout the New Testament, the Greek word used for ‘eternal life’ is ‘aiōnios’ drawn from the root word ‘aiōn‘, which more specifically means ‘age’ or ‘era’ as in Bronze age, Iron age, or computer age, all of which are eras that are distinctly different from what previously existed. Greek had other terms like ‘aidios’ for something more strictly eternal/timeless. The preference for aiōnios suggests the biblical authors often had the “age” framework in mind (this age vs. the age to come).
Given this information, it is worth considering the possibility that the NT writers had something different in mind when they referred to eternal life. Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven has come to earth, and in the Lord’s Prayer he told us to pray that God’s kingdom come to earth and that God’s will be done on earth. These are paradigm shifts, different eras, if you wish. They are not something in the future that we hope for.
The Gospel writer, John indicates that there is something about eternal life that is not about where we go after death. He writes “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) and “Whoever believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). In both passages, John is quoting Jesus, lending significant authority to the statements.
Earlier I said that Jesus’ death defeated Sin and Death which I believe is true, but it raises the question about the nature of the death referred to in this claim. It is probably fair to say that we all agree that Sin is not a physical entity, but it is a breach in our relationship with God. Sin is prioritising self over others and God; it is the unwillingness to see the nature of God in the people around us and in the natural world in which we live. In and of ourselves, we cannot break Sin’s power over us, but Jesus did this on the cross. So what about the death of Death? If Jesus broke the power of Death on the cross, what might that look like?
The immediate assumption is that the event refers to physical death because there is biblical reference to graves opening and the bodies of the dead appearing in the city when Jesus died (Matthew 27:52-53), and of course, the main event: Jesus’ resurrection from death on the third day. What if the resurrection itself points beyond restored physical life to something even greater—the arrival of God’s Kingdom among humanity?
Getting back to the meaning of ‘eternal life’. I would like to suggest that believers transition into a different age (or eon) of spiritual state of awareness. I’ve heard many people say that the world seems brighter after accepting Christ. As if everything is seen through new lenses. This makes sense to me as it aligns with my belief that Jesus’ death on the cross fully accomplished everything that he came to do.
Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus contrasts two kinds of existence. Not physical life vs immortal life but life apart from God versus participation in God’s own life. That would explain why Jesus can say, “Whoever believes has eternal life.” The life isn’t postponed until after death. The believer has entered God’s life already. It is a life lived in awareness of God’s presence.
I believe the defining characteristic of eternal life is not its duration but its relationship. It is not time-based existence but awareness-based experience. If we were to measure eternity at all, perhaps we should measure it in the depth of our experience of God rather than the length of time spent with God.
Post your thoughts in the Comments below.
LOVE Can’t Do That
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Even The Elect Will Be Deceived
I’ve been a Christ follower all my life, and Matthew 24:24 troubled me deeply for 40 years. How could a diligent Christians to be deceived? Don’t we have the Holy Spirit in us guiding us to all truth? Although I didn’t dwell on it, the possibility that this verse might apply to me was a significant concern.
I wondered if I had lived in the period when slavery was accepted would I have also accepted it without giving it a second thought? What about women’s rights or the rights of minorities; would I have stood up for them or have simply accepted them as normal because it was what other Christians believed? I wondered if I had lived in Nazi Germany if I would have accepted the political philosophy as readily as the state church and many of the national believers.
It wasn’t until US Presidential elections in 2016 that I realised what this verse meant. When well-meaning Christians swore allegiance to a regime that was godly in name but not in practice. I saw how biblical words were used to sway believers who focus on external meaning instead of internal intent. I saw believers rush to find biblical parallels for practices that were clearly not in line with Jesus’ example of a loving God.
The past 14 months have accelerated the diversion from Christlike living at a rate I could not have imagined. The second of the Ten Commandments says that we should not take up the name of our God in vein, yet this is common practice. US leaders encourage war in God’s name and the support base is unchanged from 2016 when Trump was first elected. How can 80% of conservative Christians support a regime that treats fellow humans with such disdain?
Here’s a smoother, more natural version that keeps your meaning but improves flow and readability:
I’d like to believe that this group is so deeply invested in their political beliefs that stepping back would feel like admitting they were wrong—that God had not, in fact, deliberately placed this administration to accomplish some greater good. In that case, their resistance could be explained as pride, a reluctance to acknowledge—to themselves as much as to others—that they had been misled. But the reality, I suspect, is more subtle than that.
