Eternal Life
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
John 3:16 is an all-time favorite for a lot of us. It is so simple, yet complete. It starts with God’s love being so deep that “he gave.” We know that was no simple act. His Son, Jesus, was sent to earth, and although He lived a perfect life, He died for sin. It was our sin. Although they buried Him, He rose again, conquering death and the grave. Even though we deserve to “perish” (Hell, Lake of Fire), He offers “eternal life” for “whoever believes in him.”
If we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, God promises us eternal life. This is such a beautiful promise that John uses the phrase “eternal life” twenty-four times. Here is a sampling.
• John 3:36 - “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
• John 5:24 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”
• John 6:40 - “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
• John 6:47 - “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”
• John 10:27-28 - “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
• John 17:3 - “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
If you like a scavenger hunt, geocaching, hide and seek, or Pokémon GO, then I have some news for you. “Eternal life” is only found in Jesus. In John 6:68, we read, “Simon Peter answered him [Jesus], ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” Searching can be fun, challenging, and frustrating. However, once you find the goal, celebrate and share it with others. Tell people about the journey. Lead them to “eternal life.”
In case you missed it, 1 John 2:25 says it succinctly, “And this is the promise that he made to us - eternal life.”