The biblical concept of eternal life
was revealed by Jesus Christ before His departure (John 6:44–45; John 14:1–4).
Before understanding the meaning of the
expression eternal life, one must first
understand the meaning of the word life.
Many Christian denominations today seem unaware of the distinction between biological life—which begins with birth from
water, followed by growth, and ends with death—and spiritual life, which also needs to be born again. This is
because, in this world, we are born spiritually dead. That is why the birth of
the spirit depends on being born again—the
resurrection of the spirit (John 3:1–3).
Only after this rebirth can a person, soul, and
spirit be transformed to enjoy eternal life. Ultimately, only the God of
Creation can write your name in the Book of
Life or the Lamb’s Book of Life,
granting you resurrection to eternal life to dwell in His presence (Philippians
4:3; Revelation 3:5).
Unfortunately, many Christian churches today
are filled with people who are convinced that simply belonging to a local
church automatically grants them this privilege. If you believe this is true,
ask yourself: When and how did it happen?
To verify, study how the term is used in
several passages of the Bible:
Genesis 3:14–15, Exodus 14:13–14, 2 Kings 5:9–15, Matthew 9:20–21, and Matthew
14:25–31.
Many of today’s common Christian beliefs are
in fact widely accepted deceptions, including the following:
·
That salvation is simply about getting
forgiveness of sins
·
Escaping hell
·
Going to heaven when they die
·
Receiving eternal life by default
Moreover, it is often thought that people “get
saved” by doing some (or all) of the following:
·
Asking Jesus into their hearts
·
Confessing their sins
·
Repenting of their sins
·
Getting baptized in water