19/05/2020
Eternal life vs Eternity:
It is true that every human that ever come to the planet earth will live eternally but not everyone will have eternal life.
Eternity is different from eternal life. While eternity is concern about length (quantity) of life, eternal life is concern about quality of life.
In John 3:16, the real purpose of Jesus coming to the earth was for us to have eternal life. It is clear that our sins were the barrier between us and eternal life.
Yes, Jesus died for our sins and if we believe on Him, we will not perish, but there is more to the gospel than that.
The real message of the Gospel is that God want to give us eternal (everlasting) life. Jesus Himself explain it in John 17:3
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." KJV.
Here, He defines eternal life as knowing the Father, the only true God and knowing Jesus Christ whom He has sent, that's what eternal life is. Many people including preachers think that eternal life is living forever.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETERNAL LIFE and ETERNITY:
1. Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus Christ while eternity is living forever.
2. Eternity is for all while eternal life is for some. ( those that know God)
3. Eternity is a right while eternal life is a privilege
To know as used in the scripture means "More intimate relationship" the real purpose of salvation is not just living forever in heaven but having an intimate personal relationship with the Lord God.
Jesus came to give you intimacy and personal relationship with God the Father. He want to restore you back into close personal relationship with Him.
Christ died not only to forgive your sins, but also to bring you close to Him.
If I may ask how is your relationship with Him?, if you don't know Him, you need to do that now, if you've already been born again, you need to go beyond just getting your sins forgiven and enter into everlasting life with the Father.
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