qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqw ertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwert yuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyui opasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopa Eternal Life Misunderstanding and Meaning sdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdf ghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghj klzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklz xcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcv bnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbn mqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmq wertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwe rtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwerty uiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuio pasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopas dfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfg 11/25/2021 Dr. Morris Murray, Jr. Eternal Life One of the most misunderstood expressions in the New Testament (NT) is “eternal life.” After noting the occurrences of these two coupled-words in the NT, it is maintained that “endlessness” is not its primary meaning. I then offer limited insights as to what several components of its meaning actually are: aionios zoen (“eternal life”) Mt. 19:16, 29; 25:46 Mk. 10:17, 30 Lk. 10:25; 18:18, 30 Jn. 3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2, 3 Ac. 13:46, 48 Ro. 2:7; 5:21; 6:22, 23 Ga. 6:8 1 Ti. 1:16; 6:12, 19 Ti. 1:2; 3:7 1 Jn. 1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20 Jude 21 The primary meaning of this expression is not “endlessness,” although that is a secondary reality. Rather, it primarily denotes qualitative rather than quantitative concerns: time is not a measuring feature in eternal life. This, of course, runs counter to all that we presently know, since “time” presently dominates everything in our earthly life. Plus, this same word aionios is used to describe “fire” (Mt. 18:8; 25:41), “damnation” (Mk. 3:29), “destruction” (2 Th. 1:9), and “judgment” (He. 6:2). So, there must be more to its meaning than mere “endlessness.” After all, if “endlessness” is all that the word conveys, then, it is not any more qualitative than “fire, damnation, destruction, and 1 judgment.” “We will never enter into the full ideas of eternal life until we rid ourselves of the almost instinctive assumption that eternal life means primarily life which goes on for ever” (Barclay). Therefore, the following 11 primary features are what makes “eternal life” what it is: 1. being in a relationship with God “in Christ” (in union with Him). All true, genuine, ultimate, meaningful life is only “in Christ.” “Life in Him” is such that sin can never find a pleasing place or legitimate lodging spot. Christ overcame and expelled sin from His quality of life. Thus, eternal life is a sinless kind or quality of life. This is why Christians are instructed to “confess” whatever sins may temporarily stain or taint them during their earthly life. Any temporary sin is counter to eternal life and creates guilt, remorse, and tension which may only be relieved through forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9). After all, God has examined Jesus and found Him to be a perfect substitute for our examination. We are not the Lamb of God and the sin-judgment which fell on Him was for our sakes. This is why Paul said in Ep. 1:6 that we are “accepted in the Beloved.” There is only one present and permanent place of acceptance by God: “in Christ.” In the words of 1 Jn 5:11-12: “God has given to us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son does not have life.” 1 Jn 5:20: “And we know that the Son of God is 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.” This verse plain2 ly states that Jesus Himself is eternal life. Eternal life does not exist apart from being “in Christ/in union with Him.” 2. a quality of life that involves the very life of God Himself – “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pt. 1:4): The word translated “partakers, sharers” is koinonoi – a kindred word to koinonia (“fellowship, a close mutural relationship; participation or sharing in; partnership”) “Life is of value when it is nothing less than the life of God – and that is the meaning of eternal life” (Barclay). 3. redemption/redeemed life: lutroo (“redeem, redeemed”- Lk. 24:21; Ti. 2:14; 1 Pt. 1:18) lutrosis (“redeemed, redemption” – Lk. 1:68; 2:38; He 9:12) apolutrosis (“redemption” - Lk. 21:28; Ro. 3:24; 8:23; 1 Co. 1:30; Ep. 1:7, 14; 4:30; Co. 1:14; He. 9:15) agorazo (“redeemed, bought, ransomed” – Re. 5:9; 14:3, 4) exagorazo (“redeemed, redeeming” – Ga. 3:13; 4:5; Ep. 5:16; Co. 4:5) 4. recipient of an indestructible heavenly “inheritance” (Ac. 20:32; 26:18; Ep. 1:11, 14, 18; 5:5; Co. 1:12; 3:24; He. 9:15; 1 Pt. 1:4) 5. being within and under God’s rulership (“kingdom of God” – see my A19 A Harmony of the Gospels Appendix for all occurrences of the word in the 4 gospels. This may be accessed online: archive.org/details/@mandm313 – click on link, then click on A19 A Harmony of the Gospels and it will open into a book format. See pg. 22. 6. nothing surpassable or better (Jn 10:10 – perisson: “more abundantly; all its fulness; utterly, completely; overflowing, to the full”) 7. full, complete, sufficient knowledge of God – gnosis (“knowledge” – Ro. 11:33; 2 Co. 4:6; 10:5; Ph. 3:8; Co. 2:3; 2 Pt. 3:18); epignosis (“deeper, fuller knowledge” – Ep. 1:17; 4:13; Co. 1:9, 10; 2 Pt. 1:2, 3, 8; 2:20) 3 8. obedience to God – peitharcheo ( “obey” - Ac. 5:29, 32); hupakouo (“obey” – Ro. 6:16; 2 Th. 1:8); apeitheo (“obey” – 1 Pt. 3:1; 4:17); hupakouo (“obeyed” – Ro. 6:17; 10:16; Ph. 2:12; He. 11:8); hupakoe (“obedience, obedient” – Ro. 1:5; 5:19; 6:16; 15:18; 16:26; 2 Co. 10:5, 6; Philemon 21; 1 Pt. 1:2, 14, 22) 9. void of material possessions – it cannot be touched by these: As seen in the words of God to the rich man in Lk. 12:20-21: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” To be rich toward God embraces non-material concerns. Indeed, “the motives, the aims, the conditions, the successes and awards of time counted for nothing” (Vincent). Thus, another perspective on eternal life is that it is void of material possessions. Ro. 14:17 – “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righeousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” 10. a present possession – although it has a future fulfillment in its total ramifications, it is, nevertheless, a quality of life into which one presently enters at the new birth when one believes/places faith in Jesus Christ: “has” – present tense as in John 3:36; 5:24; 6:47 11. totally moral or ethical – 1 Pt.1:15: “As He who has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” Ro. 6:19: “as you once yielded your bodies to the service of impurity and lawlessness, making for moral anarchy, so now you must yield them to the service of righteousness, making for a holy life” (NEB). 2 Cor. 7:1: “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect/complete in the fear of God.” 4 Ep. 4:24: “Put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” 1 Th. 3:13: “May He make your hearts firm, so that you may stand before our God and Father holy and faultless when our Lord Jesus comes with all those who are His own.” 1 Th. 4:7: “For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” He. 12:10: “For they *earthly fathers+ disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.” He. 12:14: “Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” It is quite easy to see that there is much more to eternal life than simply an unending life after we die. It is hoped that this short article on the subject is informative and inspirational and sheds much needed light on its primary meaning. 5