Perhaps these Christians think that God is in control and puts in the governments that fulfill His purposes regardless of how distasteful the policies. Such people would be forced to believe that deaths of millions of people by Hitler, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and Stalin were all part of God’s will. Just collateral damage expediting the arrival of the new kingdom.
Bringing it closer to home, it would mean that Christians who believe God has everything under control, predestined that all deaths in mass shootings are part of His plan. Can you hear God saying to the shooter, “Keep going, I need you to shoot two more children to fulfill my plan today.”?
Circling back to the topic of deception, why are Christians so gullible? Perhaps it’s because we have been encouraged to leave our brain at the door of the church and believe everything we are told. Perhaps its just easier to not think at all, because faith in God is all important regardless of what happens around us.
I have seen the deception of the elect with my own eyes and now I understand how easily it happens. It gives me significant reason to pause and assess my own beliefs and check their alignment with the life of Christ as the truest example of the character of God, lest I too am deceived.
In Christ Daily – Day 3
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Colossians 1:17
Thought of the Day:
The word ‘before’ typically implies a time reference. God existed before everything was created, in other words, God preceded all creation. The Greek word can also imply prominence or pre-eminence, suggesting that God is above all creation in time, place, rank and purpose.
But God is not separate from creation. The God who imagined and spoke the universe into existence, is one of us, is one with us. God in Christ holds and sustains us and is as close as our next breath. The good news of the Gospel is that Christ is inside creation, sustaining it, caring for it, loving it. Jesus came as a human being to dynamically show us the character of God and how committed God is to us.
Action of the Day:
Stop throughout the day to consciously breathe. With each breath in, imagine God’s life-giving presence sustaining you, giving you life. As you breath out, let go of the stress and strain you are carrying and consciously anticipate another fresh breath of God’ presence.
Prayer of the Day:
Life giver and sustainer, I acknowledge that you are closer than my next breath. Your life is pumping through me as continuously as my heart beats. You have known me from before the foundations of the world, and you love me with unending love.
In Christ Daily – Day 2
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16
Thought of the Day:
All creation is sacred because Christ is the centre of all that exists—everything was made through Him and for Him. This includes all the natural world and every person who has ever lived. There is no separation between sacred and secular because God created everything through and for Christ.
Action of the Day:
Today I choose to see God in everything around me, therefore I will treat everyone and everything with love and respect knowing that Christ is the centre of all things. Take a moment to reflect on this amazing statement.
Prayer of the Day:
Help me to see you in everything I do and everyone I meet. I believe that everything that exists is created and sustained by you, but I often struggle to live in that awareness. Give me fresh insight to see you in the cold drizzling rain, the unexpected schedule change, or the frustrated person in the car behind me.
In Christ Daily – Day 1
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Colossians 1:15
Thought of the Day:
Jesus Christ is the first born of all creation, which means we all carry the spiritual DNA of God; we are the Imago Dei, the image of God.
If we want to know what our Heavenly Father looks like, we only need to look at Jesus. His words and actions show us what God is like making Jesus the best image of our Heavenly Father. We don’t have to live in doubt about this invisible God because Jesus came to show us God’s nature and character. God loves us so much that He doesn’t leave us to speculate about his nature – Jesus shows it to us.
Action of the Day:
We are all created in God’s likeness, so today I will try to live with the awareness that every person I meet carries the DNA of God.
Prayer of the Day:
In the busyness of the day, I often forget to look at you, Jesus. Remind me throughout the day that you are the best image of God that I will ever see. Open my eyes to see your image in everyone I meet.
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Pentecost, Old and New
As I write this blog, we are approaching the celebration of Pentecost which occurred 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection. It marks the launch of the fledgling church when the promised Holy Spirit filled the 120 people in the upper room.
It’s easy for us non-Jewish Christians to think that this was the only celebration in town, but the Jewish Calendar also celebrated the Feast of Weeks which is seven weeks (50 days) after Passover. The Hebrew festival, (Shavuot) dated back to the time of Moses and was the harvest festival celebrating the first fruits of the wheat harvest. Shavuot later became the celebration of when Moses received the 10 Commandments on Mount Sinai, acknowledging the giving of the first covenant.
There are some amazing parallels between the Jewish Shavuot festival and the Christian Pentecost, all of which serve to show how God has been revealing Himself throughout Jewish history.
Spiritual Symbolism
- Shavuot reveals God’s Law on Mount Sinai, Pentecost reveals God’s Holy Spirit on Mount Zion.
- The first brought Law on stone tablets, the second brought Law written on human hearts.
- God’s presence on both occasions was evidenced as fire, wind.
