God does not merely “give” us eternal life. It comes bound up in the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus. If we have Jesus, we have eternal life. He is life and from him all life is derived and sustained. Our Lord Jesus is the eternal Logos, the Creator.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:3–4 (NKJV)
There can be no life apart from God’s imparting and sustaining it.
When Jesus walked this earth, he told his disciples that he is “the Life.” (John 14:6) He also told them that, for us, eternal life consists of knowing God.
And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)
This kind of knowing is not merely intellectual. It is not just knowing about God. It is having a relationship with him that includes his coming to live inside us in person of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of life. (Romans 8:2)
Because we came into this world as independent agents who were separated from the life of God (Ephesian 2:12), we imagine that it is possible to live on our own terms by our own power, but this is not sustainable over any significant length of time. God allows us to experience physical-soulical life for a season, but eternal life is only available in the spirit. That is why we must be born of the spirit, to come back alive in the innermost core of our being.
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5–7 (NKJV)
Jesus, who is “the life,” is the focus or goal of the entire Bible.
Everything points to him in the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27), and all of mankind’s history that is still unfolding is pointing to his soon return in glory. Not only is he the goal of all history, since it is “his story,” Jesus is the means by which God accomplishes his will. In other words, Jesus is the end all and be all of all. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 21:6) , the beginning and the end, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer of mankind (Hebrews 1:1-3), and the goal of all things. (Colossians 1:16)
For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:36 (NLT)
Paul wrote that his glorious responsibility before God and to the disciples was to preach and teach what he called the “unfathomable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)
Unfortunately, many people, even Bible believing disciples, think that Jesus merely provided the means for us to be forgiven by paying the price for our sins, giving us a “fresh, clean slate” in life. It is true that the offering of his body upon the cross as the Lamb of God paid for our sins, but Jesus did so much more than that! He also restored us to a right relationship with his heavenly Father, birthing us spiritually into God’s eternal family, thereby providing us with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the eternal life that resides in him. Jesus’ resurrection conquered death, disease, demons, and everything else that tries to hold people in slavery. We have the promise of reigning with him at God’s right hand forever, too. Salvation is far greater and more extensive than most people dare to imagine!
The reason all this is possible and true is because Jesus did not simply provide these things: he is these things for us. He is the New Covenant.
I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. Isaiah 42:6–7 (NKJV)
When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered Satan. Everything connected with sin, Satan, and death was defeated. All those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ the Lord participate in that victory for themselves, based on the fact that we were and are “in Christ,” making everything that is true for him true for us, too.
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)
May God open our eyes to the reality of everything that God the Father has given us in his Son, who is the New Covenant! May we stop thinking of God as only being somewhere “out there” looking at us and realize that he dwells within every believer by means of his glorious Spirit.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NASB)
And since God’s life dwells within us, it is not something that comes and goes.
Jesus promised that his Spirit would be with us forever. (John 14:16-17) That is why we have eternal life if we trust in Christ. Ask yourself, “How long does eternal life last?” The answer, of course, is as long as God’s Spirit lasts, which is forever.
We are as secure as the promises of God.
As long as God lives, so do we. And the Judge of all mankind has promised those who trust in him that we will never, ever be condemned! (John 5:24) Chew on that for a while. That should make your day and your eternity.
And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 (NASB)
Prayer
Holy Spirit, please open our spiritual eyes and heart to perceive and believe in all the glorious riches Father has given to us in Christ. Father, thank you for making us complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), lacking no good thing (2 Peter 1:3). Help us now to live up to our high calling in Christ and tell others about your amazing gift to all who will believe and receive. Amen
Click here to read other articles about the New Covenant.
