What is eternal life? (2)

There is something we should keep in mind.

We should remember that when we believe in Jesus, we have eternal life

And that eternal life isn’t just life in heaven forever.

It is because we are partially enjoying eternal life in this earth right now.

The place where the word “eternal life” appears intensively is the Gospel of John.

The word “eternal life” in Greek is “zoe” (life) plus “aionion” (eternal).

In other words, the word “eternal life” has two meanings literally (Internet):

This means, first of all, "life that lasts endlessly" in time,

Second, qualitatively means "a divine life different from human life."

Therefore, the term “eternal life” includes both the meaning of the eternal life in time,

And divine life that we enjoy in God.

In particular, when we look at the Gospel of John, the term “eternal life” means

‘the eternal blessings that we will enjoy in the future’ as in the Synoptic Gospel

but more than that it emphasizes the blessings of the present.

The Gospel of John says that those who believe in the Lord have eternal life,

And that the blessing of eternal life can be enjoyed even in present reality in the Lord.

Then what are the blessings of eternal life that we enjoy in present?

They are the blessings of the afterlife that we receive in sharing intimate fellowship

with eternal God and His Son Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (J. 17:3).

A typical example is to participate in God’s divine character.

In other words, the blessing of eternal life that we now partially enjoy in the present reality

is to imitate Jesus Christ in the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.

Another, the blessing of eternal life that we now enjoy partially is love.

When we love our God and our neighbors with the love of God

that has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,

we partially taste the joy of heaven.

Also, the blessing of eternal life is peace. 

Although we live in the world without peace,

We who believe in Jesus partially enjoy the blessing of eternal life, that is peace, While living in this world.