Historical Parallels
- People Gathered: At Mount Sinai and from all nations at Jerusalem
- Audible Phenomena: Thunder and a loud trumpet blast at Mt. Sinai and a mighty rushing wind in the upper room.
- Visual Phenomena: Fire and smoke on the mountain, tongues of fire on the disciples
- Result: Fear and distance resulted in 3000 deaths at Sinai, but joy and closeness with 3000 saved when Peter preached his first sermon.
Theological Significance
- Foundation: The old covenant was the creation of Israel and a nation of God, and the new covenant was the birth of the Church as the body of Christ.
- Access to God: The Old Covenant was by the law, but the new covenant was by faith in Jesus and the empowerment by the Holy Spirit
- Mission: The old covenant focused on the land, whereas the new covenant is to the ends of the earth.
- Limitation: The old covenant was national, with ethnic boundaries, but the new covenant is inclusive of all people (every nation under heaven).
The Old Testament Pentecost (Shavuot) commemorated the giving of the Law to Israel—a national, external covenant written on stone. The Christian Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Spirit, inaugurating a universal, internal covenant written on hearts. What began as a harvest of wheat became a harvest of souls.
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With God on Our Side
Imagine thinking that you are 100% correct in your beliefs on any given topic, only to have someone come and suggest an alternative view point. What is your response? Most people will think that the other person is blind to the truth, doesn’t understand the nuances or subtleties, or is misinformed. Rarely do we stop to question our own suppositions or allow other perspectives to challenge our conclusions. Deception is diabolical, it narrows our perspectives, heightens our defenses, and enlarges our ego because, of course, we believe we are right.
For decades, I wondered what Jesus meant in Matthew 24:24 when he said, “Even the elect will be deceived.” How could God’s elect be led astray from the truth? I struggled to imagine a scenario where Christ-followers would lose their focus on Jesus, and follow other paths, albeit still in the name of Christ. I should have been a better student of history, because I would have had my answer repeated many times over.
- 160 years before Christ, a family of Jewish priests called the Maccabees revolted against their oppressors.
- The Zealots of Jesus’ day used violence in an attempt to overthrow Roman occupation
- The Catholic Church instigated the Inquisition to root out heresy and maintain orthodoxy
- Most Christians in Germany welcomed the rise of Nazism in 1933 – Holocaust Encyclopedia
The common factor is that the ends justify the means when God is supporting your cause. Singer, songwriter, Bob Dylan challenges this thought in his song ” With God on Our Side”. The fourth verse focuses on Jesus’ betrayal in the name of God, and invites us to question whether our beliefs and actions are like those of Judus, the political zealot and infamous betrayer –
Through many dark hour I been thinkin’ about this
That Jesus Christ was betrayed by a kiss
But I can’t think for you, you’ll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side
All that to say, it appears we are more easily deceived than I ever imagined.
Returning to Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24:24, it is worth noting several important points:
- The Warning: He warns his disciples to be on guard against false messiahs and prophets who will try to deceive people, even those who are considered “the elect” or God’s chosen ones.
- The Deception: These false figures will perform great signs and wonders, making their deception seem very convincing.
- The “Elect”: The term “elect” refers to those who are chosen by God for salvation or who are faithful to their divine call.
- The “If Possible”: The phrase “if possible” is a rhetorical device emphasizing the severity of the deception, suggesting that even the elect are vulnerable to it.
- The Importance of Discernment: The passage highlights the importance of discernment and vigilance in distinguishing true from false teachings and leaders.
- Ongoing Pattern: The deception Jesus speaks about is part of an ongoing pattern, not just a one-time event.
What happened 2000 years ago is continuing to happen today. We haven’t learned from history, and we are more isolated from it than ever before.
There was a time when oral traditions were passed down through the generations, preserving history in the minds of each new generation. Wisdom was revered, held by the few who had lived long enough to understand or were fortunate enough to be trained. Perhaps it was the invention of the printing press that enabled the mass dissemination of what was treasured wisdom, thus it widened and shallowed the pool of understanding, and in so doing, wisdom was reduced to knowledge, which in turn became information as more and more people could access it. Now, everyone has the wisdom of the ages in their cellphones, and information has become data to be manipulated or discarded if doesn’t fit within the siloed walls of their chosen belief system.
Today, the elect are being deceived as quickly and easily as ever. Christians are adopting nationalism and self-interest in the name of God with the result that the life and example of Christ has become a casualty of war against our ideals of individualism and commercialism. It is happening as such a devastating speed that many people will be barely awake as they sip on their first cup of coffee, not realising that life has changed forever.
Thoughts and prayers to all who think God is on their side.