Eternal Life

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:20

Biologists struggle with the definition of physical life. A living thing must be able to grow, respond, metabolize, reproduce, and adapt. Yet there’s something else, something missing. Scientists still can’t make a living cell from undamaged parts of dead cells. Life is certainly much more than the sum of its parts. It contains a spiritual component, although some PhD's won’t admit it.

Conventional wisdom dictates that Eternal Life would be harder to analyze since it’s spiritual and spiritual elements don’t fit into a test tube. Actually, it’s easier because the spiritual realm is both obtained and demonstrated through faith; faith is based on knowledge and knowledge is revealed in the word of God.

What is eternal life? The simple answer is Jesus. According to the verse above, Christ is the “true God and eternal life.” Contrary to popular opinion, eternal life is not just the ability to live forever. It isn’t just receiving a better body with cells that don’t wear out or grow old. The mystery of eternal life is “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

When a person is saved he doesn’t just receive unending life, he receives Jesus, Before salvation, there’s no spiritual life. It’s receiving the Spirit of Christ in one’s life that makes all the difference (Romans 8:9).

I am in Christ and Christ is in me. I never said I understood it, but I have experienced that it’s true. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Eternal life is what happens when a person is transformed by the grace of God. It’s life that starts with an encounter with the Savior; it then progressively gets better and lasts forever.

For me to live is Christ and Christ is eternal life.