ETERNAL LIFE

Life-Eternal

 

“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have “eternal life.” John 3:15

 

 

The common Greek word for life is zoe. This word was the simplest word for life in itself, essential life, the life of a butterfly, the life of an arch-angel, or the very life of God. In the Greek language they had another word for life, bios, and in their use, bios was supposed to describe something higher on the scale of being. We have adopted both words into our language in certain applications, as for instance in our employment of the terms zoology and biology. We have, however, made use of the former in application to the beasts; and the latter, biology, for all life. In doing this we have reversed the Greek idea. Now the arresting fact is that uniformly in the NT, when life is spoken of in its highest level, as eternal life, the term used is not bios, but zoe. Zoe, therefore, is essential life in itself, with all its mystery and its marvel, its possibility, and its power.

            Christ taught Nicodemus that zoe life comes through the lifting up of the Son of Man where Life is liberated, which lifting up results from the love of God for humanity; and in the light of this revelation men, walking and obeying that revelation, come into possession of zoe life that endurs the ages.

            Eternal Life is not a condition which man comes to after death, but that mystic and wonderful life which is in all the ages past, present, and future. It is the infinite force at the back of everything. The force which man is to fight against fear and on the side of faith is that of the appropriation of eternal life (1 Tim 6:12). Eternal life is not a quantity but a quality. It is not merely life which continues but life that continues forever.

“Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling.” 1 Sam. 25:29

           Here Abigail gave expression to her understanding of the place of David in the will and power of God. The first and simple meaning of the declaration was that the life of the man chosen of God to be king, was safe in His keeping. The truth was beautifully expressed. The phrase, "the bundle of life," described the sum total of things precious to God, and therefore held together in His preserving power. Very suggestive is the idea of close fellowship with God expressed in the statement that Jehovah God Himself is included in that bundle of life. The soul of David was bound up in that bundle with Jehovah God. How perfectly safe is any soul when it is thus bound up together with God Himself. The strength of that bundle of life is not that of bindings or tackling superimposed. It is that of the identification of God with all included in the bundle. In these words there flashes through, on the page of the Old Testament, that great conception of fellowship with God, which finds its full exposition in the New Testament. In Christ, God has identified Himself with man; in Christ, God has identified man with Himself. That is the meaning of eternal life. Those who have that life, are indeed bound up in the bundle of life with God. They live one life with Him. In that is their safety. Because of that union, no bitterness in the heart of Saul, no churlishness in the attitude of Nabal can harm those who are included, neither can any force of evil prevent such from coming ultimately to the realization of all that is in the will of God for them.

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Isa. 55:3. And that my friend is eternal security which goes along with eternal life.